Over the last few years, museums have developed strategic plans to leverage technology in support of goals such as community engagement, institutional alignment, scholarship, media production and artistic excellence. Multiple museums have created Digital Strategies (or other tools such as Road Maps or Guiding Principles) to guide these efforts. Museum technology departments have been reorganized and comprehensive back-end strategies and museum wide processes created to activate their world-class collections, connect art with people, and drive on-site and online attendance. HOWEVER, the big questions remain: How are museums implementing these strategies? What processes do they use to support and approve digital initiatives? How do they measure success? How do they keep strategies current and top-of-mind? How do they get support from management and donors? What works and more importantly what doesn’t?
This session will look at how The Cleveland Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The National Gallery and Philadelphia Museum of Art are approaching digital strategy and implementation. Panelists will explore the scope and core elements of each museum’s digital strategy; staffing requirements and the interdepartmental steering team put in place to guide digital strategy; the backend systems put in place to support flexible access, both in theory and practice; and the effort required to pull everything together. As an added bonus, panelists will describe any missteps along the way and how hurdles were overcome effectively.Purpose and objectives - attendees will:Learn several different but overlapping approaches to digital strategy, with the pros and cons of each.Learn specific methods for thinking and acting strategically to deliver digital and technology initiatives.Learn practical approaches to developing a meaningful technology and digital media strategy.Learn communication skills and how to develop buy-in across the organization.Learn how to build strong and effective partnerships across an organization.Plus: plenty of opportunities for questions and answers.Format: Multi-presenter panel, with Q&A woven in throughout the session.Theme: Leadership
16. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Roadmap to Digital Excellence
MCN 201516
Infrastructure, Hardware, and
Systems
Legacy Platforms,
Siloed Data
Technology Skills Centered in
IT
Tightly Structured,
Less Participatory
Focused on Outcomes
Integrated Systems, Data
Driven Decisions
Digital Thinking, Digital Skills
Throughout the Institution
Collaborative, Agile, and
Adaptive
WW
17. "Art museums might have a lot to gain
by upping their digital game, according
to a new report.“ –NCAR
But we already knew that,
right?
20. Based on the mission of museum
• Give direction, energy and guidelines to
move your organization forward.
• Succinct and unambiguous.
• Helps to allocate budgets and other
resources,
• Explains its impact on other departments
• realities of your organization in the future.
• Gives direction to the people who will have to
do the actual work of making digital
engagement reality.
21. Digital Strategy Objectives
• activate the collection
• connect art and audience through active experien
• promote new scholarship
• support research
• facilitate internal and external collaboration
• drive attendance
• increase revenue
• streamline work
Yes, “digital strategy” = LRP strategies with tech me
22. Basic Technology Guidelines
• set up and maintained according to industry best
practices
• common platforms and “cores”
• minimize licenses / maximize open source
• data must be accessible
– minimize manual steps & re-keying
– save money and effort
• digital assets must reusable and findable
• no “one off” projects
23. Digital Strategy Implementation
• focus on core data
• build sustainable, modular systems
– open-source & industry-standard software
– best practices
• architect with reuse/multi-use in mind
• no one-off projects
EVERYTHING in terms of the BIG PICTURE
24. “One does not ‘manage’ people. The task is to lead
people. And the goal is to make productive the
specific strengths and knowledge of every
individual.”
- Peter Drucker
Image source: http://54ventures.com/demo-images/fuse-slide-4-11-1800x800.jpg DH
25. Character shall you
hire.
Skill train you may.
Image source: http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131106213953/starwars/images/d/d6/Yoda_SWSB.png
DH
27. Cool Blue
Do a select few
Seek funding & partners
(We wish we could do them all)
Risk: Too many at once (saying yes to
everything)
Red Flag
Do only if necessary
Stop! (or proceed with extreme
caution)
(We wish we could have none)
Risk: Bogs down & exhausts resources
Green Light
Do these fast
Make a prioritized list, get
moving
(We wish there were fewer)
Risk: Resources pulled away from Cool Blue
Gray Fog
Do only if there are resources
“Busy work” or dreamy
distractions
(We wish we had more time)
Risk: People fall into this , esp. in times of
stress
High
High
(Hard)
Low
Low
(Easy)
Importance,
based on
STRATEGY
Difficulty, based
in Reality
(gasp!)
Making Decisions
DH
31. Source of quote: http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2012/11/05/5-most-effective-ways-to-sell-change/
Without strategy, change is merely substitution, not evolution
- Glenn Llopis
Image source of quote: http://redequip.com.au/uploads/Redequip-Graph-1.jpg
DH
35. Communication is Key
MCN 201535
• Get in early.
• Meetings, meetings and more meetings.
• Manage up.
• Stop making things people don’t want.
