Edtec 671
Project Two:
Informal Learning Reflection
claudia@websterdesign.net
5.1.11 : EdTec671 : Wednesday Nights
HOME : : Museum Visit : : Proposal : : Outcomes Model : : Design : : Objects : : Technology : : Treatment : : Assignments
Cognitive Reflection
My informal learning project for EdTec 671 was a bit different, not a museum, but a craft brewery with a bit of local history. The primary audience is adults over the age of 21 (of drinking age), however, a visit to a craft brewery is often a family event. People bring their children and also their dogs. The material presented therefore needed to be appropriate for children as well. They were our secondary audience.
By nature of the business, a brewery is mainly focused on being a tactile experience, there is the aroma, the taste of beer, the sound of others loudly conversing, jostling and rubbing elbows with the crowd. Our brewery, Aztec Brewing Company, is a historic San Diego brand that was retired in the 1950s. We are working to revive it to its former glory but also wanted to bring it to the 21st century. I needed to choose which technology would be the most useful for this.
Before embarking on designing my brewery, I visited several of the local craft breweries to see how they were set up, to talk to their visitors, to watch their reactions while there. I also talked with friends and local home-brewers to see what they felt was essential for the best brewery experience. These people ranged from experienced brewers, or beer geeks, all the way to people who had never been to a craft brewery, never tasted one of this type of beers and knew little about the whole craft brew scene. What did they want for a better experience?
The analysis showed that the first time a beer geek visited a brewery they wanted easy access to a clear description of the individual beers, the ingredients, the ABV (alcohol by volume), the price. This way they were ready to order when they got up to the bar. If there was a "flight" or rack of samplers available, what was the best combo to choose? People who were new or inexperienced with craft brew, wanted more information about all levels of craft brewing, with particular attention paid to a way to help them choose that right first brew. This is the beer that makes or breaks the experience. The closer they are to finding a beer that matches their flavor palate, the more likely they are to return.
If a visitor has a good experience when they visit, they are more likely to return, by talking with others, I use deductive reasoning to narrow down this very general viewpoint. What specifics would work here to make my customers want to return to my brewery specifically? Give them easy access to the knowledge they wanted, anytime they wanted it. I also had discovered those new to the craft brew scene needed help determining their palate, a very specific skill that could profit from a job aid. Was there a tool or aid that I could create that would not only help the newbies. but also serve a broader audience? By using inductive reasoning and working outward, I decided it would be more useful and show a greater ROI to create a job aid that not only helped the newbie, but could serve a larger audience too.
Most breweries have a white board, with the current beer on tap listed, with a few specifics. Never quite enough information to make a clear decision. Add to the white board a rolling screen that lists more detailed characteristics of each of the current brews. Easy to update, easy to access while you are in the brewery, plus a QR to an online version to use at home. For the newcomer, there will be QRs to link to the palate tester, an app (or website) that lets the viewer go through a series of questions that narrows down their taste preferences, to help point them to the right brew to tart with. This would be expanded to include suggested food and beer pairings, also determined by palate and food choice.
Addressing the needs of my secondary audience as well, I determined that if the kids were having a good time, their parents would most likely stay longer and return more frequently. Observable behavior, kids like to be entertained. The whole Aztec theme goes way beyond a typical brewery. First there is the original namesakes to be considered, the Aztec Indians. Upon entering our establishment, you are immediately surrounded by murals depicting the authentic carvings from Aztec history. Enter the main tasting room and you are surrounded by historic photographs and memorabilia from the original Aztec Brewing Company. Placards nearby will detail each artifact with a piece of San Diego history. Artwork featuring the muralists of the 30s will also be displayed. Our brewing equipment is in the same room as the tasting bar, so the brewer and other staff will gladly give mini tours, explaining the equipment and the brewing experience.
Adding all these components together make a trip to the Aztec Brewery more than atypical evening out. Visiting the brewery becomes an eclectic adventure, to satisfy heart and belly. Data collected for the TTB and ABC to report sales will let us easily track whether the brewery hits the mark or not. It will let me know if my initial analysis as to what is required to make a memorable brewery visit was right and if my inductive and deductive reasoning resulted in the correct design that captures the attention of my audience.