Untitled

[ahjiing]

A young Wizard’s best friend.

[meghan1308]

I love this so much

[meghan1308]

Experience in the Post-Digital Museum

For someone who’s focus is the digital aspect, a post-digital museum would have a seamless integration in its technology and visitor experience. Technology would be used to enhance the visitor experience and give them a new way to explore and interact with information. It would be important to have better access to the museum and its collection away from the actual institution through either an app or the website. This movement for seamless integration cannot stop at a single institution; it would have to show consistent connection between other museums. Currently each museum has it’s own website and way of showcasing what is in their collection to visitors. It would be better if the websites weren’t so jumbled and there was a consistent way of planning these websites for better access. One of the other most important aspects would be accessibility to others who may be disabled or speak other languages. Once we figure out how to make these improvements then we will be truly post-digital.

This class has taught me how digital takes on so many different forms for museums and that there isn’t currently a clear cut way for how to use it. It has also taught me that there are so many amazing museums with equally amazing individuals working for them who are trying to utilize technology to bring more information and better experiences to their visitors.

[meghan1308]

Experience Design

One of the biggest questions, not only for museums but for people in general, is how do we form connections? With our increasingly digital lifestyles influencing how we spend our time innovations in user interface and user experience are often what drives the sites we visit and how engaged we are. Design structure has been a big part of my education over the last decade, and anyone who knows me well can attest to the fact that poor design always rubs me the wrong way. But that begs the question, what is good design? How do we identify it? For me good design is clean and easy to navigate, it is stylistic but not distracting, it must have a purpose and be accessible to others. Even through all this for me one other important aspect is that it is designed with group input. Through all of the projects I’ve worked on in all different environments we have had a think tank where everyone contributed, and regardless of their rank in the office we were all on equal footing. Between graphic design, product design, illustration, and video game development this has been the norm for me as a designer and project leader. We work in limited time frames to produce a product that has a purpose and engages with it’s audience. I haven’t had much project experience in museums as of yet, but I am hoping that this remains true when designing experiences for our audiences. I feel this will be the best way to ensure we meet the museum’s mission going forward.

As for including audio in experiences at museums and on the web in general; I find that it can be a great way to help form connections on a deeper level. Podcasts and radio shows are seeing a surge in popularity and I believe it is because of the way it engages our creativity. I often find myself listening to stories through podcasts, YouTube, or audio books because of how they allow my mind to interact with what I’m being told. Take for example the audiobook version of “The Martian” by Andy Weir, it was a pretty good movie, but try listening to it while on a plane and picturing yourself in space with the main character, the experience for me was far better that the big screen. Or try listening to the podcast Lore by Aaron Mahnke in the dark with just a candle burning, is it creeper that watching the show? Why do you think audio experiences are different? I believe it is because they allow the image to form in our mind, and even when audio is used to enhance an exhibit and add layers of immersion it brings us into a new space and makes us a more active participant.

[meghan1308]

Participatory Museums

I feel that one of the reasons I didn’t participate in museums as much as I could have growing up was that my parents didn’t often have time to take me there and there were no other ways to participate outside of the odd field trip. I want to participate more, but outside of pursuing a job in the field or volunteering what would give me more access to the information and the collection and allow me to make a contribution to an institution that I care about?

I believe the answer to this question lies in digital technology as Nina Simon states in “The Participatory Museum” the goal should be to “ To meet visitors’ expectations for active engagement and to do so in a way that furthers the mission and core values of the institution.”

In the Trevor Owens article “Digital Cultural Heritage and the Crowd” I had an issue with the way he described crowdsourcing specifically when it came to defining sourcing and labor. He said that all participants in cultural heritage should basically not be treated as a crowd and get paid what they need to maintain a living, and while I agree I hope he advocates that all interns are paid at least $20 an hour and not minimum wage or nothing at all as is currently common practice. I also believe it is fine to have volunteers work on a project, that is how Wikipedia works and there are other examples of crowdsourced or open technology that are created by users simply because they want access to better tools and have found it easy to work together for a common goal. Also most of the time you are not going to get an amateur working on these projects, I am not going to go out of my way to help code the next open source video player because I don’t know how to tackle that kind of problem. If I am going to participate in a crowdsourced project it will be one that I have a background in and care deeply about, otherwise why would I dedicate my unpaid time? I also didn’t understand the “digital sweatshop” comment about Mechanical Turk as participants get paid and it functions as a job board much like Craigslist. Toward the end of the article he does say that crowdsourcing done well gives users a new and effective way of engaging with a collection and I agree with that point.