36. Gallery One and ArtLens were the
first beneficiaries of the museum’s
digital strategy
CMA wanted the technology
implementation to be innovative,
intelligent and in-line with tech
industry best practices
37.
38. Proof of Concept
• Gallery One & ArtLens = prototype
– backend build-out
– data flow model
– automation
– interdepartmental team model
– vendor management model
– orient toward long-term planning
• Central Table
– interoperability / integration
– application modularity
39.
40. A FEW OF THE MANY…
• digital asset management
• archival repository
• open-source website
• mobile site
• dashboard
• central table
• integrated CCMS
44. Digital Initiatives Steering Committee
• CIO
• Deputy Director/Chief Curator
• Deputy Director/Advancement
• Director of Collections Management
• Director of Communications and Marketing
• Director of Education and Interpretation
• Director of Exhibitions and Publications
• Director of Library and Archives
• Director of Research and Evaluation
45. Digital Initiatives Review Process
• All projects have a Sponsor
(department-director level or higher)
• IMTS previews and guides
• Digital Initiatives Steering Committee
– big picture planning
– approval process
– review process
• Measurements of success are built in
48. Technology Funding
• Plan for the unexpected / rapid change
• 3-year rolling technology budget
• Project funding preferences
–outside funding / grants
–FYxxxx budget assignment
–Digital Initiatives set-aside fund
49. Interactive Project Process
MCN 201549
• Curator, Interpretation, Education and IIT generate interpretive
plan that identifies interactive technology needs.
• IIT and Interpretation begin preliminary design phase.
• IIT develops prototypes working with Interpretation and Visitor
Services to test with museum visitors.
• Curator, education review prototypes and work to refine
content.
• Curator, Interpretation, Education and IIT final review and
approval.
50. Project Review Process
MCN 201550
• Quarterly review of all interactive projects; Director, Curator of
Education, Director of IIT, Associate Director of Interactive
Technologies, Assistant Director of Interpretation, Deputy
Director for Collections and Programs.
• Weekly standing meeting; Curator of Education, Director of IIT,
Assistant Director of Interpretation, Associate Director of
Interactive Technologies.
51. Funding Projects
MCN 201551
• Special exhibition projects funded as part of overall exhibit
budget.
• Development liaison.
• Funding menu of projects, staff and infrastructure needs.
52. Working with the Subject Experts
MCN 201552
All projects, large and small, go through the same process
‒ A brief project description and background
‒ How does this help us meet the mission of the museum?
‒ What are the Measurable Goals and Objectives
‒ Who will be working on this and what are their roles?
‒ Detail the estimated budget and schedule
‒ What are the potential risks affecting the projects success?
53. Agile Working Group
MCN 201553
Weekly standing meetings that address outstanding issues
‒ Chief of Finance
‒ Head of IT
‒ Technical Representative from Administration
‒ Chief of Media Production
‒ Chief of Imaging
‒ Chief of Digital Outreach
54. Executive Level Buy In
MCN 201554
Monthly Meetings with Executive Officers
‒ Chief of Finance
‒ Chief of Administration
‒ Deputy Director
‒ Dean of Center of Advanced Study for Visual Art
Monthly Agenda with Executive Officers
‒ Review of current projects (budget, scale, schedule)
‒ Review new project proposals
‒ Foresee potential projects on the horizon
56. MCN 201556 DH
Frankly …
• Gravitas
- The “weight” of your experience + your network
- E.g., MCN
Maybe not quite like this:
57. MCN 201557 DH
Frankly …
• Gravitas
• Passion
- Do you believe in the initiative?
- Can you sell it, sincerely?
- Can you combine energy and eloquence?
“Working hard for something we
don’t care about is called stress.
Working hard for something we
love is called passion”.
- Simon Sinek
58. MCN 201558 DH
Frankly …
• Gravitas
• Passion
• Partnership
- With your Development staff
- With funders, where missions overlap
Image source: http://www.mandae.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/partnership.jpg
Together: Unstoppable!
61. • Visitors use technology in the galleries
• They will spend time with it
• They read aloud and discuss as they do so
• Individuals and groups
Formal Evaluation
DH
62. • Use of tech does not detract from focus on the art
• When visitors left, descriptions of their visit were about the art,
and not about the technology.
DH
63. • People who used the technology spent more time in
the exhibit than those that did not use it (even after
subtracting the time spent using the technology)
DH
74. Change is Hard
MCN 201574
• Listen to other staff.
• Modify our thinking based on overall institutional goals.
• Enable use of technology.
• Letting our infrastructure go.
75. Digital Strategy Truths
Everyone on the team has:
• mad skillz in one or more areas.
• great creativity.
• unique ways of looking at problems.
• unique experiences.
• dedication to the museum.
• passion for their work.