Morgan, You just beat me to the send key on this one. ROI is measured by both highly tangible and more intangible results, such as fulfilling the mission irrespective of whether feet pass through the door. I noted this in reviewing a number of museum missions in advance of an MCN conference discussion related to the topic a while back. It is interesting how marketing and business units may still tend to constrict the bounds of ROI, as they still consider a successful financial and human resource investment return in terms of "conversions" (the term for-profit businesses use) which could mean admissions, retail, etc. Yet, I wonder how a Board might respond at hearing that hundreds or thousands of school children were using the web site as a surrogate for class visits they can no longer afford, yet still integrating the museum content into their curriculum, and developing long term bonds with those kids (and maybe their parents). Would they say "this doesnt count." There are many examples one could give.
This issue has come up at least as far back as the inception of broadcast radio networks, when they were not permitted for years to play recorded music, lest they preempt record purchases. Today, even orchestras are putting samples of their performances online *to generate audiences* and the Met's theatrical broadcasts of operas has not caused the Opera House to play to empty seats. And by the way, art museum exhibits have just started to come to theaters near you, too. http://www.twincities.com/entertainment/ci_22984422/museum-exhibitions-come-movie-theaters I remember working with a Chief Financial Officer who asked me as I submitted the web development budget for the subsequent year, "Isnt this website stuff finished yet?" Somehow I dont think she asked the Director a similar question about acquisitions for the collection. Some day perhaps she will find the former question similarly moot. As the definition of museum evolves.. I hope to live long enough to see ICOM and AAM recognize museums which are only online and meet particular criteria as bona fide and accreditable ... maybe AAM and AAMD has to get out the word, or make it part of the ethic as much as they have both promoted education and civic engagement, that getting museum content online and out there, in oh so many forms, is a valid and good thing and part of being of museum of today. Period. Len Steinbach On Thu, Aug 1, 2013 at 10:28 PM, Morgan Holzer <morganholzer at nypl.org>wrote: > Bernard, > > For me, (someone whose job relies heavily on statistics and user research), > this question actually simply comes down to your mission statement. I > looked your's up ( > http://www.otagomuseum.govt.nz/about-us/corporate-information/) and in > part, it says: > > "Mission: To inspire and enrich our communities, and enhance understanding > of the world through our collection, our people and the stories we share... > Expanding joy: Reaching out to our communities and enabling access for > all." > > I'd wager that the vast majority of museum mission statements include > something about education/outreach/access in regards to collections, and do > not actually contain any mention of getting people in the door. Not putting > up online collections/exhibitions is actually contrary to your stated goals > of enabling "access for all," and specifically targeting "access for those > who can attend." > > Of course, metrics and research help bolster the argument, but I think > mission-driven arguments are always a good place to start. > > ~Morgan > > > On Thu, Aug 1, 2013 at 10:14 AM, Proctor, Nancy <ProctorN at si.edu> wrote: > > > I really appreciated Bruce Wyman and Nick Poole's responses to the > > question about online cannibalizing in-person museum visits. Sadly this > is > > still a question museum technologists face, but more importantly I agree > we > > need to do better at measuring ROI - though I would add, on all platforms > > museums use, not just digital ones! Easier said than done, of course. > > > > Is anyone aggregating the links and thoughts provided in these important > > emails to the listserv in a blog post or other? If not, I'd be happy to > > start a post on the Musematic blog (or other recommended site) as I'm > sure > > many others have useful references and past posts to add as well. > > > > Nancy > > > > -- We all get a lot of email; here's how I try to help: > > http://emailcharter.org -- > > > > Nancy Proctor, PhD > > Head of Mobile Strategy & Initiatives > > Office of the Assistant Secretary for Education and Access > > Smithsonian Institution > > > > http://SI.edu/Mobile > > proctorn at si.edu > > @nancyproctor > > > > t: +1-202-633-8439 > > c: +1-301-642-6257 > > > > Want to mobilize? > > > > * Sign up for the SI Mobile mailing list here: > > http://si-listserv.si.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=SIMOBILE > > * Visit our blog: http://Smithsonian20.si.edu and wiki: > > http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com/Mobile > > * Follow the museum mobile community: #SImobile #mtogo and at > > http://wiki.MuseumMobile.info > > > > To unsubscribe from the SIMOBILE list, or change your subscription > options, > > please click here: > > http://si-listserv.si.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=SIMOBILE&A=1in-box! > > _______________________________________________ > > You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum > Computer > > Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > > > > To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > > > > To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: > > http://mcn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l > > > > The MCN-L archives can be found at: > > http://mcn.edu/pipermail/mcn-l/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer > Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > > To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > > To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: > http://mcn.edu/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l > > The MCN-L archives can be found at: > http://mcn.edu/pipermail/mcn-l/ >
