michael edson @ mcn '09: smithsonian web and new media strategy -- drivers, process, and...
DESCRIPTION
A 15 minute overview of the Smithsonian Institution's Web and New Media Strategy and the drivers and process behind it. Part of the "strategery" [sic] session at the Museum Computer Network conference, November 13, 2009.TRANSCRIPT
Smithsonian Web and New Media StrategyDrivers, Process, and Execution
…in 15 minutes or less
The Reduced Shakespeare Version
Museum Computer NetworkStrategery [sic]November 13, 2009Portland, OR
Michael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media StrategySmithsonian Institution, Office of the [email protected] | @mpedson
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
What to focus on in 15 minutes?
A lifetime of thought and work went into this, the ideas are complex and nuanced, and I should be
talking about the Smithsonian Commons…
“But Lynrd Skynrd has to play Freebird at every show”
@SI_CTOCarmen Iannacone
Let’s Roll it This Way @ MCN
• The Strategy is online, so read it• The process was pretty unusual• Most of your organizations need to be making
a strategy• So, the thing that will make the most change
in the world is to focus on HOW the strategy was made, so people can go out and build their own
Pain, Fear, or Opportunity
Some kind of process
Some kind of assertion
Some kind of work
How Strategy Goesin a really abstracted way of thinking
Pain/Fear/Opportunity
• Here’s what Pain, Fear, and Opportunitylook like…
Unexpected Rivals in Reach (July – Sept, 2009)
Enchantedlearning.com
si.edu
discoveryeducation.com
ocean.com
Pain/Fear
Pain/Fear
Unexpected Rivals in Reach (July – Sept, 2009)
Enchantedlearning.com
si.edu
discoveryeducation.com
ocean.com
Enchantedlearning.com is a two person team,
with more online reach than the world’s largest museum and research
complex!
Brand Identity
Brandtags.netWe are the 560th of 928 brands
Pain/Fear
Video interviews with visitors
Do you ever use Smithsonian Web sites?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5x4Sga0d1s
No, not really
/Opportunity
A set of resources maintained in the public sphere for the use and benefit of everyone
The Smithsonian Commons
/Opportunity
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
/Opportunity
The Web is a bigger megaphone
The Web is a fundamentally new
way of gettingthings done
Many more of these in recent slides on
slideshare.net/edsonm
/Opportunity
The Web is a bigger megaphone
The Web is a fundamentally new
way of gettingthings done
/Opportunity
Four Grand Challenges
(Brand new pan-Institutional strategy!)
/Opportunity
1. Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe
2. Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet
3. Valuing World Cultures4. Understanding the American
Experience
Four Grand Challenges
Pain, Fear, or Opportunity
Some kind of process
Some kind of assertion
Some kind of work
Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv
152 posts to internal blog
Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv
Classic blog/wiki playbook
Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv
Classic blog/wiki/listserv playbook
Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv
Classic blog/wiki/listserv playbook
Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv
Classic blog/wiki/listserv playbook
•Build a shared vocabulary•Keep focus on mobile, UX, other subtle things•Celebrate internal experts•Practice skills to be used later on (“you get what you practice”)
Floated idea in internal blog post, 9/23/2008
“What I Heard and What I Told Sr. Management”Reactions/support/advice from internal practitioners: • We like fast• We like transparent• Make it actionable• Thoughtful synthesis is important• (this is your last chance to get it right…)
• Faster than traditional committee-driven process (Time is the enemy)
• Increase size of brain trust (Joy’s Law)• Improve the odds for change• Improve odds for execution (public promises not easily
forgotten) • Outside champions more likely to support “commons” goals
than status-quo insiders• Walking the Talk vis-à-vis crowdsourcing and innovation model• “You get what you practice”
The advantages of public, transparent, and fast
Very important slide!
Smithsonian 2.0
Smithsonian 2.0
Process: Workshops to Wiki
• Http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com
Process: Workshops to Wiki
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.”
Process: Workshops to Wiki
Process: Workshops to Wiki
Process: Workshops to Wiki
As participants are speaking, what they’re
saying is being typed and saved on a public wiki
Process: Workshops to Wiki
“What I say really matters (because I know it will be
seen/heard after the meeting ends)”
Process: Workshops to Wiki“Not everything that matters will get said in the next hour by the people in this room.
The wiki encourages thoughtful synthesis and new
ideas”
Process: Workshops to Wiki
Highlighting “actions required” and important themes, post workshop.
Process: Workshops to Wiki
Process: Workshops to Wiki
Process: Workshops to Wiki
Outside comments, post workshop. (M. Morgan @ met?)
Public-Facing Wiki
• Improvement/synthesis over timeOriginal
workshop notes
Public-Facing Wiki
• Improvement/synthesis over time
Added highlight, Action Required
Public-Facing Wiki
• Improvement/synthesis over time
Attendee says “wait a minute!”
