PowerPoint Presentation

Museum Marketing and Digital Strategy(trying hard not to be terribly boring)Art Museum Marketing Association, April 25, 2015

Douglas Hegley, Director of Media and Technology, Minneapolis Institute of Arts@dhegleyhttp://www.slideshare.net/dhegley

Who am I?

Psychology?This digital strategy needs some serious analysis.Ive been in the cultural sector since 1997, but before I ventured into museums and technology, my formal background was in clinical psychology. Whats that got to do with the topic at hand? Plenty, I will argue, because at the heart of it all is PEOPLE (and not, gasp, technology). 3

It starts, and ends, with PEOPLE

Digital Strategy v. Strategy Strategy: IMHO, its far superior to focus on the Main Thing; digital is in support of AND helping to drive that Main Thing

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DHLets zoom into the MIA mission statement: concise, meaningful, vital. Lets see if we can break it down even further.6

Because, ultimately, THIS is NOT the goal. We do not strive to transform our institutions into halls of computing.7

Museums are Awesome!THIS is the goal: Happy Visitors! Engaged, excited, inspired, and attached to our organizations. We want them to think of us as their third space not home, not work, but a familiar and comfortable place for community, connection, learning and FUN.8

The MIAs current strategic plan emphasizes Audience Engagment top left. Note also the Museum Lab and Omni-channel Approach supporting strategies. Well circle back to those later. 9Goals for today?

This is NOT a LectureLets explore, examine, discuss and share some ideas on the past, current, and future state of museum digital technology. This is NOT A LECTURE! Please interrupt, and dont hesitate to share this with anyone you need to I will post it on slideshare so that you can access it anytime.11What is technology in the cultural sector?

Love the Film Noir feel of the retro audio devices. Technology in the cultural sector is not limited to audience-facing devices.

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Wi-FiServersAudio GuidesDigital GamesWebsiteDigitalContentMicro-fundingMobileDigital AssetsArtwork DataHelp DeskHR SystemsePubsVideoContent MgmntGoogle ArtDigital ExperienceCustomersExhib.TechOnlineTicketsInternetBackupUnified Shopping CartNetworkFinance SystemFoundationTelephonesTechnology not only supports all aspects of the business functions, but it is also an intrinsic resource for creating all of the intellectual production of the staff, storing that, and sharing it with the public. 14Content, Content, Content

Three things matter in digital technology: Content, content, content.It doesnt matter how pretty it is if it doesnt tell a story. Elegant nonsense is STILL nonsense.15

Spectrum of MIA ContentScholarlyAcademicNewsworthyEngagingNarrativeLong FormImportantProfessionalPopularContextShort FormIntroductorySocialEphemeralFactualCatalogProf. JournalsCuratorNYTMuseum mag.Arts JournalArt DailyThe Art NewspaperArtStoriesWall LabelsAudio GuideText PanelsMIA StoriesartsyVersoOSCI?FacebookFlickrInstagramTwitterSnapChatAdsPotential Audience: Long Tail DistributionDRAFTResearch & Publish Engage & Market

17Mobile, Mobile, MobileIf its about people and experience, then at this point in history its about mobile, its about portability, its about a personalized experience.17 we do not surf and the internet to us is not a place or virtual space. The Internet to us is not something external to reality but a part of it: an invisible yet constantly present layer intertwined with the physical environment. We do not use the Internet, we live on the Internet and along it.

Piotr Czerski We, the Web KidsEnglish translation by Marta Szreder(Emphasis is mine)Its a Brave New World Out There

Digital Publishing HouseIn the 21st century, and B2C enterprise must embrace the fact that it is a digital publishing house. There are multiple channels (more appear all of the time), and it is important for all staff to think like a writer, including following best practices in content management and platform use.19

20Digital Technology Strategy

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Digital Technology StrategyKatsushika Hokusai "Hodogaya on the Tkaid Road" (c. 1830-1831) Minneapolis Institute of ArtsAudience EngagementIn essence, a museums digital strategy is its audience engagement strategy; or at least an empowering force behind it. No doubt this is a journey, starting with the museums mission, then passing through the current strategic plan, our audiences, our activities, and finally coming back to the museums vision or the WHY of what we do. Thats what museum technology is all about.22

Wait what?We have a policy against that.I know, I know. The classic, stereotypical IT operation is the Department of No.23

Its important that we drive change together.24

Technology: Strategic?Central (not peripheral)Essential (not preferable)Vital to the sustainability of the organization

You Want Strategy?

