Presentation about the Smithsonian's Web and New Media Strategy and how it relates to the goal of creating more audience-centric Web sites. For Forum One, National Press Club, Washington, D.C. November 5, 2009. (This is a copy of the slides actually given at the event. See the Long Version for additional slides.)

1. Strategy and Audience Old Learning Model New Learning Model Forum OneAudience-Centric User ExperienceNovember 5, 2009 National Press Club, Washington, DC Michael Edson Director, Web and New Media Strategy Smithsonian Institution, Office of the CIO

2. Preamble Twitter: @mpedson http://slideshare.net/edsonm Join us at http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com Beware…The opinions in this presentation are mine, not the official policy/strategy of the Smithsonian… (My M.O. is to drive change by building a sense of urgency) We’re a little bird Note: In this short talk I’m going to skip a few (many) slides—come back to http://slideshare.net/edsonm to get the scoop

3. Takeaways Alternative ways to assess reputation, brand & relevance—what pain looks like Misunderstandings that are barriers to change—a thermocline or perception gap An alternative (and better) way to make strategy—public, transparent, and fast How strategy can/should re-frame the relationship with audiences—why strategy matters

5. “In this day and age, organizations can no longer rely on their mission or reputation to draw visitors to their site.” Let’s just see how true that is…

6. Relevance

7. Relevance Q: Have you ever visited a Smithsonian Web site? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5x4Sga0d1s

8. Unexpected Rivals in Google Search Relevance Google Images Wikipedia Ocean.com Discoveryeducation.com NASA Enchantedlearning.com

9. Unexpected Rivals in Reach Relevance Google Images Wikipedia Ocean.com …so much more reach than SI that we don’t even show up on the graph… Enchantedlearning.com si.edu discoveryeducation.com ocean.com

10. Unexpected Rivals in Reach (July – Sept, 2009) Relevance Enchantedlearning.com si.edu discoveryeducation.com ocean.com

11. Relevance Unexpected Rivals in Reach (July – Sept, 2009) Enchantedlearning.com is a two person team, with more online reach than the world’s largest museum and research complex! Enchantedlearning.com si.edu discoveryeducation.com ocean.com

12. Traffic Trending Down Relevance si.edu – 4% reach Wikipedia.org + 8% reach MoMA.org + 12% reach npr.org + 20% reach

13. Brand Identity Relevance Brandtags.net We are the 560th of 928 brands

14. We’re competing with… everybody! Relevance

15. We’re competing with… everybody! Hyperlinks!!! 97% of all online research efforts pass through wikipedia.org Relevance

16. We’re competing with… everybody! Relevance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNXahIoXMw8&feature=related http://flickr.com/search/?q=spaceshipone&w=all

17. The Demographic Tsunami Relevance November 2007 data: Pew Internet and American Life Project

18. The Demographic Tsunami “Everything we hear from people we interview is that today’s consumers draw no distinctions between an organization’s Web site and their traditional bricks-and-mortar presence: both must be excellent for either to be excellent.” Relevance Lee RainiePew Internet and American Life Project

19. Relevance “The Smithsonian is not an Institution that understands me” From focus group withBay Area millennials, 2009 “Surprise me!”

21. Overcoming these challenges requires organizations to overcome some misunderstandings about “The Web” (by which I mean all digital initiatives)

23. Takeaways Alternative ways to assess reputation, brand & relevance—what pain looks like Misunderstandings that are barriers to change—a thermocline or perception gap An alternative (and better) way to make strategy—public, transparent, and fast How strategy can/should re-frame the relationship with audiences—why strategy matters

24. Misunderstandings The Web is a fundamentally new way of getting things done The Web is a bigger megaphone

25. Misunderstandings Focus on innovation/ discovery inside the Institution Catalyze innovation/ discovery outside the institution Joy’s Law: no matter who you are, most of The smartest people work for someone else

26. Misunderstandings Fixation on Web 2.0 and Social Media

27. Misunderstandings The Desktop Internet 2.5 Billionmobile subscribers

28. Misunderstandings We can get ahead by“doing more of thesame thing” No, you can’t… John P. Kotter, A Sense of Urgency

30. Takeaways Alternative ways to assess reputation, brand & relevance—what pain looks like Misunderstandings that are barriers to change—a thermocline or perception gap An alternative (and better) way to make strategy—public, transparent, and fast How strategy can/should re-frame the relationship with audiences—why strategy matters

