I am all for eroding the boundaries (which are often barriers) between
digital strategies/activity and everything else, providing of course
that the particular skills and knowledge required to do the former
aren't eroded/made generic altogether.
One of my bonnet bees is that 'born digital' projects are often seen
as special cases, for which external funding is obtained and after the
product (website, online collections, etc etc) is created, off goes
the person on the contract brought in to bring the project to fruition
and off goes all the knowledge with them. Hence the very sluggish and
erratic and inconsistent nature of educational and access activity
that is led digitally, either online or in the gallery, and hence the
lack of integration with other types of activity. Momentum continues
to be lost and the same discussion cycles continue from time to time
as a consequence.
One of the big issues in Welsh policy making at the moment is digital
inclusion--something that was probably more familiar to those in
English organisations 7-8 years ago. However they are making the same
pointless distinctions between digital inclusion/exclusion as a social
justice issue but leaving engagement and content creation as an
education issue (two separate departments and all that entails).
Those organisations that have successfully integrated their digital
activities and services with their other services have done so because
there is a good understanding from top to bottom of a) its importance
to the success and sustainability of the organisation and b) how it
fits together with marketing, achieving charitable aims, etc.
Those that struggle in their organisations to achieve this kind of
understanding invariably are vulnerable to being separated and
sidelined to the (often unanticipated) detriment of the organisation
itself.
If Collections Trust and other advisories can make a difference by
being the authoritative voice that people (might just) listen to, I
think it could make a lot of difference. Sometimes by virtue of your
position in the hierarchy, people won't listen to you as a matter of
course, not because they know better.
Sorry about the slight ramble,
Tehmina
On 17 March 2011 21:13, Nick Poole <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi Jon,
>
> Many thanks for this. There was some interesting chat about Digital
> Strategies after the recent Bits to Blogs event in Newcastle, organised
> by the North East Hub. I used my keynote to suggest that instead of
> developing Digital Strategies, we need to consider developing
> *Strategies* and then understanding how best to deploy technology to
> achieve them.
>
> I'd suggest that in place of Social Media Strategies, it is more
> futureproof (and more likely to have a long-term impact) when museums
> have Marketing Strategies which intelligently combine a portfolio of
> channels and methodologies, some of which will make effective use of
> Social Media.
>
> Further, I would tend to advocate against distinct Digitisation
> Strategies, but instead that people integrate the acquisition,
> management and use of Digital content into Collecting Policies alongside
> the analogue Collections.
>
> The text of my speech is up on the OpenCulture blog at:
>
> http://openculture.collectionstrustblogs.org.uk/2011/03/10/rising-to-the
> -challenge-presentation-to-bits-to-blogs/
>
> A key agenda for our work in the next 3-5 years is to erode the
> difference between 'Digital' and 'everything else'. Hence standards for
> Collections Management and Conservation should work towards integrated
> workflows which enable the management and use of both physical and
> digital stuff.
>
> I think the Smithsonian Digital Strategy is interesting. I had an
> opportunity to talk to Mike Edson from the Smithsonian about it last
> year and I think he would say that the content of the Strategy itself is
> less important than the gargantuan effort that went into
> hearts-and-minds change management in order to bring colleagues along
> with it. It is one thing to have a Digital Strategy, in other words, but
> quite another to integrate Digital seamlessly into the core business
> functions and daily work of the whole organisation.
>
> Sorry if this is all blisteringly obvious, but I would love to hear from
> people about their experience of securing long-term buy-in to Digital
> Strategy in their organisation, and an honest appraisal of how many of
> these Strategies are shelfware within 12 months.
>
> All best,
>
> Nick
>
>
>
>
> Nick Poole
> Chief Executive
> Collections Trust
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Tel: 0207 250 8340
>
> OpenCulture 2011
> The Greatest Collections Management Show on Earth!
> The Custard Factory, Birmingham, 7th & 8th June 2011
> Register online at www.openculture2011.org.uk
>
>
>
> http://www.collectionstrust.org.uk
> http://www.collectionslink.org.uk
> http://openculture.collectionstrustblogs.org.uk
>
> Follow us on Twitter: @collectiontrust
> Follow me on Twitter: @nickpoole1
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>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Jon Pratty
> Sent: 17 March 2011 17:56
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Digital strategies - long, short, simple, complex?
>
> All
>
> I'm doing some research into the types of digital strategies cultural
> organisations are developing at the moment. At conferences I've heard
> lots of requests for clarity and guidance about what a good digital
> strategy looks like. My first instinct is to suggest it's about whatever
> works for you, not what looks good to others.
>
> From what I've seen recently, some institutions go for a whole
> organisation approach, others go for a more targeted, digital marketing
> strategy, leaving other sorts of digital planning to each department.
> The Smithsonian's effort is really thorough:
> http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/
>
> Given that mostly, strategies like these are often confidential, do list
> members feel able to recommend or share examples of good practice
> directly with me? I'm happy to see arts sector ones, or good bits of
> work from outside the arts world too. My intention is to help colleagues
> [within ACE and also in the wider cultural sector] develop some idea of
> what good practice looks like in this area.
>
> Jon
>
> Jon Pratty
> Relationship Manager, Digital and Creative Economies
> Arts Council England
> +441273 763037
> 07872419194
> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
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--
Dr Tehmina Goskar, MA AMA
[log in to unmask]
http://tehmina.goskar.com/
Research Officer: ESRC Global and Local Worlds of Welsh Copper
History & Classics
Prifysgol Abertawe / Swansea University
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