Stories are a powerful way of sharing individual experiences. It can make abstract concepts very personal and real. We use the art of storytelling to gather the best and worst traits about current practices at the many touchpoint opportunities within a system. People are asked to share their ideas about aspirations and possibilities — what is the ideal experience?

At Tanglewood, the summer venue of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, visitor interviews were conducted before and after performances to understand how people wanted to experience the venue. Ex;it learned that massive crowds for blockbuster performances during the season create a different set of expectations, as well as different paths of travel, than typical performances where visitors feel comfortable leaving belongings and enjoy the site. Information and wayfinding strategies needed to address the varying expectation levels of concert goers.