The Walker Art Center launched their new website in December 2011. The site, a hub for contemporary arts, has been hailed as a 'game-changer' and described as 'a node, rather than an endpoint.'
In this MuseumNext keynote, Robin Dowden (Director of New Media) talk and Nate Solas (Sr. New Media Developer) discuss the challenges of bringing this website to life.
View a film of this presentation here: http://vimeo.com/44162636
31. Walker by the Numbers (FY2011-12)
–
$18.5 annual budget
$185 million endowment
130 full time employees
12,000 works in the collection
590,000 visitors
10 exhibitions
75 performances in music, dance & theater
170 film screenings
+++ public, school, & tour programs
32. Mission
–
The Walker Art Center is a catalyst for the creative
expression of artists and the active engagement
of audiences that examines the questions that
shape and inspire us as individuals, cultures and
communities.
36. Rethinking the Museum Website
–
Launch new site December 1, 2011
Two+ years in development
Characterized as “idea hub”
37. Principles informing the redesign
–
Simplification
• tighter integration of parts, more uniformity
• flexible interface that can accommodate wide range of
content
• moving away from the neighborhood metaphor
• organizing content by type of asset: events, text
(articles, blogs), rich media (audio, video), collections
(artwork)
38. Principles informing the redesign
–
Multiple audiences
• how people use the site versus our self-view
• Walker visitors (physical versus Internet only)
• responding to particular user needs (plan your visit,
ticket buyers, art enthusiasts, scholars)
• internal Walker community
39. Two portals
home page calendar
(Walker as content provider) (physical visitors)
40. “Reasons for having a website”
–
Communicate and advance the Walker’s brand, vision,
authority, and voice
Promote Walker programs and prompt onsite visitation
Generate revenue—both earned and contributed
Aid in onsite visitation
Create and advance relationships/community
Serve as a content resource
43. “ . . . arts organizations, faced
with a lack of media
coverage, are creating their
own coverage, and taking the
dialogue directly to their
audiences.
Marianne Combs
mpr.org, December 2011
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/state-of-the-arts/archive/2011/12/walker-art-center-launches-new-website.shtml
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50. “
Justo Hidalgo, 24symbols
Quoted in O'Reilly Radar 1/19/2012
74. Audience Engagement and
Communications
Education and Marketing and New Media Design and
Community Public Relations Initiatives Editorial
Prgms
75. WALKER ART CENTER
Director
Audience Engagement and Operations and Curatorial and Development and
Communications Administration Program Services Finance
Education and Marketing and New Media Design and
Community Finance and Special Projects Government Capital
Public Relations Initiatives Editorial Annual Fund
Prgms Accounting Fundraising Relations Campaign
Human Marketing and Facility Information Building Program
Merchandising Visitor Services Visual Arts Performing Arts Film/Video Registration Library
Resources Public Relations Rentals Technology Operations Services
76. Audience Engagement and
Communications
Education and Marketing and New Media Design and
Community Public Relations Initiatives Editorial
Prgms
81. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2010
January requirements gathering for calendar
March divide home page & calendar design
between design studio & new media
May paper prototype testing of main navigation
June calendar tested with friends & family (UX wars)
July all staff meetings: announce a new conceptual
framework
August staff departures, restructuring & rebuilding
82. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2010
January requirements gathering for calendar
March divide home page & calendar design
between design studio & new media
May paper prototype testing of main navigation
June calendar tested with friends & family (UX wars)
July all staff meetings: announce a new conceptual
framework
August staff departures, restructuring & rebuilding
83. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2010
January requirements gathering for calendar
March divide home page & calendar design
between design studio & new media
May paper prototype testing of main navigation
June calendar tested with friends & family (UX wars)
July all staff meetings: announce a new conceptual
framework
August staff departures, restructuring & rebuilding
84.
85.
86.
87.
88. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2010
January requirements gathering for calendar
March divide home page & calendar design
between design studio & new media
May paper prototype testing of main navigation
June calendar tested with friends & family (UX wars)
July all staff meetings: announce a new conceptual
framework
August staff departures, restructuring & rebuilding
89. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2010
January requirements gathering for calendar
March divide home page & calendar design
between design studio & new media
May paper prototype testing of main navigation
June calendar tested with friends & family (UX wars)
July all staff meetings: announce a new conceptual
framework
August staff departures, restructuring & rebuilding
90. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2011
January home page discussions redux
March development begins in earnest
August 9 Board Attendance Task Force meeting
August 16 still debating home page models
August 30 announce web editor hire (starts mid-Sept)
Sept 21 staff presentation (villagers with torches)
October 21 Board presentation
October 31 beta release
December 1 public launch
91. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2011
January home page discussions redux
March development begins in earnest
August 9 Board Attendance Task Force meeting
August 16 still debating home page models
August 30 announce web editor hire (starts mid-Sept)
Sept 21 staff presentation (villagers with torches)
October 21 Board presentation
October 31 beta release
December 1 public launch
92. Walker
The Walker Art Center is a catalyst for the creative expression of artists
and the active engagement of audiences. (Or other language)
SEARCH THE WALKER ARCHIVES
NAV NAV NAV NAV NAV NAV
AT THE WALKER WALKER BLOGS
(rotating slides)
(rotating slides)
Headline
Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog
or short description Beginning of blog or short description
Beginning of blog or short description . . . (more)
WALKER CHANNEL
Headline of what is showing above
FEATURE ARTICLES (from calendar or other places)
EXHIBITIONS PERFORMANCE FILM/VIDEO NEW MEDIA DESIGN EDUCATION OTHER
-Featured Article 1
-Featured Article 2
-Featured Article 3 Headline
-Featured Article 4
Description of video Description of
video Description of video Description
of video Description of video Descrip-
FROM THE ARCHIVES ARTWORK OF THE DAY tion of video Description of video.