31. Why Make Strategy? Reestablish relevance Prioritize tactical opportunities

33. Increase size of brain trust

34. Improve the odds for change

35. Improve odds for execution (public promises not easily forgotten)

36. Outside champions more likely to support “commons” goals than status-quo insiders

37. Walking the Talk vis-à-vis crowdsourcing and innovation model

38. “You get what you practice”Strategy Execution

40. Increase size of brain trust

41. Improve the odds for change

42. Improve odds for execution (public promises not easily forgotten)

43. Outside champions more likely to support “commons” goals than status-quo insiders

44. Walking the Talk vis-à-vis crowdsourcing and innovation model

45. “You get what you practice”More on this process at http://slideshare.net/edsonm and http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com Strategy Execution

46. Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv 152 posts to internal blog

47. Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv Classic blog/wiki playbook

48. Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv Classic blog/wiki playbook

49. Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv Classic blog/wiki playbook

50. Smithsonian 2.0

51. Smithsonian 2.0

52. Process: Workshops to Wiki http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com

53. Process: Workshops to Wiki Process at-a-glance “The main intent of the workshops is to move relevant information to the wiki where it can be openly evaluated, sifted, weighed, and considered by all.”

54. Process: Workshops to Wiki

55. Process: Workshops to Wiki As participants are speaking, what they’re saying is being typed and saved on a public wiki

56. Process: Workshops to Wiki Post workshop, using the wiki to highlight themes and “action required”

57. Process: Workshops to Wiki

58. Process: Workshops to Wiki External input, course corrections, validation

59. Public-Facing Wiki Improvement/synthesis over time Original workshop notes

60. Public-Facing Wiki Improvement/synthesis over time Attendee says “wait a minute!” (more in extended slides on slideshare)

61. YouTube: Voice Your Vision Impromptu YouTube competition (done by volunteers) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-XNKDXiDW4

62. Twitter: #si20 Twitter during/after workshops#si20

64. Takeaways Alternative ways to assess reputation, brand & relevance—what pain looks like Misunderstandings that are barriers to change—a thermocline or perception gap An alternative (and better) way to make strategy—public, transparent, and fast How strategy can/should re-frame the relationship with audiences—why strategy matters

65. Pan-Institutional Strategic Plan Four Grand Challenges (Brand new!)

66. Pan-Institutional Strategic Plan Four Grand Challenges Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet Valuing World Cultures Understanding the American Experience

67. Pan-Institutional Strategic Plan Woaaahhh! These are big, hairy goals and the outcomes are to things that really matter for real people! Four Grand Challenges Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet Valuing World Cultures Understanding the American Experience The Web & New Media describes the platform for making this happen

68. This is what Web strategy looks like The public wikiis the strategy

69. Web & New Media Strategy Structure Three Themes Update the Smithsonian Digital Experience Update the Smithsonian Learning Model Balance Autonomy and Control within SI Eight Goals External Mission Brand Learning Audience Internal Interpretation Technology Business Model Governance Each Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations

70. Web & New Media Strategy Structure Three Themes Update the Smithsonian Digital Experience Update the Smithsonian Learning Model Balance Autonomy and Control within SI Eight Goals This is a strategy that does work – that performs a job External Mission Brand Learning Audience Internal Interpretation Technology Business Model Governance Each Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations

71. This is what strategy looks like Which elements are user-focused? I’ll highlight a couple (more on slideshare)

72. 1 “There are few, if any, mechanisms that support findability, Web 2.0 features, and sustained/repeated user engagement across multiple platforms—and in many cases even within individual Web properties.”

73. 2 “We are like a retail chain that has desirable and unique merchandise but requires its customers to adapt to dramatically different or outdated idioms of signage, product availability, pricing, and check-out in every aisle of each store. This needs to be addressed to realize the full potential of the Smithsonian’s digital initiatives.”

74. 2 “We are like a retail chain that has desirable and unique merchandise but requires its customers to adapt to dramatically different or outdated idioms of signage, product availability, pricing, and check-out in every aisle of each store. This needs to be addressed to realize the full potential of the Smithsonian’s digital initiatives.”

