museumsandtheweb.com - strategy

Museums in perspective: share and discuss daily data about museums and their audiences.

rui — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:28:14 +0000

MW2012

Keywords:

evaluation

Keywords:

social media

Keywords:

analytics

Keywords:

participation

Keywords:

engagement

Keywords:

community

Keywords:

strategy

Abstract:

It is common practice among museums to publish quarterly or annual reports that include the museum attendance figures, online visits and more recently information about their social network activities. These figures are generally accepted as indicators of the effectiveness of museums activities both online and offline. While this information can give some hints about how organizations have evolved throughout the years, it is often hard to understand what these values mean without contextualizing them with information from other organizations. For example, what does it mean to have tens of thousands of followers on Twitter? Do the changes on annual attendance numbers reflect a global trend or a new local policy? Some of these questions can be better understood once figures from different cultural organizations are analyzed comparatively.

This paper introduces an online tool that collects information about more than 3000 museums and galleries. The published information includes annual attendance numbers, exhibition attendance numbers, online visits, as well as information about popularity and engagement on social networks. The information that is automatically collected or contributed by organizations can be visualized as interactive graphs and displayed comparatively with information from other organizations. The online tool introduced in this paper is accompanied by an online platform where museum professionals can discuss topics related to the published information, such as, issues and limitations of comparative studies and adequate online and offline strategies.

The information that is now being collected on a daily basis has been previously published in a scattered manner for several years. The Art Newspaper yearly publishes the attendance numbers of the most visited museums and exhibitions world wide. More recently Culture24 has published a report that analyses both website visitors and social network in terms of popularity and engagement of several organizations. Sean Redmond has created an automated data collection tool that daily reports the popularity on Facebook and Twitter of thousands of museums and galleries. At the Walker Art Center a tool has been developed that automatically aggregates and shares information from google analytics of several museums. These initiatives were important precedents that led to the development of an online tool where all this information is cohesively presented and contextualized.

Rather than just introducing an online tool, this paper also presents new insights encountered while developing the tool and comparing data. By listening to the communication channels of more than 3000 museums and galleries, it is possible to infer information specific to the sector. For example, it is possible to answer questions such as: what are the current trends in the sector being discussed on twitter? Which content published by a museum has been most shared online? We hope that by answering these and other questions, organizations will be able to understand better their online and offline presence and finally be able to concentrate on their specific goals rather than on numbers.

Type:

Paper - in formal session

Case studies in reading web metrics

Site:

http://www.museum-analytics.org/

Authors:

Rui Guerra

Navigating the bumpy road: a tactical approach to delivering the digital strategy

charlotte.sexton — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:37:54 +0000

MW2012

Published Paper:

Navigating The Bumpy Road: A Tactical Approach To Delivering A Digital Strategy

Keywords:

strategy

Keywords:

project management

Keywords:

strategic planning

Keywords:

sustainability

Keywords:

organisational change

Keywords:

delivery

Abstract:

This paper will discuss the importance and impact of developing, delivering and sustaining a digital strategy within a cultural organisation. It will use recent experiences at The National Gallery, UK and the Imperial War Museum (IWM), UK to demonstrate why having a strategy is so fundamental to the long-term success of digital development in organisations, and how it can be used as a driver to shape direction for a strategic programme of work that is aligned with organisational needs and priorities.

Both the National Gallery and the IWM are going through periods of organisational change, including reassessing the role and importance of digital in delivering the organisations’ goals. Despite being very different organisations in regard to structure, size and type of collections, there are surprisingly many similarities in aspirations and approach to digital engagement. This paper will provide readers with the fundamental principles of developing a strategy, how to deploy it and embed it for long-term sustainability. It will illustrate these principles by incorporating examples from both institutions throughout.

The paper will focus on the following questions:

Why is a digital strategy needed?

exploring the internal and external drivers
importance of putting digital at the centre of the organisations’ thinking

How to move from theory to practice to deliver digital programmes?

setting priorities for a programme of work
measures of success

How to keep the strategy alive and evolving?

embedding digital across the organisation
evaluating progress/success
revisiting and refining the strategy

The principles detailed in this paper and the illustrative practical examples from the National Gallery and Imperial War Museum will be of benefit to any organisation, large or small. It will demonstrate that a digital strategy is more than just a written document. A digital strategy provides a vision and action plan that is a framework and focus for all digital activity across an organisation. By placing digital at the heart of the institution, it can be a genuine driver for change.

Target Audience:
Senior staff, managers, consultants - those interested in strategic planning and project delivery.

