Smithsonian Web and New Media StrategyDrivers, Process, and Execution…in 15 minutes or lessThe Reduced Shakespeare VersionMuseum Computer NetworkStrategery [sic]November 13, 2009Portland, ORMichael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media StrategySmithsonian Institution, Office of the CIOedsonm@si.edu | @mpedson

PreambleTwitter: @mpedsonhttp://slideshare.net/edsonmJoin us at http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.comBeware…The opinions in this presentation are mine, not the official policy/strategy of the Smithsonian…(My M.O. is to drive change by building a sense of urgency)We’re a little bird

What to focus on in 15 minutes?A lifetime of thought and work went into this, the ideas are complex and nuanced, and I should be talking about the Smithsonian Commons…“But LynrdSkynrd has to play Freebird at every show”@SI_CTOCarmen Iannacone

Let’s Roll it This Way @ MCNThe Strategy is online, so read itThe process was pretty unusualMost of your organizations need to be making a strategySo, the thing that will make the most change in the world is to focus on HOW the strategy was made, so people can go out and build their own

Pain, Fear, or OpportunitySome kind of processSome kind of assertionSome kind of workHow Strategy Goesin a really abstracted way of thinking

Pain/Fear/OpportunityHere’s what Pain, Fear, and Opportunitylook like…

Unexpected Rivals in Reach (July – Sept, 2009)Pain/FearEnchantedlearning.comsi.edudiscoveryeducation.comocean.com

Pain/FearUnexpected Rivals in Reach (July – Sept, 2009)Enchantedlearning.com is a two person team, with more online reach than the world’s largest museum and research complex!Enchantedlearning.comsi.edudiscoveryeducation.comocean.com

Brand IdentityPain/FearBrandtags.netWe are the 560th of 928 brands

Video interviews with visitorsDo you ever use Smithsonian Web sites?No, not reallyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5x4Sga0d1s

/OpportunityThe Smithsonian CommonsA set of resources maintained in the public sphere for the use and benefit of everyone

/OpportunityFocus on innovation/discovery inside the InstitutionCatalyze innovation/discoveryoutside the institutionJoy’s Law: no matter who you are, most of The smartest peoplework for someone else

/OpportunityThe Web is a fundamentally newway of gettingthings doneThe Web is a bigger megaphone

Many more of these in recent slides on slideshare.net/edsonm/OpportunityThe Web is a fundamentally newway of gettingthings doneThe Web is a bigger megaphone

/OpportunityFour Grand Challenges(Brand new pan-Institutional strategy!)

/OpportunityFour Grand ChallengesUnlocking the Mysteries of the UniverseUnderstanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse PlanetValuing World CulturesUnderstanding the American Experience

Pain, Fear, or OpportunitySome kind of processSome kind of assertionSome kind of work

Internal Blog/Wiki/Listserv152 posts to internal blog

Internal Blog/Wiki/ListservClassic blog/wiki playbook

Internal Blog/Wiki/ListservClassic blog/wiki/listserv playbook

Internal Blog/Wiki/ListservClassic blog/wiki/listserv playbook

Internal Blog/Wiki/ListservClassic blog/wiki/listserv playbookBuild a shared vocabularyKeep focus on mobile, UX, other subtle thingsCelebrate internal expertsPractice skills to be used later on (“you get what you practice”)

Build a shared vocabulary

Keep focus on mobile, UX, other subtle things

Celebrate internal experts

Practice skills to be used later on (“you get what you practice”)

Floated idea in internal blog post, 9/23/2008

“What I Heard and What I Told Sr. Management”Reactions/support/advice from internal practitioners: We like fastWe like transparentMake it actionableThoughtful synthesis is important(this is your last chance to get it right…)

We like fast

We like transparent

Make it actionable

Thoughtful synthesis is important

(this is your last chance to get it right…)

Very important slide!The advantages of public, transparent, and fastFaster than traditional committee-driven process (Time is the enemy)Increase size of brain trust (Joy’s Law)Improve the odds for changeImprove odds for execution (public promises not easily forgotten) Outside champions more likely to support “commons” goals than status-quo insidersWalking the Talk vis-à-vis crowdsourcing and innovation model“You get what you practice”

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”

Smithsonian 2.0

Smithsonian 2.0

Process: Workshops to WikiHttp://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com

Process: Workshops to Wiki

Process: Workshops to WikiProcess 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

Process: Workshops to Wiki

Process: Workshops to WikiAs 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 WikiHighlighting “actions required” and important themes, post workshop.

Process: Workshops to Wiki

Process: Workshops to Wiki

Process: Workshops to WikiOutside comments, post workshop. (M. Morgan @ met?)

Public-Facing WikiImprovement/synthesis over timeOriginal workshop notes

Public-Facing WikiImprovement/synthesis over timeAdded highlight, Action Required

Public-Facing WikiImprovement/synthesis over timeAttendee says “wait a minute!”

Public-Facing WikiImprovement/synthesis over timeApology and re-cast original assertion

Public-Facing WikiImprovement/synthesis over timeAnother user synthesizes core question: How do units break out these costs?

