Write the question the exhibit must answer
Ask what a visitor cannot easily understand from the real product, a photograph or a drawing. Is the challenge its physical arrangement, a concealed mechanism, a process sequence, or the ability to explore a configuration? Choose the simplest presentation that resolves that question, then define the supporting equipment and operator flow.
More outputs are not automatically a better booth. A physical model, screen and device station should each have a distinct role, with a common set of approved product facts.
Compare the full delivery scope
| Decision | Scale model | Animation | Interactive / VR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary role | Discuss physical form, layout or selected components | Explain a controlled sequence or selected views | Let the visitor choose among defined actions |
| Starting material | Approved geometry, dimensions and finish references | Approved geometry, narrative and technical labels | Approved geometry, interaction and target device |
| Display needs | Base, access, cover and handling plan | Screen, player, audio/caption decisions | Device, power, operator and reset arrangement |
| Movement between events | Packing, assembly and repacking | Export files and tested playback setup | Application/build plus devices and setup |
| Quote drivers | Detail, fabrication, finish and display hardware | Scene preparation, shots, revisions and versions | Content, interaction, devices and deployment tests |
Combine formats around one product story
A combined exhibit works best when each format answers a different question. The model can establish the overall arrangement, the video can explain a sequence, and the interactive display can let the visitor inspect a chosen detail. Repeating the same overview on three devices adds production work without necessarily adding understanding.
Make a shared product reference sheet with approved component names, colours, claims and source revisions. Then give each output its own acceptance criteria. A common CAD source can help consistency, but scale-model fabrication, video production and real-time preparation still require different work.
Use a scorecard with reasons, not arbitrary scores
| Constraint | Question to answer | Record in your decision |
|---|---|---|
| Message | Is spatial form, a sequence or visitor choice essential? | The one idea this output must communicate |
| Attention | How long can a visitor reasonably engage? | The planned introduction and main task |
| Operations | Who sets up, operates and resets the display? | Named responsibility and fallback |
| Source readiness | What approved information exists today? | Missing geometry, references and review owners |
| Reuse | Where will the output be used after the event? | Specific later formats or installation needs |
Write a reason beside the selected format. “We need to explain a hidden sequence to several people at once” is more actionable than “video scored eight out of ten”. If the team disagrees, identify the visitor question or operating constraint behind the disagreement.
Plan a phased brief when time or references are limited
Separate the required event outcome from future enhancements. A first phase might focus on an approved exterior overview while internal details are still being reviewed. A later phase could add those details once the source material and publication rights are ready. Do not imply that an unapproved interior has been demonstrated simply because the external model is complete.
For the first discussion, send the event date, available references, intended audience and the preferred visitor action. Use the service comparison to describe the output and the published samples to point to a presentation approach. The quotation should state what will be delivered for that phase and what remains outside it.
Prepare one brief with separate deliverables
- Main audience and the product question to answer.
- Event location/date and the available display space.
- Approved files and the person responsible for technical decisions.
- The job of each proposed output.
- Display hardware, operator, packing and playback responsibilities.
- Review stages, final formats and explicit inclusions/exclusions.
Use the focused guides for model scale and display planning, animation shots and interactive visitor flow. Explore scale models, animation or AR/VR services before sending the brief. For supplied-file component printing rather than a complete display, use 3D Printing Biz.