Voices Of the Museum: Mobile Audio Storytelling Through MuseumMate
Keywords:
Museum Audio Guide; Mobile Multimedia; Human–Computer Interaction; Audio Storytelling; Visitor Engagement; Digital Heritage; Accessible DesignAbstract
Museums increasingly face challenges in providing inclusive and engaging experiences that accommodate diverse visitor behaviours and learning preferences. Traditional text-based interpretation, while informative, often disrupts the flow of physical museum visits and may impose cognitive load on visitors. This paper presents MuseumMate, an innovative mobile audio storytelling application developed for the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Management Museum, grounded in human–computer interaction (HCI) and multimedia design principles. The study adopted a design-oriented methodology comprising three phases: requirements analysis, design and development, and formative evaluation. User requirements were identified through semi-structured interviews and on-site observations, revealing a preference for audio-based explanations over lengthy textual descriptions, as well as positive acceptance of audio guides despite limited prior experience. These findings informed the specification of both functional and non-functional requirements, with a focus on usability, performance efficiency, and minimizing interaction complexity. A functional prototype was developed using a low-code platform, integrating professionally narrated audio content with an intuitive, accessible interface. This study contributes practical HCI-oriented design insights into mobile multimedia applications for museums, highlighting the role of audio storytelling in supporting visitor-centred cultural heritage experiences.
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