I can give you strategy in less than 20 seconds: Hire talented staff + establish a real, meaningful vision + prioritize the work, focus on whats most important + use the best methods available. Voila!26Power of Collaboration

Source: Collaboration (2009) Morten Hansen, Harvard Business Press

27Cant I just hire a CIO?

Lets conduct a comprehensive search to hire aseasoned executive leader to head an initiative toplan for a committee to oversee a task forcededicated to the implementation of state-of-the-art technological solutions based on industry standards, implemented by a cross-disciplinary team spear-headed by a dedicated senior-level manager and augmented by a carefully-selected team of outside experts who can create the synergy necessary to blah blah blah and spend every last centuntil there is truly nothingleft at alletc.

Chief Technology Very Important Mucky-muckWhat NOT to do: hire another senior executive inhabiting a lofty title in a top-heavy organization29

The Ideal Museum Technology Leader(combine ingredients, mix well and serve immediately)(stirred, not shaken, please)

A capable technology leader will inhabit many different roles (wear a lot of hats) over time. Adaptability is key. 30

Source: http://likelinkshare.org/ Its not the Title, Its the Person

Hire character.Train skill.Recommended:Attitude and character are traits; skills can be learned. This is forgotten so often that its absurd. 32

AudienceContentTechnologyMarketing + Digital Leadership

The importance of partnership and alignment34

No guarantee that this will be easy. Work step by step, and accept that some steps will result in stubbed toes. Learn along the way.35

On Collaboration: How to Speak IT actually, thats not it at all Learn to Speak IT in five easy steps!ConsiderDoDontIT staff are dedicated to being helpfulWeve got a real puzzle, do you think you can help us figure it out?We need to have an iPad app by next week.Learn to Speak IT in five easy steps!ConsiderDoDontIT staff are dedicated to being helpfulWeve got a real puzzle, do you think you can help us figure it out?We need to have an iPad app by next week.IT staff are curiousLet me fill you in on the thinking around this new idea.Because I said so, thats why.Learn to Speak IT in five easy steps!ConsiderDoDontIT staff are dedicated to being helpfulWeve got a real puzzle, do you think you can help us figure it out?We need to have an iPad app by next week.IT staff are curiousLet me fill you in on the thinking around this new idea.Because I said so, thats why.Motivate by sharing big goalsOur goal is to inspire visitors to look more closely at the object.Put a big touchscreen in the gallery.Learn to Speak IT in five easy steps!ConsiderDoDontIT staff are dedicated to being helpfulWeve got a real puzzle, do you think you can help us figure it out?We need to have an iPad app by next week.IT staff are curiousLet me fill you in on the thinking around this new idea.Because I said so, thats why.Motivate by sharing big goalsOur goal is to inspire visitors to look more closely at the object.Put a big touchscreen in the gallery.Include, include, includeWe are in the early stages of planning new content for the website; could you join the meeting, lend your technical expertise, and weigh in on the ideas?Well let you know when weve decided what youre going to do.Learn to Speak IT in five easy steps!ConsiderDoDontIT staff are dedicated to being helpfulWeve got a real puzzle, do you think you can help us figure it out?We need to have an iPad app by next week.IT staff are curiousLet me fill you in on the thinking around this new idea.Because I said so, thats why.Motivate by sharing big goalsOur goal is to inspire visitors to look more closely at the object.Put a big touchscreen in the gallery.Include, include, includeWe are in the early stages of planning new content for the website; could you join the meeting, lend your technical expertise, and weigh in on the ideas?Well let you know when weve decided what youre going to do.Connect personallyWould you like to have lunch next Tuesday?Steve or Bob or whatever your name is, why are your systems so slow?The Museum Computer Networkhttp://mcn.edu/The Museum Digital Technology CommunityAAM Media and Technology Networkhttp://aam-us.org/resources/professional-networks/media-technology New Media Consortiumhttp://www.nmc.org/ Museums and the Webhttp://www.museumsandtheweb.com/ Twitter#musetech

Drinking About Museumshttps://plus.google.com/communities/111090504723994696019

ConnectWhere the dialog and drive for innovation takes place. Connect your technology people to:42Strategy must lead to action

StorytellingAt the MIA, there are four important ACTIVITIES weve undertaken that are all driven by overall strategy. 1. Engagement through storytelling44

Storytelling2. Agile methodology45

Storytelling3. Enterprise-level content management46

Storytelling4. Customer Relationship Management, for personalization and loyalty47 to remain viable, museums must rethink not only what types of knowledge they create, but how/with whom they create it, and finally how they communicate it.- Alex Bortolot, MIA Content Strategist (emphasis mine)

Simply making content and ideas accessible is no guarantee that they are interesting! In order to ENGAGE audiences, and connect them to what is meaningful and inspiring, its vital that we re-imagine our assumptions, along with our methods and our modalities, within a 21st century frame of reference.48Delivered: ArtStories