I believe that crowdsourcing or visitor participation in cultural institutions can not only help complete projects but also make visitors feel as if these places are no longer irrelevant in their lives.

[meghan1308]

The Social Museum

In the age of digital technology more and and more people are using social media as a platform of expression. Brands are putting themselves out there and giving their work a voice using Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. As the audience on social media platforms grows it becomes essential for institutions to go public and put themselves out there. The question then becomes what voice to use to gain attention on these platforms? In my opinion the best accounts let the voice of their social media manager come through just enough to add a human element to their content. Being informative is great, but having a touch of humor makes the information easier to digest and fits in more with the tone for these platforms. One example of a museum with a fun personality is that of Gadsby’s Tavern Museum in Alexandria, the current social media manager posts content as if they were Gadsby and often has conversations or interactions marking time from the 1700’s with other museums joining in on the fun.

An example of a museum that doesn’t really have much of a voice would be the Nelson-Atkins in Kansas City. The museum posts are some art moments followed by calendar events and not much else. The art moments are entertaining, but it would be nice to hear more from the curators and have the museum seem more accessible.

And of course one of the best social media pages for a museum would be from the National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC. Their posts show a very clear and human voice that reaches out to their audience and helps to give information that many may not have known about before through their “On This Day”posts

They also interact with other museums in a playful but still informative manner.

And they also keep visitors informed of changes and important events going on at their institution in a creative manner.

On social media platforms it can be easy to make mistakes and lose sight of what is important. Often we get caught up in the wave of casual expression that stems from these outlets, however, a carefully crafted social media plan that is executed by someone that cares about the institution will help it to be more accessible and human to its visitors.

[meghan1308]

Open Cultural Heritage

The general consensus when it comes to museums and digital collections is that, if you don't have one you ought to. Indeed having a digital collection is a substantial boost for museums when it comes to their reputation and fulfillment of their mission. In our digital age the common web surfer expects to have access to all information at the touch of a button, and when they don’t they are outraged. What that particular audience might forget is that, despite the fast paced nature of the digital age, sorting through copyright and contract agreements in a case by case basis for works of art, digitizing them in high resolution and posting them on an easy to navigate platform is a tedious bit of work for often underfunded institutions who might be short staffed. While I agree that museums are cultural heritage institutions that hold access to a wealth of memory information that should be shared with the general public; I also understand that giving access to these items is a time consuming task that cannot be accomplished overnight. With no standardized way to digitize a collection, the process is complicated and often thought of as a risk to the institution, however, the benefits of completing such a task far outweigh the risks when it comes to giving access to such a wealth of information to the general public.

[meghan1308]

In Gallery Technology

n our fast paced digital world, technology can be seen as a double edged sword. On one hand it can enhance an experience and foster learning. On the other it can be seen as a distraction that can be disjointed from the rest of the information provided by an exhibit. It is my firm belief that coordination is needed between departments to create a cohesive experience that incorporates technology.

In a recent visit to the National Museum of American History it felt as though none of the technology truly complemented the exhibits they were featured in. One example in particular was a touch screen display on trade routes. Sure, it was featured in an exhibit about sea trade, but the digital display didn’t feel as if it truly added anything to the experience. The viewer clicked on a set of routes and was showed the web on which the ships traveled. Nothing was added to humanize the experience and no further interaction was encouraged beyond a button press. This lead me to abandon the experience quickly without taking anything away from it. Another example is a game from another section of the museum that featured an experience on prospecting gold, however, it was so obnoxiously loud that I didn’t interact with it beyond start up because it felt like I was distracting others from their experience in the museum.

