Museum Lives Project

4. 2008 2010 2009 The Great Unknown Museum Lives Project

5. 2008 2010 2009 The Great Unknown Web pilot Narrative Stakeholder Group created Museum Lives Project

8. “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’.

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

10. 2008 2010 2009 Winter of discontent Void of despair The Great Unknown Palaeo. web request Web pilot Library Migration Narrative Stakeholder Group created Museum Lives Project

11. 2008 2010 2009 Winter of discontent Void of despair The Great Unknown Palaeo. web request Web pilot Planning Conference Library Migration Narrative Stakeholder Group created Digitisation Survey Museum Lives Project Science Strategy

12. 2008 2010 2009 Things look Rosie! Winter of discontent Void of despair The Great Unknown CLD Project is born Palaeo. web request Web pilot Planning Conference Library Migration Narrative Stakeholder Group created Digitisation Survey Museum Lives Project Science Strategy

13. 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

14. Linking Collections

15. Library CLD’s

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

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

19. Visualisation • Took inspiration from business websites….

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

24. Collection Statistics

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

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

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

29. Geographic representation

30. Timelines • Visual representation of sequence of events • Collections Development • History of the department

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

32. 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.

33. 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.