75. American Indian National Zoo Natural History Tropical Research Institute American History Astrophysical Observatory Hirshhorn Smithsonian Associates Air and Space Environ-mental Research Cntr Photo Initiative Freer / Sackler Museum Conservation Institute Latino Center Asian Pacific American Program Folklife / Cultural Heritage Traveling Exhibitions Anacostia Museum African Art SI Libraries Cooper-Hewitt Postal Museum SI Across America Portrait Gallery National Science Resources Center Affiliations Education / Museum Studies Which Web site has the informationI need? Where do I start? Can I get this on my mobile phone? Can I get it in an exhibit? The Castle Archives of American Art What can I do with this content once I find it? How can I interact with my fellow-visitors? From inside any of these sites, where’s the rest of the Smithsonian’s content, visitors, community?

76. American Indian National Zoo Natural History Tropical Research Institute American History Astrophysical Observatory Hirshhorn “The biggest obstacle to Smithsonian 2.0 is Smithsonian 1.0” Leo Mullen CEO, Navigation Arts (from SI 2.0 Conference) Smithsonian Associates Air and Space Environ-mental Research Cntr Photo Initiative Freer / Sackler Museum Conservation Institute Latino Center Asian Pacific American Program Folklife / Cultural Heritage Traveling Exhibitions Anacostia Museum African Art SI Libraries Cooper-Hewitt Postal Museum SI Across America Portrait Gallery National Science Resources Center Affiliations Education / Museum Studies Which Web site has the informationI need? Where do I start? Can I get this on my mobile phone? Can I get it in an exhibit? The Castle Archives of American Art What can I do with this content once I find it? How can I interact with my fellow-visitors? From inside any of these sites, where’s the rest of the Smithsonian’s content, visitors, community?

78. Old Learning Model New Learning Model

79. 3 “Build expertise in metrics and evaluation and implement standard lightweight (not burdensome) reporting processes.”

80. 4 “This is not to suggest that the old models of learning are irrelevant or inoperative, far from it. But the emergence of a new class of learning techniques—built on a foundation of broad and unrestricted access to information, social sharing, creativity, play, and participatory learning—supplement those standard protocols and enable vast new audiences to use the Smithsonian as one part of their lifelong learning journeys. ”

81. 4 “This is not to suggest that the old models of learning are irrelevant or inoperative, far from it. But the emergence of a new class of learning techniques—built on a foundation of broad and unrestricted access to information, social sharing, creativity, play, and participatory learning—supplement those standard protocols and enable vast new audiences to use the Smithsonian as one part of their lifelong learning journeys. ”

82. 4 “This is not to suggest that the old models of learning are irrelevant or inoperative, far from it. But the emergence of a new class of learning techniques—built on a foundation of broad and unrestricted access to information, social sharing, creativity, play, and participatory learning—supplement those standard protocols and enable vast new audiences to use the Smithsonian as one part of their lifelong learning journeys. ”

83. 5

84. The Smithsonian CommonsA place to begin “a new part of our digital presence dedicated to stimulating learning, creation, and innovation through open access to Smithsonian research, collections and communities.”

85. The Smithsonian CommonsA place to begin More detail about what a commons is and why it matters via Imagining the Smithsonian Commons: Annotated text of "Imagining a Smithsonian Commons" on slideshare PowerPoint slides of "Imagining a Smithsonian Commons" on slideshare video of the talk at Computers in Libraries, 2009

86. The Smithsonian CommonsA place to begin More detail about what a commons is and why it matters via Imagining the Smithsonian Commons: Annotated text of "Imagining a Smithsonian Commons" on slideshare PowerPoint slides of "Imagining a Smithsonian Commons" on slideshare video of the talk at Computers in Libraries, 2009 We’re prototyping the Smithsonian Commons now

87. Strategy helps you prioritize tactical opportunities and focus on users and mission

88. Don’t forget about us!!!

89. How can we make the Smithsonian More relevant in a digital age? Filmed April 26th, 2009 at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTJ8u2HGtrs

90. Takeaways Alternative ways to assess reputation, brand & relevance—what pain looks like Misunderstandings that are barriers to change—a thermocline or perception gap An alternative (and better) way to make strategy—public, transparent, and fast How strategy can/should re-frame the relationship with audiences—why strategy matters Michael Edson | @mpedson | slideshare.net/edsonm