michael edson: prototyping the smithsonian commons
DESCRIPTION
Update 7/8/2010: we've posted the Smithsonian Commons Prototype http://www.si.edu/commons/prototype First presented at Computers in Libraries (CIL) 2010, this presentation gives an overview of Smithsonian strategies and the inception of the Smithsonian Commons.TRANSCRIPT
Prototyping theSmithsonian
Commons
Michael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media Strategy
Smithsonian Institution, Office of the [email protected] | @mpedson
Michael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media Strategy
Smithsonian Institution, Office of the [email protected] | @mpedson
Note: I’m going to skipa lot of these slides as I
present this!(But I it’s all online for reference)
Prototyping theSmithsonian
Commons
Smithsonian Commons Prototype Overture
Story 1: Visitor (Smithsonian Commons Prototype)
http://www.si.edu/commons/prototype (coming soon)
Story 2: Teacher (Smithsonian Commons Prototype)
http://www.si.edu/commons/prototype (coming soon)
Story 3: Millennial (Smithsonian Commons Prototype)
http://www.si.edu/commons/prototype (coming soon)
Story 4: Enthusiast (Smithsonian Commons Prototype)
http://www.si.edu/commons/prototype (coming soon)
Smithsonian Strategic Plan
Smithsonian Strategic Plan
Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough
http://www.si.edu/about/
Four Grand Challenges
Smithsonian Strategic Plan
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
http://www.si.edu/about/
Smithsonian Strategic Plan
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
http://www.si.edu/about/
Smithsonian Strategic Plan
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
http://www.si.edu/about/
Smithsonian Strategic Plan
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
http://www.si.edu/about/
Smithsonian Strategic Plan
1. Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe
2. Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet
3. Valuing World Cultures4. Understanding the
American Experience
Four Grand ChallengesStrategy
Schmatergy! We’ve seen strategy
before!
A GenericHumbug
Smithsonian Strategic Plan
1. Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe
2. Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet
3. Valuing World Cultures4. Understanding the
American Experience
Four Grand ChallengesStrategy
Schmatergy! We’ve seen strategy
before!
A GenericHumbug
No! This is about solving big hairy problems— ”work that
matters” (via @timoreilly)http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/01/work-on-stuff-that-matters-fir.html
Empower citizen-scholars!
Blend assets w. new technology!
Solve big complex problems!
Interdisciplinary collaborations and
partnerships!
InterdisciplinaryCollaborative
Entrepreneurial
“Innovative informal education” !!!
“Use our vast resources for the public good in
the midst of unceasing change”
c
c
This is big, audacious, important stuff.
This is work!
This is relevance earned through a job well done.
First order questions
First order questions
• Where is this work going to take place? • What kind of organization, infrastructure,
platforms will be needed to support it?• What is the organizational change model?
How will change happen? What will it look like?
• Who will be the innovators? The connectors? The drivers of change?
My workplace, like so many others,is deeply conflicted
about these questions.
Chris AndersonFree, the Future of a Radical Price
Chris AndersonFree, the Future of a Radical Price
“I found that the idea you could create a huge global economy around a base price of zero was invariably polarizing”
From the introduction to Free
Chris AndersonFree, the Future of a Radical Price
“I found that the idea you could create a huge global economy around a base price of zero was invariably polarizing”
Duh!
Chris AndersonFree, the Future of a Radical Price
“I found that the idea you could create a huge global economy around a base price of zero was invariably polarizing”
Duh!Huh!?
Duh!Huh!?
Duh!Huh!?
Thermocline(a metaphor)
Thermocline(a metaphor)
Stratified water temperature acts as a barrier
Knowledge, communication,action models are different
Management
Practitioners
Thermocline(a metaphor)
Messages get distorted, lost
Thermocline(a metaphor)
Messages get distorted, lost
Thermocline(a metaphor)
Thermocline Issues define the change environment and
explain why strategy is needed (and why, for us, the commons is such an important
idea)
Thermocline(a metaphor)
Urgency
Thermocline Issues
Complacency
John P. Kotter, A Sense of Urgency
In exchange for publicfunds and public trust,
museums shoulddo work
for society
Thermocline Issues
Museums are for…
What could you accomplish with$1b /year for 50 years?