FEATURED/CURATED SPACE
(ArtsConnected)
(rotating slides)
Headline Headline Regis Dialogues
Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog or short Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog Every day for this month we will be posting a new essay
description Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog or short description about a film critic, culled from 20 years of Regis dialogues.
or short description . . . (more) Beginning of blog or short description . . . (more)
93. NAV
Walker
The Walker Art Center is a catalyst for the creative expression of artists
and the active engagement of audiences. (Or other language)
HIGHLIGHT HIGHLIGHT HIGHLIGHT HIGHLIGHT
SEARCH THE WALKER ARCHIVES
WALKER
MARCH 13, 2010 NAV NAV NAV NAV NAV NAV
AT THE WALKER WALKER BLOGS
A CATALYST FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION
(rotating slides)
FEATURE STORIES
(rotating slides)
Headline
Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog
or short description Beginning of blog or short description
Beginning of blog or short description . . . (more)
WALKER CHANNEL
Headline of what is showing above
FEATURE ARTICLES (from calendar or other places)
EXHIBITIONS PERFORMANCE FILM/VIDEO NEW MEDIA DESIGN EDUCATION OTHER
PHILIP BITHER DISCUSSES THE HISTORY OF
PERFORMANCE ART IN THE GALLERIES
The beginning of this story beginning of this story beginning of this story beginning of this story beginning -Featured Article 1
of this story beginning of this story beginning of this story beginning of this story beginning of this story -Featured Article 2
beginning of this story beginning of this story beginning of this story beginni.
-Featured Article 3 Headline
AT THE WALKER VISUAL ART -Featured Article 4
Description of video Description of
BLOG POST video Description of video Description
BLOG POST of video Description of video Descrip-
BLOG POST FROM THE ARCHIVES ARTWORK OF THE DAY tion of video Description of video.
NEW MEDIA
BLOG POST FEATURED/CURATED SPACE
BLOG POST
HEADLINE HEADLINE
BLOG POST
PERFORMING (ArtsConnected)
ARTS
BLOG POST (rotating slides)
BLOG POST
BLOG POST
HEADLINE HEADLINE
FROM THE ARCHIVES FILM
BLOG POST
BLOG POST
BLOG POST
Headline Headline Regis Dialogues
EDUCATION Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog or short Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog Every day for this month we will be posting a new essay
description Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog or short description Beginning of blog or short description about a film critic, culled from 20 years of Regis dialogues.
BLOG POST or short description . . . (more) Beginning of blog or short description . . . (more)
BLOG POST
HEADLINE HEADLINE BLOG POST
WALKER CHANNEL DESIGN
BLOG POST
BLOG POST
BLOG POST
94.
95. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2011
January home page discussions redux
March development begins in earnest
August 9 Board Attendance Task Force meeting
August 16 still debating home page models
August 30 announce web editor hire (starts mid-Sept)
Sept 21 staff presentation (villagers with torches)
October 21 Board presentation
October 31 beta release
December 1 public launch
96. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2011
January home page discussions redux
March development begins in earnest
August 9 Board Attendance Task Force meeting
August 16 still debating home page models
August 30 announce web editor hire (starts mid-Sept)
Sept 21 staff presentation (villagers with torches)
October 21 Board presentation
October 31 beta release
December 1 public launch
97.
98. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2011
January home page discussions redux
March development begins in earnest
August 9 Board Attendance Task Force meeting
August 16 still debating home page models
August 30 announce web editor hire (starts mid-Sept)
Sept 21 staff presentation (villagers with torches)
October 21 Board presentation
October 31 beta release
December 1 public launch
99. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2011
January home page discussions redux
March development begins in earnest
August 9 Board Attendance Task Force meeting
August 16 still debating home page models
August 30 announce web editor hire (starts mid-Sept)
Sept 21 staff presentation (villagers with torches)
October 21 Board presentation
October 31 beta release
December 1 public launch
100. Artistic Program Directors’ Concerns
–
They have not had a chance to embrace the new
conceptual framework and don't understand the
decision making process that got us here.
The home page does not reflect the Walker as a
multidisciplinary art center and arts presenter.
Walker's artistic programming is not visible on the
home page or site navigation.
101. Redesign Roadmap: Major Milestones
2011
January home page discussions redux
March development begins in earnest
August 9 Board Attendance Task Force meeting
August 16 still debating home page models
August 30 announce web editor hire (starts mid-Sept)
Sept 21 staff presentation (villagers with torches)
October 21 Board presentation
October 31 beta release
December 1 public launch
135. I'm visiting the site today to...
a) Plan a visit
b) Conduct professional or academic research
c) Find specific information for personal interest
d) Browse casually
e) Make a transaction
146. The web allows
100% of the
population to access
the best 1% of
museum content.
Paraphrasing Chris Lloyd @ theconversation.edu.au
h/t Mia Ridge @ openobjects.blogspot.com