UX Design meets 20th century fashion at the Royal Ontario Museum
By Hanadi Alnawab
Students from the FASH 3000: 20th Century Fashion History and BUS 3003: e-Business Information Systems and Technologies courses came together for a unique learning experience at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Fall 2024. Led by professors Francesca D’Angelo and Hanadi Alnawab, the evening centred on the intersection of UX design and museum curation, offering a blend of fashion history and digital innovation.
The event started with a session from Dr. Sarah Fee, Senior Curator of Global Fashion and Textiles at the ROM. Dr. Fee shared her extensive knowledge of museum curation and provided students with valuable insights into the specific needs and considerations required for designing a museum app.
As the evening progressed, students delved into the world of UX design, exploring how history and museum exhibits shape user experience. This immersive session also introduced them to the first phase of the Design Thinking process, preparing them to create their own app prototype for the Humber Fashion History Museum. Inspired by their visit to Canada’s largest museum, the design will reflect insights gained during the field trip.
The Fashion History project is a collaborative initiative between the Fashion Management and Digital Business Management programs. It highlights the growing synergy between traditional museum curation and modern digital experiences, positioning students at the forefront of this evolving field.
In the Spring 2025 semester, students in the DIGI 3502 Database Systems course built a database for the Fashion History Museum in collaboration with Fashion Management Program Coordinator Francesca D’Angelo, with support from our Business Librarian Caleb Domsy and Library Archives Technician Shernett Bennett.
The database can be accessed on the Fashion History project website. More information about the project can be found in the LinkedIn post.
Author note:
An earlier version of this article was published by the Longo Faculty of Business.