Public-Facing Wiki
• Improvement/synthesis over timeApology and re-
cast original assertion
Public-Facing Wiki
• Improvement/synthesis over timeAnother user
synthesizes core question: How do
units break out these costs?
YouTube: Voice Your Vision
Twitter: #si20
Risks?
• Of course!• So, what do you do…?• …List them on the Wiki!
Pain, Fear, or Opportunity
Some kind of process
Some kind of assertion
Some kind of work
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
BrandLearning
Audience
Internal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernance
Each Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations
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
BrandLearning
Audience
Internal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernance
Each Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations
Example of a goal. (This one is a doozie - -- just one sentence!)
“Once on the fringe of institutional and public awareness, Web and New Media initiatives are now considered to be a
critical part of the Institution’s core activities and future: They need to be funded and managed according”
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
BrandLearning
Audience
Internal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernance
Each Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations
Example of a goal. (This one is a doozie - -- just one sentence!)
“Once on the fringe of institutional and public awareness, Web and New Media initiatives are now considered to be a
critical part of the Institution’s core activities and future: They need to be funded and managed according”
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
BrandLearning
Audience
Internal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernance
Each Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations
Example of a goal. (This one is a doozie - -- just one sentence!)
“Once on the fringe of institutional and public awareness, Web and New Media initiatives are now considered to be a
critical part of the Institution’s core activities and future: They need to be funded and managed according”
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
BrandLearning
Audience
Internal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernance
Each Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations
Example of a goal. (This one is a doozie - -- just one sentence!)
“Once on the fringe of institutional and public awareness, Web and New Media initiatives are now considered to be a
critical part of the Institution’s core activities and future: They need to be funded and managed according”
Tactical Implementation (#1 of 6):
“Recruit a pan-Institutional Web and New Media leader and give that person the decision-authority and visibility to lead
change”
Smithsonian Institution
The Wiki is the strategy(the PDF is just a convenience download)
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com
“The impact of online collections can be greatly magnified by highlighting the
knowledge and insight of Smithsonian experts…and a matrix of tools, policies, and
resources that allows our audiences to be our partners in the increase and diffusion of
knowledge.”
Old Learning Model
New Learning Model
“Encourage and provide necessary support for staff to share their work
and ideas directly with visitors though blogging, video, mobile platforms,
geospatial data, and other Web and New Media formats”
“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. ”
“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. ”
“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. ”
“Embrace user-generated content as an important catalyst to engagement and
inquiry, particularly for younger and more Web 2.0 kinds of audiences”
“Governance is the kinetic exercise of management policies related to
decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance
within an organization... ”
“…Successful governance and leadership are the keys to accomplishing any of the
goals in this strategic plan.”
“…a special part of our digital presence dedicated to the free and unrestricted sharing of Smithsonian resources and
encouraging new kinds of learning and creation through interaction with
Smithsonian research, collections, and communities.”
“…a special part of our digital presence dedicated to the free and unrestricted sharing of Smithsonian resources and
encouraging new kinds of learning and creation through interaction with
Smithsonian research, collections, and communities.”
“…a special part of our digital presence dedicated to the free and unrestricted sharing of Smithsonian resources and
encouraging new kinds of learning and creation through interaction with
Smithsonian research, collections, and communities.”
The Smithsonian CommonsA place to begin
More detail about what a commons is and why it matters in the strategy, and 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
Pain, Fear, or Opportunity
Some kind of process
Some kind of assertion
Some kind of work
“You know Michael, this strategy is just the part of the iceberg you can see above the water. Everything below the waterline is change management.”
Leo MullenCEO, Navigation Arts
PrototypeWe are creating a prototype to demonstrate the impact of the Smithsonian Commons concept on key audiences. (Prototype will be complete in 10 weeks.)
Is the Smithsonian an organization that’s been preparing to drive change?
?
The Change Model(Borrowed from software and social entrepreneurship)
1. Think big, start small, move fast2. Focus on doing things that matters (via Tim O’Reilly)3. Cultural institutions exist to do work in the culture4. Drive change through building A Sense of Urgency
(John. P. Kotter)
Museum Computer NetworkStrategery [sic]November 13, 2009Portland, OR
Michael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media StrategySmithsonian Institution, Office of the [email protected] | @mpedson
The Change Model(Borrowed from software and social entrepreneurship)
1. Think big, start small, move fast2. Focus on doing things that matters (via Tim O’Reilly)3. Cultural institutions exist to do work in the culture4. Drive change through building A Sense of Urgency
(John. P. Kotter)
Museum Computer NetworkStrategery [sic]November 13, 2009Portland, OR
Michael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media StrategySmithsonian Institution, Office of the [email protected] | @mpedson