Desart Digital Labelling Evaluation

The challenge 

Over recent decades, the production of inauthentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art products and merchandise has continued to rise, which has had a considerable negative impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and communities. In 2018, the Australian Government provided a $150,000 grant to Desart to test the feasibility of remote art centres using digital labelling technology on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art products and merchandise to improve customer access to information regarding authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander products. The two-year pilot involved five Aboriginal art centres, each of whom developed new label content read via Quick Response (QR) codes incorporated into labels placed on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander products. 

What we did 

IPPG were contracted to evaluate the success of the pilot. We designed and implemented a mixed methodology, involving a review of project documentation, analysis of QR usage data, development of a process map, as well as qualitative stakeholder feedback gathered from over 21 key stakeholders via semi-structured interviews and workshops. These stakeholder groups included consumers, art centres and retailers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts organisations, and industry and government agencies.  

The evaluation collected evidence to address the aims of the project, guided by 7 key research questions.  

Outcome 

IPPG produced a report which contained the findings and recommendations of the evaluation. Across the research period, the five pilot art centres created a total of 1,059 unique QR codes with the SAM data showing that the digital labels had been used by over 2,150 unique customers, comprising a total of 7,630 QR linked pages The average time a customer spent on each page was approximately 2.5 minutes. 

The pilot centres reported that the use of the digital labels had created a range of customer benefits, including improved engagement and valuing of authentic artworks/products, plus greater understanding and knowledge of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander products. 

As a result of the evaluation, the project is planned to be re-funded by the federal Government and Desart are planning to implement all the recommendations.