YouTube: Voice Your Vision

Twitter: #si20

Risks?Of course!So, what do you do…?…List them on the Wiki!

Pain, Fear, or OpportunitySome kind of processSome kind of assertionSome kind of work

Web & New Media Strategy StructureThree ThemesUpdate the Smithsonian Digital ExperienceUpdate the Smithsonian Learning ModelBalance Autonomy and Control within SIEight GoalsExternal MissionBrandLearningAudienceInternal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernanceEach Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations

Web & New Media Strategy StructureThree ThemesUpdate the Smithsonian Digital ExperienceUpdate the Smithsonian Learning ModelBalance Autonomy and Control within SIEight GoalsExample of a goal. (This one is a doozie - -- just one sentence!) “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 according”External MissionBrandLearningAudienceInternal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernanceEach Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations

Web & New Media Strategy StructureThree ThemesUpdate the Smithsonian Digital ExperienceUpdate the Smithsonian Learning ModelBalance Autonomy and Control within SIEight GoalsExample of a goal. (This one is a doozie - -- just one sentence!) “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 according”External MissionBrandLearningAudienceInternal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernanceEach Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations

Web & New Media Strategy StructureThree ThemesUpdate the Smithsonian Digital ExperienceUpdate the Smithsonian Learning ModelBalance Autonomy and Control within SIEight GoalsExample of a goal. (This one is a doozie - -- just one sentence!) “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 according”External MissionBrandLearningAudienceInternal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernanceEach Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations

Web & New Media Strategy StructureThree ThemesUpdate the Smithsonian Digital ExperienceUpdate the Smithsonian Learning ModelBalance Autonomy and Control within SIEight GoalsExample of a goal. (This one is a doozie - -- just one sentence!) “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 according”External MissionBrandLearningAudienceInternal InterpretationTechnologyBusiness ModelGovernanceTactical Implementation (#1 of 6):“Recruit a pan-Institutional Web and New Media leader and give that person the decision-authority and visibility to lead change”Each Goal has specific program, policy, and tactical recommendations

Smithsonian InstitutionThe Wiki is the strategy(the PDF is just a convenience download)http://smithsonian-webstrategy.wikispaces.com

“The impact of online collections can be greatly magnified by highlighting the knowledge and insight of Smithsonian experts…and a matrix of tools, policies, and resources that allows our audiences to be our partners in the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

Old Learning ModelNew Learning Model

“Encourage and provide necessary support for staff to share their work and ideas directly with visitors though blogging, video, mobile platforms, geospatial data, and other Web and New Media formats”

“This is not to suggest that the old models of learning are irrelevant or inoperative, far from it. But 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 those standard protocols and enable vast new audiences to use the Smithsonian as one part of their lifelong learning journeys. ”

“This is not to suggest that the old models of learning are irrelevant or inoperative, far from it. But 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 those standard protocols and enable vast new audiences to use the Smithsonian as one part of their lifelong learning journeys. ”

“This is not to suggest that the old models of learning are irrelevant or inoperative, far from it. But 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 those standard protocols and enable vast new audiences to use the Smithsonian as one part of their lifelong learning journeys. ”

“Embrace user-generated content as an important catalyst to engagement and inquiry, particularly for younger and more Web 2.0 kinds of audiences”

“Governance is the kinetic exercise of management policies related to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance within an organization... ”

“…Successful governance and leadership are the keys to accomplishing any of thegoals in this strategic plan.”

“…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.”

“…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.”

“…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 Smithsonian CommonsA place to beginMore detail about what a commons is and why it matters in the strategy, and via Imagining the Smithsonian Commons:Annotated text of "Imagining a Smithsonian Commons" on slidesharePowerPoint slides of "Imagining a Smithsonian Commons" on slidesharevideo of the talk at Computers in Libraries, 2009

Pain, Fear, or OpportunitySome kind of processSome kind of assertionSome kind of work

“You know Michael, this strategy is just the part of the iceberg you can see above the water. Everything below the waterline is change management.”Leo MullenCEO, Navigation Arts

PrototypeWe are creating a prototype to demonstrate the impact of the Smithsonian Commons concept on key audiences. (Prototype will be complete in 10 weeks.)

Is the Smithsonian an organization that’s been preparing to drive change??

The Change Model(Borrowed from software and social entrepreneurship)Think big, start small, move fastFocus on doing things that matters (via Tim O’Reilly)Cultural institutions exist to do work in the cultureDrive change through building A Sense of Urgency (John. P. Kotter)Museum Computer NetworkStrategery [sic]November 13, 2009Portland, ORMichael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media StrategySmithsonian Institution, Office of the CIOedsonm@si.edu | @mpedson

The Change Model(Borrowed from software and social entrepreneurship)Think big, start small, move fastFocus on doing things that matters (via Tim O’Reilly)Cultural institutions exist to do work in the cultureDrive change through building A Sense of Urgency (John. P. Kotter)Museum Computer NetworkStrategery [sic]November 13, 2009Portland, ORMichael EdsonDirector, Web and New Media StrategySmithsonian Institution, Office of the CIOedsonm@si.edu | @mpedson