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Dynamic, Dimensional, Digital: Creative Strategies for Moving beyond the

Printed Page in a Museum Context

Dynamic, Dimensional, Digital:

Creative Strategies for Moving beyond the Printed Page in a Museum Context

Kristine Thayer, Senior Designer

Douglas Hegley, Director of Technology

Museum Computer Network Annual Conference

Friday, November 22, 2013

Douglas

Douglas

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• Provides an insider’s look at art & art museums

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• With a range of media content: text, images, video, audio, interactive

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Verso: Telling Stories with Digital Media

Kris

Scholarship and Research

Verso: Telling Stories with Digital Media

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Community & Contemporary

Verso: Telling Stories with Digital Media

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Collecting

Verso: Telling Stories with Digital Media

KrisArt Acquisition

Verso: Telling Stories with Digital Media

KrisBehind-the-scenes

Verso: Telling Stories with Digital Media

Even bees on the roof!

Verso in Action: Live Demo

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Verso: Award Winning Effort

– American Alliance of Museum: 2013 Silver Muse Award

– International Design and Communications: 2013 Best App

– Graphic Design USA: 2013 American Graphic Design Award

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Verso: ReachVerso: Reach

– Over 7500 SubscribersOver 7500 Subscribers• 80% US80% US• 10 % China10 % China• 10% from 65 other countries 10% from 65 other countries

– from Qatar to Borneo to from Qatar to Borneo to Azerbaijan to Moldova ...Azerbaijan to Moldova ...

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Goals & Philosophy

Goals & Philosophy

• Why make Verso?– Staff drive

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Goals & Philosophy

• Why make Verso?– Just so much content

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Depth and Breadth of Content

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Depth and Breadth of Content

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Depth and Breadth of Content

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Goals & Philosophy

• Embracing digital• Interactivity = truly moving experiences

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ProcessProcess

From Experiment to Production

Process– Needed:

• Space/time for individual effort• Manager’s support• An iPad, headphones• Schedule: Summer 2012

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Tools Used

• Content layout & production: Adobe Creative Suite• Audio editing software: Hindenburg• Video editing software: various

• Animation: out-sourced contractors

• Published via: Adobe Digital Publishing Suite (DPS)

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Process– Researched (informally)

– Built prototype based on print pieces – with interactivity

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Process

– Demonstrated to senior management

– Excitement!

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Process• Then I had to make it real!

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Methods

• From individual to team effort– Build collaborative team, learn as we go

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Methods

• From individual to team effort– Build collaborative team, learn as we go

• Fit into existing work

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Methods

• From individual to team effort– Build collaborative team, learn as we go

• Fit into existing work• What are we going to STOP doing?

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Methods

• From individual to team effort– Build collaborative team, learn as we go

• Fit into existing work• What are we going to STOP doing?

– We are still working on this …

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Platform• Why iPad?

(not necessarily a strategic decision)

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Platform• iPad: Pros

– Elegance of interface – beautiful display

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Platform• iPad: Pros

– Elegance of interface – beautiful display– iPads = number 1 device

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Platform• iPad: Pros

– Elegance of interface – beautiful display– MIA audience statistics: iPads = number 1 device– Standardized format – needed only 1 version of content

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Platform• iPad: Cons

– Limited access – not everyone owns an iPad

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Platform• iPad: Cons

– Limited access – not everyone owns an iPad– Proprietary file formats

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Platform• iPad: Cons

– Limited access – not everyone owns an iPad– Proprietary file formats– Future:

• iOS upgrades?

• Feature maintenance?

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Successes

• Management buy-in via demonstration– Including Executives and Trustees– A working prototype trumps a written proposal every time

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FUNDING!FUNDING!

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Successes

• Executive & Trustee support• FUNDING!• Siloes be damned!

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Challenges• Complex – could use a project manager

– Staffing (really only me and one writer)

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Challenges• Complex – could use a project manager

– Staffing (really only me and one writer)• Promotion? How do we get the word out?

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Challenges• Complex – could use a project manager

– Staffing (really only me and one writer)• Promotion? How do we get the word out?• Cost model, including content production costs

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Options

• How else could this be accomplished?

– Responsive web design

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Options

• How else could this be accomplished?

– Responsive web design– Alternative digital publishing tools

• docpub2ebook

• EPUBgen• Laker• Treesaver• The Baker framework• even WordPress (see The Bangor Daily News)

Douglas

Options

• How else could this be accomplished?

– Responsive web design– Now more digital publishing tools out there, which one

would work best for you?– Developer v. Designer– Outsource it

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Current Status

• As of October 15, 2013, VERSO has 111 ratings/reviews on the iTunes App Store, the overwhelming majority at 5

stars.

• The V&A’s magazine has 0.

• The TATE’s magazine has 0.

• The Getty’s magazine has 0.

• The Hammer Museum’s member magazine has 0.

• The High Museum’s member magazine has 0.

• The Art Institute of Chicago’s member magazine has 8. Kris

The Future

• Future plans and ideas– Verso is still an experiment

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The Future

• Future plans and ideas– Verso is still an experiment– Whether it continues or not, we have:

• New production workflows• New skills for MIA staff• Stronger collaborative methods• That will transfer to other efforts

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The Future• Future plans and ideas

– Need: rigorous content strategy

Douglas

Thank you!

Questions?

Kristine Thayer, Senior Designer

kthayer@artsmia.org@kristhayer11

Douglas Hegley, Director of Technology

dhegley@artsmia.org@dhegley

http://www.slideshare.net/dhegley