I like this digital engagement framework (see below) for museums and the cultural sector, shared on a CC licence by Jim Richardson (Sumo) and Jasper Visser (Inspired by Coffee). I like the way it’s coherent and asks questions that really foreground the public impact of cultural assets.
As this has been put out there in the world, for attributed re-use but also (hopefully) for feedback, here are some things I might want to change.
As we (Europeans) read this as a process from top left to bottom right, I’d upend it and reverse it.
I’d start with Values.
Instead of Goals I would call the next step Vision (What does your organisation look like, thriving in the future? Where do you want to be?).
Then, instead of Ambitions, I’d call the next step ‘Digital goals’ (How will digital tools help you get there? Engaging people should be one of your key goals.)
Next, instead of Audiences comes ‘People’ (The word audiences is too passive and doesn’t incorporate service users. So, who are the groups of people you want to participate? Who will use your services?)
The next step is ‘Asset mapping’ (What expertise, collections, spaces, services, experiences can you offer? What is particularly distinctive? What is particularly untapped?)
Then, I’m not really sure about the distinction here between Outreach and Engagement. I’m guessing it has something to do with time, when people are drawn up your ladder of engagement. To be more precise I might show these two as connected on a spectrum or ladder:
‘Reaching new people’ ….to….’Symbiotic relationships with your supporters’
Then, HOW to draw people up that ladder:
I think there are more elements to tackle than Content, Activities and Platforms…
Platforms and Channels: Where are people’s eyeballs? What platforms currently serve their needs? How far can you stretch into those platforms, and not lose your distinctiveness?
Questions and hooks: What do people want to know? What motivates them? How can you enrich and serve their questioning? How can you develop understanding through dialogue with people?
Stories: How will you (and the people) create stories in what modes or media, using what assets (your own and those of others)? (Stories is intended to be understood very broadly as ‘engaging media’)
Services: What do people need to do? What do they need your help with? Can you collaborate with other organisations or platforms to serve them?
Tone, style and address: What terms, styles and registers will you use to engage them? What tone, styles and registers will you allow or invite them to use on your platforms?
World-changing: How can you work together with people, using your assets, to work towards changing the world for the better?
