Matters of Experience

Behind the scenes of every immersive experience, an unsung hero is translating the visions and ideas of designers into tangible realities. This week’s guest, Mike McCarthy, is that unsung hero. Mike, the Vice President of Design Communications Ltd (DCL) , is an internationally recognized custom fabricator of architectural specialty products and large-scale construction and renovation projects. Mik...

This week on Matters of Experience, we chat KPIs to ROIs in a way that won’t make you ZZZ. Metrics maestro, Joe Federbush, President & Chief Strategist of EVOLIO Marketing , joins the podcast to discuss humanizing data, measuring emotion, and searching for sentiment to help brands develop the most impactful experiences. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions about the show please s...

Las Vegas, the Entertainment Capital of the World, known for its bright lights and big casinos, isn’t necessarily the city that comes to mind when you think about where to travel to discover an immersive museum experience. But believe it or not, it is. This week’s guest is Jonathan Ullman, President and CEO of the Mob Museum , a one-of-a-kind cultural institution exploring the ongoing power strugg...

The American story is an immigrant story, and in the Lower East Side of New York City, the Tenement Museum provides a voice for immigrants who have often been forgotten or marginalized. This week’s guest is Dr. Annie Polland, President of the Tenement Museum. She joins Abby and Brenda to discuss the importance of celebrating the enduring stories of real people and real families who immigrated and...

Ever wonder who museums and cultural organizations call to learn how to better connect with their audiences and visitors? It’s this week’s special guest, Cathy Sigmond, Head of Strategy at Kera Collective . She uses data and insights to help museums paint a big picture of how to better shape visitor experiences. She joins the podcast to discuss her role as an expert in design-based and qualitative...

What do a pajama case and a horse’s head have in common? Nothing to most of us, but they are both objects with significant meaning to each of our hosts. This week’s episode is about objects — our relationship to them in our everyday lives, their role in museum environments, and how exhibit designers can make meaningful connections with them. Show Notes: Museums Health and Healing Projects | Object...

What is a story? Do experiences have to tell a story? Does storytelling exist in museums? In this week’s episode, we’ll dissect what a story is and what it isn’t with writer, filmmaker, and co-founder of Lorem Ipsum Corp, Yan Vizinberg. From the power of storytelling in films and literature to its impact on designed spaces and museums, this episode will explore the many ways in which stories can s...

This week's guest is Elif Gokcigdem , a leading voice in the field of empathy and the founding president of ONE, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering compassion in individuals, communities, and institutions around the world. In this episode, we'll delve into why empathy in design is crucial to creating meaningful and impactful experiences on an individual level and, more importantly, h...

This week, we explore the sensational and spectacular with one-time circus ringmaster, former Director of Special Events for the City of New York, and producer impresario Chris Wangro . Known as a master of community building and spectacle, he’s worked with a variety of legends, from Dolly Parton to the Dalai Lama. He is credited with reinstating “Mega-Events” to Central Park, where he oversaw the...

“It all started when I put online a simple question: What does childhood in war mean for you?” - Jasminko Halilovic In a world affected by tension, polarization and war, can museums act as a voice for love, unity, and peace? This week’s guest tackles this very question. Jasminko Halilovic is the founder and managing director of the War Childhood Museum, and in this episode shares how a book about...

In experience design, the stories we tell must touch the visitor in a very personal way and help them connect with the world around them and inspire them to think about their place in history. This episode is for the storytellers, creatives, and designers in search of a toolset to develop truly immersive narratives. Abby and Brenda focus on storytelling in experience design, why it’s essential to...

Business mogul Rob Cohen, Vice President and General Counsel of Display Supply & Lighting, Inc. , switched lanes from being a lawyer to becoming an entrepreneur in the experiential industry in the mid-90s and has been helping agencies and institutions bring their immersive environments to life with the companies he’s built. In this week’s episode, he speaks on how to tame the wild beast that i...

As the Media Arts Director at Pace Gallery , Raina Mehler is devoted to exhibiting artists and interdisciplinary groups pioneering in the emerging field of immersive, experiential art and the Web3 space. She joins this week to talk about the metaverse: what it is, what it isn’t, and how it can be the next step in the evolution of technology, design, and communication. Show Notes: Pace Verso Superb...

The way we consume is changing. It started with technology helping us buy whatever we want, wherever we are, with a simple click of a button. And it’s now affected the idea of the retail store’s purpose. We’re thrilled to be joined by Giovanni Zaccariello, Senior Vice President of Global Visual Experience at Coach, to talk technology, innovation, and how to start leveraging experiences to reinvent...

Architect Alex Bitus believes that the bathroom is the most important room in a building. Can a lavatory really have the potential to be an indicator of the quality of the structure’s overall design? Beyond the bathroom, this episode explores how architects and designers create comfort through design. Show Notes: Buro Bitus Liberty Market Judy Rand's Visitors Bill of Rights Yamalo — Nenets Autonom...

In this episode, Abby and Brenda talk with John Falk , social scientist, educator, and author, on the meaningfulness of museums, their role in our well-being, and how satisfaction is a critical achievement in the museum experience. The three explore the meaningfulness of museums, why they matter, and what motivates us to visit them. This episode analyzes how designers can push boundaries, impact h...

Joy Bailey-Bryant is the President of the U.S. office of Lord Cultural Resources . She joins Abby and Brenda to explore what DE&I means to cultural institutions of all types and what it takes to design meaningful exhibits and memorable museum experiences. Joy reflects on her journey, consideration for the future of our profession, and shares how she connects with diverse communities to create...

In this episode, Abby and Brenda discuss Monica O. Montgomery’s decades-long journey from unpaid intern to director of Community Engagement and Programs for Historic Germantown , and how using community engagement as the primary lens of her work has allowed her to utilize the museum as a hub of humanitarian activity to serve society. Show Notes: The Art of Relevance Before Yesterday We Could Fly:...

In this episode, Abby and Brenda shine a spotlight on the creative team: people, processes, war stories and success stories, as we explore the questions of who takes ownership, what’s gained when a team works well, and what’s at stake when it doesn’t? We share techniques for breaking through creative blocks and our thoughts on the role of good communication, thoughtful leadership, and managing emo...

Nearly 2 billion people worldwide have a disability. So, how do we incorporate inclusive design and sustainable practices into our work to ensure we create experiences that are inclusive for everyone? Abby and Brenda’s conversation with Sina Bahram explores how to enhance true inclusivity and why it makes the entire experience more enriching. Show Notes: Prime Access Consulting Smithsonian Guideli...

In this episode, Abby and Brenda respond to the current influx of questions about the differences between what industries deem to be “exhibitions” and “experiences”, and why the conversation matters. Are experiences always event or program-driven? Where do content, learning, transformation, and meaning-making fit in? Does thinking about experience mean that we are thinking more about audiences? In...