Institutions built onthe model of
social entrepreneurship:
Think Big,Start SmallMove Fast
Thermocline Issues
Institutions built onthe model of
enduring wisdom*
We can move slowlybecause wisdom endures
*Via Peter Schwartz, GBN
Thermocline Issues
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
Thermocline Issues
You can managetechnology and content
separately
The most interestingecosystems are
in “border habitats”between the two
Thermocline Issues
Fixation on superficialaspects of Web 2.0and Social Media
“There’s no such thingas social media, it’s just
doing stuff with aComputer. Everyone
go to bed.”
Thermocline Issues
The Web is a bigger megaphone
The Web is a fundamentally new
way of gettingthings done
Thermocline Issues
“we are living in the middle of a remarkable increase in our ability to share, to cooperate with one another, and
to take collective action, all outside the framework of traditional institutions and organization …Getting the
free and ready participation of a large, distributed group with a variety of skills has gone from impossible
to simple.” Clay Shirky
Thermocline Issues
Make money, nowBuild an ascendant brand
by“doing work that matters”
Tim O’Reilly http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/01/work-on-stuff-that-matters-fir.html
“Once [the Smithsonian] has increased user base 100x or more, many other possibilities open”
Carl MalamudPublic.resource.org
Thermocline Issues
The Desktop Internet 3.5 Billionmobile subscribers
Thermocline Issues
The Desktop Internet 3.5 Billionmobile subscribers
Moore’s Law meansthese things will be 20X
More powerful in a few years...It’s going to get FREAKY!
Thermocline Issues
The Desktop Internet 3.5 Billionmobile subscribers
Moore’s Law meansthese things will be 20X
More powerful in a few years...It’s going to get FREAKY!
Gardeningchange model*
Build a platform &cultivate Web 2.0
as a way of thinkingabout work
Thermocline Issues
Manufacturingchange model
“Lets Build Product Xand be done with it”
* Via Josh Greenberg, NYPL
Every user is ahero
In their ownepic journey
Thermocline Issues
Provide servicesto passive audiences
Every user is ahero
In their ownepic journey
Thermocline Issues
Provide servicesto passive audiences
Myths/misconceptions about the relevance, reach, and impact of
traditional models
Myths/misconceptions about the relevance, reach, and impact of traditional models
(See Imagining a Smithsonian Commons) - Text w. links and footnotes: http://www.slideshare.net/edsonm/cil-2009-michael-edson-text-version - PowerPoint: http://www.slideshare.net/edsonm/cil-2009-michael-edson-powerpoint - Ustream (from CIL 2009): http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1327813
“Most organizations don’t getserious about strategy untilthey are afraid or in pain”
Leo Mulen, CEONavigation Arts
Hey!
We wrote aWeb and New Media
Strategy!!!
Hey!
We made aWeb and New Media
Strategy!!!
Smithsonian 2.0 Conference
Smithsonian 2.0 Conference
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
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
The Wiki becomes the strategy
• 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!
• 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!
More in Fast, Open, and Transparent: developing the Smithsonian’s Web and New Media Strategy http://www.slideshare.net/edsonm/michael-edson-the-smithsonian-web-and-new-media-strategy-what-it-is-how-we-made-it-and-why-it-makes-a-difference-3656578 andhttp://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/papers/edson/edson.html
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
How the strategy attacks the challenge points
Update the Digital Experience
“We are like a retail chain that has desirable and unique merchandise but requires its customers to adapt to dramatically different or outdated idioms of signage, product availability, pricing, and check-out in every aisle of each store. This needs to be addressed to realize the full potential of the Smithsonian’s digital initiatives.”
Urgency
Update the Learning Model
“This strategy is based on the growing understanding of learning as a hybrid of formal education and self-directed discovery that can be brought together and enhanced by online tools and communities…. that allow our audiences to be our partners in the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
Urgency
Balance Autonomy and Control
“The expertise and accomplishments of unit-based staff, however, need to be supported and enhanced by an internal commons of shared tools, services, and standards.”
Urgency
1. Mission
“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 accordingly.”
Urgency
2. Brand
“Shift the Smithsonian brand voice away from attributes of institutional/omnipotent/ authoritarian towards attributes of individuality/ relevance/passion for learning.”
Changing
role of
Institutions
3. Learning
“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 [standard learning] protocols and enable vast new audiences to use the Smithsonian as one part of their lifelong learning journeys”
New model
of knowledge
creation
4. Audience
“The online experience must become more interactive and able to facilitate ongoing dialogues between the Smithsonian and its users to ensure the continuing relevance of the Institution, particularly to digitally attuned audiences.”
