Museum Lives Project The Great Unknown

Museum Lives Project Web pilot Narrative Stakeholder Group created The Great Unknown

“Like turning an oil tanker” “Big institution inertia” Not making any headway Staff at bottom of pile trying to make a difference Too many potential lines of communication, but no direct link to ‘the planners’.

Organisational structure Director Science Exec. Botany Entom Palaeo Min Library Zoology Learning Development Communications Exhibitions Interactive Media Collections Committee NSG Director Of PEG

Museum Lives Project Web pilot Palaeo. web request Narrative Stakeholder Group created Library Migration Void of despair The Great Unknown Winter of discontent

Museum Lives Project Web pilot Palaeo. web request Narrative Stakeholder Group created Library Migration Science Strategy Digitisation Survey Planning Conference Void of despair The Great Unknown Winter of discontent

Museum Lives Project Web pilot Palaeo. web request Narrative Stakeholder Group created Library Migration Science Strategy Digitisation Survey Planning Conference CLD Project is born Void of despair The Great Unknown Winter of discontent Things look Rosie!

The Vision Empower science staff to capture their specialist knowledge about collections. ‘One shoe fits all’. Single web template. – single implementation and easy to upgrade. Real-time updates. Link related collections across departments. Search Interface in addition to browse Improved navigation Alternative methods of representing information

Linking Collections

Library CLD’s

W. H. Lang Devonian Geographic Information Taxonomy Collection Events Sites Parties Stratigraphy

Navigation ACTIVE NARRATIVE Parent narrative Child narrative Associated narrative Party record Taxonomy record Stratigraphy record Collection Event record Sites record

Visualisation Took inspiration from business websites….

Visualisation Took inspiration from business websites…. Hull Museum, UK and Te Papa, NZ websites And Indianapolis Art Museum..

Collection Statistics

The Vision Real-time updates Link related collections across departments Improved navigation Visualisation Botany Collection Statistics

The Vision Real-time updates Link related collections across departments Improved navigation Visualisation

The Vision Real-time updates Link related collections across departments Improved navigation Visualisation

Geographic representation

Timelines Visual representation of sequence of events Collections Development History of the department

Twist in the tale No staff to deliver to the web….! Recruitment freeze. Hopefully employ somebody before Christmas. First draft by end March 2011??

Pros and Cons More heads  more ideas Single template to suite all needs. Strategic priority - buy-in from depts. Impossible to get heads together. Bring everyone upto speed. Longer to consult with depts. Longer to reach agreement.

Conclusion Pet projects go nowhere. Need an overall strategy in place. Fit the project to the strategy to get it on agenda. Ensure buy-in from all potential stakeholders (miracles can happen!). Collaboration slows planning but… Collaboration prevents re-inventing the wheel. Programme in some experimentation time to avoid circular discussions.