Type:

Paper - in formal session

Digital strategy

Authors:

Charlotte Sexton

Carolyn Royston

Going further with web metrics with Seb Chan

sebchan — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:43:37 +0000

MW2012

Keywords:

analytics

Keywords:

strategy

Keywords:

metrics

Keywords:

technical

Abstract:

Web analytics are an essential skill for every museum web developer and content producer. With the new complexities of a 'web presence' rather than just a 'web site', museum professionals need more than ever the ability to measure and track visitors so as to both improve their products and content, as well as demonstrate value to managers, directors and funders.

This workshop looks in detail at best practices for web analytics using Google Analytics and participants will learn how to bake in analytics when designing and building digital projects, and how to ensure that useful reports are able to be generated and insights learned.

We will specifically look at -

tweaking tracking codes and health-checking
analytics gotchas
understanding the new look Google Analytics (2011)
understanding and designing segmentation and goal tracking
making useful dashboards and reports
social tracking and 'engagement' metrics

We will also look at, time permitting, integration with Excel for advanced reporting, as well as integration with heat mapping, and ISP-level analytics.

Seb Chan has been delivering Google Analytics and web analytics consulting and workshops for cultural institutions all over the world since 2008. Participants are advised to read his previous MW papers on analytics (2008 - https://conference.archimuse.com/biblio/towards_ne... and 2010 - https://conference.archimuse.com/biblio/spreadable...) , as well as the Lets Get Real report he co-authored for Culture 24 in 2011 (http://weareculture24.org.uk/projects/action-resea...).

Participants will need access, preferably admin level, to their organisation's Google Analytics account.

Type:

Workshop - full or half day

Going further with web metrics with Seb Chan

Authors:

Sebastian Chan

Epic fail - a forum on failure and 'failing forwards'

sebchan — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:24:56 +0000

MW2012

Keywords:

Failure

Keywords:

strategy

Keywords:

experimentation

Keywords:

scientific method

Keywords:

r&d

Abstract:

Chaired by Jane Finnis and Seb Chan this session will look at several important 'public failures' that, whilst in the short term were painful and embarassing, have been critical in evolving and improving ideas, products and projects.

A call out for 'featured fails' will happen in Feb 2012 to ensure that the projects featured are fresh and contemporary.

In order to keep the session 'open and honest', this will be a 'closed door' session with no tweeting or blogging of specific examples allowed.

Type:

Professional Forum - discuss an issue

Closing Plenary: Epic fail

Authors:

Sebastian Chan

Jane Finnis

Gaming the museum

dannybirchall — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:55:53 +0000

MW2011

Martha Henson and Danny Birchall, Wellcome Collection, United Kingdom

http://www.wellcomecollection.org/

Abstract

What makes a good museum game? Credible learning outcomes, compelling gameplay, or sympathy between the two? During 2010 and 2011, Wellcome Collection have been developing a series of games. In this paper and the workshop, we present four games of very different types as examples of our work so far and attempt to outline some of the underlying principles that have guided it. In the workshop itself, we will brainstorm the ways in which a variety of game platforms and formats might, or might not, work with the themes and content of museums and archives.

Keywords: games, strategy, education, archives, history, syndication

Program Item Reference:

Gaming the museum

Tales of the Unexpected: A Pragmatic and Candid View of Life Post-Launch

biblio — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:34:58 +0000

Mitroff Silvers, D., Sexton C., & Burnette A. (2010). Tales of the Unexpected: A Pragmatic and Candid View of Life Post-Launch. (Trant, Jennifer, David Bearman, Ed.).Museums and the Web 2010. Proceedings.

Tate Online Strategy 2010–12

jtrant — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:40:12 +0000

Stack, J. (2010). Tate Online Strategy 2010–12. Tate Papers. Spring 2010,

Mobile strategy and business models in the museum as distributed network

dbear — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:44:41 +0000

MW2011

Keywords:

mobiles

Keywords:

business strategies

Keywords:

strategy

Keywords:

business models

Abstract:

This workshop is now full.

Is mobile mania just the latest new technology hype, or will it make a lasting impact on how museums engage with audiences and do their business? What new business models are becoming available for mobile products and services, and how are old ones transforming, with the increasing pervasiveness of personal mobile devices among our visitors? This workshop takes the position that, “You don’t need A mobile strategy; you need mobile to be part of THE strategy.”

We’ll look at how to integrate mobile into the museum as distributed network, both in terms of platform and outreach strategy, and in its supporting role for the business of the museum. The workshop leader will draw on over 10 years’ experience developing mobile solutions for museum interpretation and audience engagement, and her recent work heading up mobile strategy and initiatives for the Smithsonian Institution. Participants will be invited to complete a questionnaire about their institutions’ use and goals for mobile initiatives prior to the conference, so that discussion can be focused on their real world needs and applications.

