Hi Rhiannon
Where does 'digital' fit in the institution? We've been evangelising
since 2001 about the publishing possibilities the web brings to the
museum sector and trying to promote a more strategic and sustainable
approach to digital activity. Back then, the sector 'bought in' digital
consultancy in many cases, and lots of money was spent on external
expertise - and not much on developing our own skills.
These days not much has changed. As Mike Ellis rightly says, it's
crucial for digital channels to spread across organisations, and that
seems a good way for ideas to percolate and for new connections to be
made. But look in the back pages of this month's Museums Journal for
cross-departmental digital posts: there are still very few major or
minor orgs building small, sustainable, organisationally-connected
digital jobs. You won't find many.
To me it seems like museum web culture has the same status that
marketing had twenty years ago in our national museums and galleries. In
other words, a few million would be spent on a great exhibition, and a
marketing agency would be called in at the end of the project and given
a few grand to do some posters.
There's still a big job to do (a worthwhile and exciting one) to get an
understanding of the fundamental benefits and functions of the web woven
through every level of our cultural sector, from funders to directors,
from Hubs to small regional volunteer-run museums. We could use the MCG
to get the message across - that would be a cool way to use the skills
in our sector.
Beyond that rallying call, it could just be that we need to be ready to
encourage generational change. We're now getting the first few cohorts
of museums studies grads who are part of the Facebook and Myspace
generation into posts now - surely change will come from this direction,
not from above? Again, maybe MCG could encourage some student placements
or mentoring deals to seed a more radical approach into the sector?
Good luck with your research
Jon
Jon Pratty
Head of Content
Culture24
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-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Rhiannon Looseley
Sent: 28 April 2008 11:33
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Position of web people within an organisation
Dear all,
I know this has been a topic of conversation in the industry before but
I'm interested to find out where 'web people' sit within your
organisational structures. Are they part of marketing, an independent
department, part of IT, part of learning, exhibitions etc etc? I
suppose feeding in to this, it would be interesting to know which
places, other than the 'big guns' even have their own dedicated web
people.
Feel free to reply off list if you think it's more appropriate.
Thanks a lot
Rhiannon Looseley
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
Rhiannon Looseley
Web Officer
Tel: 020 7239 2588
Fax: 020 7239 2576
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