I had a very different experience when visiting the Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture. Their exhibit on birds incorporated technology throughout the entire museum to create one experience. From songs of extinct birds, video, VR and holograms, all the technology was used to make the user think about extinction and the impact of the human footprint on nature. I came away from the experience moved and wanting more. The curator, museum director and artists came together to coordinate their efforts to create cohesion throughout the museum and as a visitor I felt the impact of that effort.

It is when the museum works with the technology, rather than having it just to have it, that an experience can be created that changes the visitor’s outlook on the subject matter presented and can impart information that can change or improve world views. In gallery technology cannot be the effort of one person or department to be the most impactful.

[meghan1308]

Technology as a Teaching Tool

When thinking about technology as a teaching tool, it is important to consider how the technology will benefit the child and the family. Technology cannot be the only educator, the phrase “it takes a village” comes to mind, as a child is show to lean from technology best when an adult or peer is alongside them. My personal experience with technology as a child was always supplemented with time with my mother, helping me when I got stuck or reading to me to help me understand things better. My time with the computer or TV was always limited and reading a book or playing outside always encouraged. For technology to work as a teaching tool it is important to focus on interaction and accessibility; it can’t function alone and for one audience, it needs to engage a group and encourage parents and peers to participate. Far to often I’ve seen small children left alone with a tablet as a means of keeping the child quiet rather than fostering connections and I feel that is the greatest mistake we can make when it comes to utilizing this tool.

[meghan1308]

Games as Culture

For me as a game developer story is very important; it forms the foundation of the gameplay and leads me to ask what my audience will walk away with. The stories don’t have to be overly complicated; “Thomas was Alone” is a game where the player controls a rectangle, it’s simple and “lo-fi” but the story is so engaging the player feels they must continue until the end and you end up having feelings about this character defined by four lines (http://www.mikebithellgames.com/thomaswasalone/). Another great example of story telling in game is “What Remains of Edith Finch” which is a haunting story about a cursed family with each room of the Finch home being an exercise in observation. Free Dive is a game developed for chemotherapy patients that reduces their pain without drugs. Games can train players how to be nurses, fly planes,the can teach stories of immigrants and native heritage (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.gamespot.com/amp-articles/e3-07-serious-games-maintains-a-straight-face/1100-6174770/). If we treat games as a way to connect with our community and teach others, it can change so much.

[meghan1308]

Moving Foward

Looking at what we have learned in class so far, we have covered a variety of topics that present themselves as the building blocks for understanding why we are choosing to use technology in museums. Once our audience has been selected we have also looked at fair use, as well as making exhibits accessible. I would like to know more about the time frame most museums take to plan a digital component to an exhibit, what resources are given, and what a production schedule might look like. I understand that this might vary greatly from museum to museum, but understanding how an exhibit production schedule works for parts of the Smithsonian would help me to set a baseline for my own projects. Museum studies is still brand new territory to me and I have so much left to learn.

[meghan1308]

Museums and Accessabilty

I didn't really think about accessibility until I started designing games. It wasn't until I questioned my own designs that I began to question the designs of others. I started to ask the question, "what if I couldn't see that" or "what if I were in a wheelchair?" The answer I often came up with is that I wouldn't know those things were there or I wouldn't be able to use them. These answers began to frustrate me. I think they frustrated me the most because the issues are often solved with simple fixes that don't often cost money so much as they cost time. If things like these were brought into consideration from the beginning they would have simply pushed the project schedule back. The Canadian Museum of Human Rights took the time to consult with people with disabilities and ask them how to better enable their audience. They used multi media to achieve this task. Another great example is the Smithsonian's American Art Museum's America InSite Tours that happen about twice a month and allow visitors to interact with the works as well as have a guide provided a visual description of what is on display.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/01/05/505419694/blind-art-lovers-make-the-most-of-museum-visits-with-insight-tours

The Tactual Museum in Kallithea is another museum that allows visitors to touch works. They have recreations of Greek sculptures that visitors can interact with.

http://www.tactualmuseum.gr/html/muse.htm

This not only allows people with disabilities to experience exhibits but also allows children and other visitors to engage with works. I often find myself taking advantage of subtitles and visual descriptions because it is often hard for me to concentrate or hear in a packed museum with lots of visitors. Overall I believe that incorporating design that allows for accessibility is a wonderful thing that allows museums to reach a much broader audience and enable its visitors to experience the mission of the museum. I believe that more care needs to be taken when designing experiences so that they can reach as many people as possible.