Type:

Workshop - full or half day

Mobile Strategies & Business Models - FULL

Authors:

Nancy Proctor

Social Media and Organizational Change

JackLudden — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 03:35:59 +0000

MW2011

Published Paper:

Social Media and Organizational Change

Keywords:

social media

Keywords:

leadership

Keywords:

management

Keywords:

strategy

Keywords:

audience engagement

Keywords:

social media policies

Keywords:

organizational change

Keywords:

organizational structure

Keywords:

social media coordination

Keywords:

managing social media

Abstract:

There has been great attention placed on how to work in the social media space. This includes how to work with social media in order to improve brand recognition, build a fan base, engage visitors, and expand programming. But you cannot accomplish any of this without staff members who understand how social media can be useful to their work and their institution.

There are critical questions concerning how to sustain, organize, and implement social media within an institution. How do we manage the "brand" with so many people creating content, while also being flexible and bringing out the many voices in an institution?

How to manage social media is a question asked by museums of all sizes and types. We will identify trends in the field as well as available resources that can help facilitate best practices for using social media. We will compare different approaches at different types of institutions (large vs. small, history vs. art museums, local vs. international)

The authors of this paper are from various parts of the country, from different type of museums and ranging in size. With our multiple perspectives, we will address:

Internal social media policies and guidelines and how best to introduce and maintain them
How social media can be coordinated. Should you distribute management of social media content across an organization, or should there be one point of contact?
Tactics for educating and training staff about what social media is and how it can further the mission
The new expectations for current staffing positions held within the museum

Promoting a cultural shift that embraces collaborative, agile ways of interacting with our peers and our audiences is critical to our success. We know that different museums have very different attitudes and comfort levels with social media. While risk-taking may not be for every institution, all museums must face the ever-changing world of online engagement. Social media is already altering how museums interact with the public and how museum professionals approach their jobs. This change is fast-paced. It is important that we address it and embrace it as a community.

Type:

Paper - in formal session

Organizational Change

Authors:

Dana Allen-Greil

Susan Edwards

Jack Ludden

Eric Johnson

Audience+: A holistic approach to developing social media guidelines for Swiss Museums.

Axel Vogelsang — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 21:22:06 +0000

MW2011

Published Paper:

Audience+: A Holistic Approach to Developing Social Media Guidelines for Swiss Museums

Keywords:

Web 2.0

Keywords:

social media

Keywords:

strategy

Keywords:

audience

Keywords:

participation

Keywords:

Switzerland

Abstract:

The project ‘Audience+, Museums and the Participative Web’ investigates the challenges and opportunities for museums in the German-speaking part of Switzerland with regards to the use of digital social media. It is supported by the Organisation of Swiss museums and aims at developing best practice guidelines for Swiss museums. The guideline not only seeks to give hands-on guidance for the first steps but it also explains how social media can work beyond the role of mere marketing tool, opening up opportunities for a broader user experience. The data, information and insights supporting the research were generated through a diversity of methods, including a survey amongst Swiss museums, a series of workshops, and an extensive use of social media as part of the research process.

Type:

Paper - in formal session

Social Media and Beyond

Authors:

Axel Vogelsang

Bettina Minder

Think Globally, Digitize Locally: charting an institution's course toward the digital social good

biblio — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:10:57 +0000

Dawson, B. (2010). Think Globally, Digitize Locally: charting an institution's course toward the digital social good. (Trant, Jennifer, David Bearman, Ed.).Museums and the Web.

Small Towns and Big Cities: How Museums Foster Community Online

biblio — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:10:55 +0000

MacArthur, M., & Allen-Greil D. (2010). Small Towns and Big Cities: How Museums Foster Community Online. (Trant, Jennifer, David Bearman, Ed.).Museums and the Web.

Smithsonian Web and New Media Strategy: What it is, how we made it, and why it makes a difference

biblio — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:10:55 +0000

Edson, M. (2010). Smithsonian Web and New Media Strategy: What it is, how we made it, and why it makes a difference. (Trant, Jennifer, David Bearman, Ed.).Museums and the Web.

Semantic Dissonance: Do We Need (And Do We Understand) The Semantic Web?

jtrant — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:01:03 +0000

Parry, R., Pratty J., & Poole N. (2008). Semantic Dissonance: Do We Need (And Do We Understand) The Semantic Web?. (Trant, Jennifer, David Bearman, Ed.).Museums and the Web 2008. Proceedings.