Denographic
Tsunami
5. Interpretation
“Web and New Media technologies are crucial to the Smithsonian’s core research activities and to the wide collaborations that must occur among geographically distant participants…”
New
collaborative
models
6. Technology
“Many of the menial or difficult tasks performed by unit Web and New Media teams—and the public—can be served by a unified Smithsonian platform, and the development of a shared platform, over time, will allow data, ideas, e-commerce, and collaboration to flow across institutional boundaries in ways that are not possible in the current decentralized model.”
New ways of
working
7. Business Model
“The Smithsonian’s basic business model is to create social and economic value through the increase and diffusion of knowledge…Ultimately, the most valuable business asset we can cultivate—and the one that is most fundamental to our core mission—is a community of engaged and committed Smithsonian enthusiasts.”
Social
entrepreneurship
8. Governance
“Successful governance and leadership are the keys to accomplishing any of the goals in this strategic plan..”
Urgency
The Smithsonian Commons
“The Smithsonian Commons will be 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 whole
shebang!
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/
The strategy talks about an updated digital experience, a new learning model that helps people with their "lifelong learning journeys," and the creation of a Smithsonian Commons—a new part of our digital presence dedicated to stimulating learning, creation, and innovation through open access to Smithsonian research, collections and communities.
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/
The strategy talks about an updated digital experience, a new learning model that helps people with their "lifelong learning journeys," and the creation of a Smithsonian Commons—a new part of our digital presence dedicated to stimulating learning, creation, and innovation through open access to Smithsonian research, collections and communities.
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/
The strategy talks about an updated digital experience, a new learning model that helps people with their "lifelong learning journeys," and the creation of a Smithsonian Commons—a new part of our digital presence dedicated to stimulating learning, creation, and innovation through open access to Smithsonian research, collections and communities.
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/
The strategy talks about an updated digital experience, a new learning model that helps people with their "lifelong learning journeys," and the creation of a Smithsonian Commons—a new part of our digital presence dedicated to stimulating learning, creation, and innovation through open access to Smithsonian research, collections and communities.
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/
The strategy talks about an updated digital experience, a new learning model that helps people with their "lifelong learning journeys," and the creation of a Smithsonian Commons—a new part of our digital presence dedicated to stimulating learning, creation, and innovation through open access to Smithsonian research, collections and communities.
What is a Commons?
A set of resources maintained in the public sphere for the use and benefit of everyone
What is a Commons?
What is a Commons?
The Anti-Commons…
What is a Commons?
An organized workshop where raw materials can be found and assembled into new things.
What is a Commons?
Imagining a Smithsonian Commons• http://www.slideshare.net/edsonm/cil-2009-michael-edson-text-version
Museum Commons: A professional interactionhttp://www.slideshare.net/edsonm/museum-commons-a-professional-interaction-museums-and-the-web-2010-michael-edson-and-rich-cherry
How do we talk about this?
How do we talk about this?
What does this mean for staff and users?
How do we talk about this?
What does this mean for staff and users?
A lot of new ideas for sr. decision makers to unpack
Huh?
Huh?Let’s Build a
Prototype!
What’s a Prototype?
An audio-visual presentation that shows the attributes of a fully completed Smithsonian Commons as seen through the eyes of our users.
Let’s Build a
Prototype!
What’s a Prototype?
Push / pull between understanding what this thing is and understanding how to sell it
Let’s Build a
Prototype!
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com
The Smithsonian Commons Will…
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/Experience+Brief+-+Addendum+-+The+Smithsonian+Commons+Will
Conceptual Development: “Low Rez” Wireframes
Conceptual Development: Paper Prototypes
“Experience Brief”
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/Smithsonian+Commons+Prototype
Outlines four stories
Museum Visitor4th Grade Teacher
MillennialEnthusiast / Citizen Scientist
The “flow” of the storyline is described
Which outcomes/benefits for are illustrated
Key themes shown in this story
…Functionality of the Commons that is
demonstrated
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/Experience+Brief+-+Mockup+of+Prototype+Home+Page
Prototype Home Page Mockup
http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/Experience+Brief+-+Mockup+of+Prototype+Home+Page
Prototype Home Page Mockup
These stories need
pictures/content!