[meghan1308]

Intelectual Property & In Gallery Technology

Fair use of intelectual property is a big issue for everyone, but especially museums who deal with it all across the board. How visitors use the images they search for and take as they visit and how the museum uses images of the artwork or installations on display impacts the artists they come from as well as their estates if they are no longer living. 

I think one of my favorite examples was from the Artsy Editorial by Issac Kaplan about the USPS and an artist who created a rendering of the Statue of Liberity for his hotel in Vegas. USPS argued that using the image on the stamp was fair use because the statue was in the public domain, however, the artist argued that his version was different enough to stand alone as it’s own work of art. What I found intriguing is that this doesn’t seem to be the first time this has happened to USPS so you would think they would check their sources better. In my opinion though the artist of the Vegas version of the statue intended for his work to be recognized in the same way as the original and, I feel the differences are just not enough to classify it as its own work.

The other great example is the “monkey selife” taken by a monkey on a man’s phone. The question presented was is it the monkey’s property or the mans? I would say it was obviously the man’s but PETA was convinced the monkey should benefit from his fame and receive the profits from the image. The artist did donate part of his profits but I think if the artist sets up a particular situation he is the intelectual owner.

Overall I think it is important to remember if you use someone elses work that it does have to fall under fair use guidelines. Using someone else's work, even just a bit, you must give credit and have permission otherwise it is stealing, the same as any other form of plagiarism. 

Even the small Facebook pages and YouTube channels I follow give credit to their outside sources, or ask if anyone knows who the artist is. 

[meghan1308]

Museums and the Web

From this week’s readings it is clear to see how important a clear and searchable website is for a museum to be able to maintain its mission. Museums are repositories of the world’s information and in this digital age it is critical to ask “if the collection is not easily searchable does the information still exist?”

The simple answer to this question is “no” it will not be able to reach its intended audience and will not provide any usability. Museums must understand that UI UX design is imperative for patrons both local and abroad to be able to use their collection. Julia Folkowski’s article “Custom Collections Content and Generous Interfaces” gives examples of how a museum might use social media as an influence on this. She shows how Spotify, Pandora, Etsy, and Pinterest have all created user interfaces that allows the customer to easily find and share items related to their interests allowing for a customized experience that will keep them coming back. My favorite museum related example from this article was the Rijks Studio with it’s customizable collection interface.

Below is a screenshot from the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art’s website (https://www.kemperart.org/permanent-collection). I feel that this is a good example of a midrange website when it comes to searchability of its collection. It takes some exploring to find this page from the home screen and it could use some better design when it comes to how easy it is to search for a work.

One thing I found ironic about this week’s readings was the article by John Coburn. While the information in the article was useful when it came to understanding metadata and engagement, it was also interesting that two links in the article given as examples were dead. I thought it went to show how current media can have a short lifecycle if not maintained properly.

The take away from this is that UI UX design and searchability is critical for a museum to maintain traffic on its website and ensure that its collection reaches a broad audience.

[meghan1308]

Digital Strategy and Museums

Digital technology has evolved to the point where information that could never be accessed before is now available almost everyone across the globe. The web we have created extends to the personal and professional level. This new type of connection has everyone turned on all the time and has museums trying to figure out where they fit in.

Part of piecing together this puzzle starts with the mission of the museum, they have to answer the question of who they are trying to reach and why. More and more social media has put the audience in touch with the brand and how they are represented. This starts a dialogue that the museum has to prepare themselves for; they need to put in place a strategy for how they want to approach digitizing their institution and what best fits with their audience.

It makes sense to approach this from a business standpoint with funding and traffic being a major issue for some museums. However, the mission of the museum should always be a priority and not put on the back burner. This means extending the reach of the museum throughout multiple platforms and across multiple deparments. How these branches work and weave themselves together is essential in developing a digital strategy.

Overall the digital evolution of the modern museum is one that is inevitable and each institution will evolve differently. It is important moving forward to recognize this change in put in place a plan that will make the mission of the museum more effective and reach a wider audience.