As part of our overall approach to providing engaging content to our many audiences, we have undertaken a multi-year Digital Experience project. The first product we delivered was ArtStories.49

ArtStories is built on an open-source platform developed at the MIA, called Griot. Available for free, its already been adopted by SLAM and FAMSF for specific projects. We expect more collaboration as we move forward.50

ArtStories engage multiple audience types, and are written to encourage social interaction.51

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Weve also deployed the platform at small object study tables.53

Management: Agile, Lean, Radical

Recommended:

Practically Speaking

Audience FirstTrustFrequent, small course correctionsHonest, TransparentIterative CyclesSHARED OWNERSHIP

ArtStories was built in an iterative cycle, with each new version put into the hands of our audiences EARLY so that we could listen to feedback and make adjustments fast.56

The stories are shared on tablets in the galleries, and available on visitors own personal devices.57

DigitalPublishingHouse

What you produce is VALUABLE

Collections DataEnterprise DAMWeb CMSFEDERATED INTERFACEMisc. Digital Assets

APIContent Management

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Participation, Engagement, Loyalty

We want happy customers who love us, eagerly spreading the word.60

and did we mention FREE?!

How do you engage an audience that you DONT KNOW? MIA offers free general admission, most of our visitors simply stroll in anonymously.Currently, we only have data on Members who purchase Exhibition tickets (or transact to attend specific events)61

TICKETINGMEMBERSHIPCRM Big DataEMAIL SYSTEMLOYALTY PROGRAMLOWER LOBBY REFRESHPERSONALIZATIONMOBILE APP UPGRADE

Our strategy: a Customer Relationship Management staircase: implementing powerful tools to attain the goals of the DNANot only software, but also new ways of conceptualizing our audiences and how we engage with them. Key decision: adding a Free Membership level, and separating participation from philanthropy. Taking advantage of the entire array of tools to engage our audience like never before.62

Source: http://www.thesealeys.co.uk/

We see Membership and Loyalty as an interactive way to establish what is MEANINGFUL at the individual level, and then to leverage that understanding so that we can delight our visitors, regardless of how they interact with us. We will reflect back all types of participation, because we believe it will motivate behaviors. For example, kiva.org 63

Kiva shows me concretely and with images what the impact of my giving has done for real people. This motivates additional participation.64

Here are some (very early and rough) prototypes for how the MIA will provide similar data back to our participants. Of course, this is in addition to the other methods of communication, such as segmented emails, social media interactions, etc.

65CRM & ENGAGEMENT GOALS:

Increase Membership by 100% in first full year

CRM & ENGAGEMENT GOALS:

Increase Membership by 100% in first full yearCollect data lots of data

From thisTo this

CRM & ENGAGEMENT GOALS:

Increase Membership by 100% in first full yearCollect data lots of dataUse that data: drive decisions

CRM & ENGAGEMENT GOALS:

Increase Membership by 100% in first full yearCollect data lots of dataUse that data: drive decisionsIndividualized, personalized, recognized experiences

Source: http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y13/m07/i02/s04

FUNDINGOf course, this is no small undertaking. We have ambitious plans, and of course everything comes with a price tag!71

Operating- discipline, expense control, sustainabilityCapital- investment, capacity-buildingCorporate- sell the vision, they are recruiting talentGrantslocal, state, nationaltell your story, build collaborations Donationsin-kind, technology-specificIndividual/Trusteepresent a compelling case, allow personal involvement So lets turn our eyes briefly to the future

- ISH74The Hype CycleAs an industry, we are on the cusp of really understanding and utilizing social media (and other technologies). Stay tuned. And share your approaches.74Tech Expertise: Decentralization evolves to Distributed (mesh)

From central command and control, weve moved to distributed networks (cross-functional teams); next logical step is a mesh network, all nodes equally empowered and understanding wide range of impact.75Decision-making: Strategic ApproachDesign-driven decision-making: begins with ideas, moves upData-driven decision-making: starts with observations/ measurements, moves downVisibleOften unseenBoth approaches are viable and vital to innovation. Too often, both are ignored in favor of tradition and bias. Weve got to keep working on this!76

Technology as a true business partner: collaboration to reach goals, instead of controlled access and punishment for offenders.77Ubiquity, Wearables, and the Internet of Things

David Hassehoff in 3D!The Shiny Object v. Capacity-building (and sharing)

Which is an easier pitch to the media?

12345Oculus Rift impresses Grandma!79

@dhegleyhttp://www.slideshare.net/dhegleyThank you!