Asset Research
Asset Research
Commons/Strategy Hypothesis 1If we encourage reuse of our materials we can catalyze amazing discovery/ innovation/ creativityCommons/Strategy Hypothesis 2We have some amazing stuff that’s isolated on deep content pages: if we can do the aggregation and curation in a web 2.0 platform we will have something remarkable to show
Hirshhorn online catalog page
Prototype depiction of
same sculpture
Found on Flickr!
We are one part of people’s heroic
journey
People can’t stop taking pictures
and “connecting”
Hirshhorn online catalog page
Flickr
Dramatic, multiple
perspectives
Dramatic, multiple
perspectives
Flickr search for “Hirshhorn Sculpture”
WOW! It just goes on and on!
Crab Nebula on Smithsonian
Astro. Observatory site
Commons prototype “Space
& Time with Tom”
Based on “Tom’s Astronomy Blog”
link from http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/2009/01/out-of-this-world-google-maps.html
Found: Google Sky mashup of
the Crab Nebula
Our rendition of the mashup
OMG! Our stuff on Flickr
Commons!
Rich, connected, compelling
Rich, connected, compelling
Amazing things at the Smithsonian
You could never see this kind of cross-
collection compilation
Many of these pictures are from Flickr because of
quality, resolution, and intellectual
property problems on SI sites
Smithsonian content can
provide a real 360-degree
portrait
Smithsonian sites rarely show collections, expertise, programs,
research, and community
content side-by-side
(Theodore Roosevelt searchResults from commons prototype)
Smithsonian sites rarely show collections, expertise, programs,
research, and community
content side-by-side
si.edu search results
Flickr search for “Smithsonian
‘Theodore Roosevelt’”
Using Google’s “site:” syntax to find things on
SI.EDU related to “Theodore Roosevelt”
OMG! We’ve got audio recordings
of Theodore Roosevelt
http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=1086
Asset Research
Commons/Strategy Hypothesis 1If we encourage reuse of our materials we can catalyze amazing discovery/ innovation/ creativityCommons/Strategy Hypothesis 2We have some amazing stuff that’s isolated on deep content pages: if we can do the aggregation and curation in a web 2.0 platform we will have something remarkable to show
Asset Research
Through asset research for the Commons prototype, we found amazing “hidden” assets throughout Smithsonian Web sites, and amazing content created with/from Smithsonian resources by YOU, our amazing customers.
(Asset inventory documents are on Scribd athttp://www.scribd.com/mpedson )
What makes the Smithsonian Commons different than just a good Web site?
The Attributes of the Smithsonian Commons
VastAnyone in the world can have access to the whole Smithsonian, including access to deep collections and the vitality, curiosity, and creativity of our staff, visitors, partners, and our extended global community. The Smithsonian is at the center of an amazing network of ideas, collections, and people. No other institution can offer so much to so many.
FindableThrough the Smithsonian Commons the vastness of the Smithsonian can be discovered because search, navigation, and the overall user experience is about helping people to find the content they’re interested in, in the ways they expect to find it, including through recommendations and comments by staff experts - - and visitors - - external search sites, and social networks.
ShareableSharing is the foundation of collaboration and learning. The Smithsonian’s impact can be greatly amplified if what we have and what we do is easy to share. The Smithsonian Commons is about catalyzing creativity and innovation by encouraging the use and re-use of our collections and expertise for work and pleasure, in social networks, on mobile phones, and in the classroom, workshop, and laboratory.
FreeThe Smithsonian is built on the idea that the tools of discovery and knowledge creation should be available to all, and the Smithsonian Commons will be built on the idea that free, trusted, high-quality resources can create a lot of good in the world…
12 characteristics of a commons
From Museum Commons, a Professional Interaction(with Rich Cherry, Balboa Park)http://www.slideshare.net/edsonm/museum-commons-a-professional-interaction-museums-and-the-web-2010-michael-edson-and-rich-cherryandhttp://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/papers/edson-cherry/edson-cherry.html
Federated Designed for usersFindableShareableReusableFree
Bulk DownloadMachine ReadableHigh ResolutionCollaboration w/o controlNetwork effectsPublic Domain
12 characteristics of a commons
Art is the lie that helps ustell the truth
Pablo Picasso
The prototype…
Thank you!
Michael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media Strategy
Smithsonian Institution, Office of the [email protected] | @mpedson