Fast, Flexible, and Human: Rethinking Interpretation Tools in a Changing World
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
— Ferris Bueller
Ferris was right, but he couldn’t have imagined how fast life would move today.
For interpreters, educators, and leaders in museums and heritage spaces, that speed means our programs, strategies, and even our exhibits may need rethinking before the paint even dries or the website updates.
So what keeps interpretation agile, meaningful, and human? A great live interpreter with updated tools.
Below are three timeless interpretation tools, reframed for today’s fast-moving world.
1. Reframing Themes: Skip the Sentence. Keep the Spark.
With fewer guided programs and more impromptu conversations, some wonder if themes still matter. They do, but you don’t need to agonize over a perfect theme sentence.
Instead, ask yourself:
What perspective do I want people to consider?
Why is it important?
How might it connect to their life?
Even without a polished sentence, these answers shape how you respond to questions, structure moments, and invite curiosity.
Pro Tip: Using your insights from the questions above, try using a theme question instead. They’re more flexible and more effective at sparking conversation and exploration.
2. Relevance: Not Just a Hook. The Whole Key.
Relevance (or relatability) helps your audience connect your story to their story. And it adds some ‘sticky’, because people remember what connects to their lived experience.
The challenge? Relevance isn’t one-size-fits-all.
A Marvel reference comparing Wolverine's metal-clad bones to a beaver’s teeth might delight some visitors while flying right over the heads of others. That’s why great interpreters stay flexible. They plan for their diverse audiences by keeping a few options in their pocket and remain willing to experiment.
Pro Tip: Crowdsource your relevance. Ask your audience:
“Where else in life do we see something protected by a super-strong outer layer?”
You might hear armor. Car paint. Or maybe Wolverine. Either way, the audience is now contributing to the story. And the connection? It's more powerful because it’s theirs.
3. Storytelling: The Empathy Engine
Relevance makes your message sticky. Stories create opportunities for empathy.
In a time of deep polarization, stories help audiences do something critical: separate people from perspectives. They reveal how someone's lived experience led them step-by-step to a belief, even if you’re about to challenge that belief.
Empathy isn’t agreement. It’s understanding. And that’s where real dialogue begins.
Pro Tip: Practice listening to stories from people you disagree with. Ask yourself:
Would this belief make sense if I had lived their life?
If not, dig deeper.
You're building empathy and sharpening your interpretation skillset. The result is more skillful responses when an audience expresses an opinion you disagree with, or perpetuates a myth you need to debunk.
New Life for Old Tools
Themes, relevance, and storytelling aren’t just content tools. They’re strategic choices that help us:
Build trust
Spark curiosity and open doors to connection
Invite self-reflection
Open space for dialogue
Make meaning that sticks
In this era of change, connection matters more than ever. And interpreters? You’re already equipped to meet the moment.