Presentation to the 2014 CIDOC Documentation school in Sao Paulo, Brazil

1. Documentation at the heart of the
museum of the future
Nick Poole
CEO, Collections Trust

2. Contents
• Introduction
• What is a collection anyway...?
• How our organisations are changing
• What is Documentation?
• Trust and Trustability
• Strategic Collections Management
• SPECTRUM, COPE and the CRM
• The future of Documentation

3. Collections Trust
• Working with 25,000 museums in 18 countries worldwide
– Connecting people with collections
– Supporting professional development
– Building digital capacity
– Demonstrating the value of Collections Management
• Our mission is to help ensure that our shared cultural heritage is
enjoyed by current generations and passed on to future
generations in better condition and greater abundance than we
received it – the mission of the cultural commons.
• www.collectionstrust.org.uk

4. Introducing myself
• CEO of Collections Trust
• Former Chair of ICOM UK & Trustee of the Museums Association
• Working in museum documentation for 15 years
• Advising UK & European Governments on cultural policy
• Currently responsible for GBP15m in digital/documentation
programmes in European museums

5. What is a Collection?
Physical
Collections

6. What is a Collection?
Physical
Collections
Administrative
Information

7. What is a Collection?
Physical
Collections
Administrative
Information
Collections-based
Knowledge

8. What is a Collection?
Physical
Collections
Administrative
Information
Collections-based
Knowledge
NNaarrrraattiivveess

9. What is a Collection?
Physical
Collections
Administrative
Information
Digital
Assets
Collections-based
Knowledge
NNaarrrraattiivveess

10. What is a Collection?
Physical
Collections
Administrative
Information
Digital
Assets
Collections-based
Knowledge
Physical
surrogates
(3D print)
NNaarrrraattiivveess

11. What is a Collection?
Physical
Collections
Administrative
Information
Digital
Assets
The nature of the material
which society trusts us to
collect, manage and care for
has changed beyond all
recognition...
Collections-based
Knowledge
Physical
surrogates
(3D print)
NNaarrrraattiivveess

12. The changing role of museums
The role of museums has always been a balance between physical
protection and facilitating public access

13. The changing role of museums
The role of museums has always been a balance between physical
protection and facilitating access
We’re replacing access with activism, relevance, engagement &
participation

14. The changing role of museums
The role of museums has always been a balance between physical
protection and facilitating access
We’re replacing access with activism, relevance, engagement &
participation
Delivering a relevant, exciting museum service depends on
supporting an increased range of different types of collecting and
an increased range of different types of use

15. The changing role of museums
The role of museums has always been a balance between physical
protection and facilitating access
We’re replacing access with activism, relevance, engagement &
participation
Delivering a relevant, exciting museum service depends on
supporting an increased range of different types of collecting and
an increased range of different types of use
To become relevant, the museum has to become responsive, which
starts with collections & documentation.

16. The ‘traditional’ museum...
Most cultural organisations operate in ‘vertical’ silos
Education Management Collections Retail IT

17. The ‘traditional’ museum...
Most cultural organisations operate in ‘vertical’ silos
Education Management Collections Retail IT

18. User-centred design for museums

20. It’s about finding the fastest,
simplest & most reproducible way
of giving people meaningful,
emotional experiences
Not about partitioning peoples’
lives, but about letting them
express the kind of connection
they want to make.
Not about creating knowledge for
one particular group, but creating
knowledge that can be repurposed
for and extended by many
different groups dynamically.

21. What is Documentation?
Documentation is the process by which we record a set of
assertions about a given thing in our collections...

22. What is Documentation?

23. What is Documentation?
WWhhaatt iiss iitt??
WWhheerree iiss iitt??
What is it
made of?
WWhhoo oowwnnss iitt??
Why do we
have it?
What is it
connected to?
Who collected
it?
Where was it
found?
HHooww bbiigg iiss iitt??
How much is
it worth?

24. What is Documentation?
WWhhaatt iiss iitt??
WWhheerree iiss iitt??
What is it
made of?
WWhhoo oowwnnss iitt??
Why do we
have it?
What is it
connected to?
Who collected
it?
Where was it
found?
HHooww bbiigg iiss iitt??
How much is
it worth?
Why should I
care?
What does it
mean?
What story
does it tell?
What is its
context?
How do I
relate to it?
What makes
it unique?
What does it
help me
understand?
Is it ethical/
political/
moral?

25. What is Documentation?

26. What is Documentation?

27. What is Documentation?

28. What is Documentation?

29. What is Documentation?
Our visitors must be free to wander the paths
we create, create their own, or tell us why a path
is broken and should lead somewhere else...

30. What is Documentation?
The aim of documentation is not the creation of
fixed points, but to facilitate the museum in
reflecting the changing nature of knowledge &
understanding about our collections.

31. What is Documentation?
In a connected world, knowledge flows freely
between contexts and communities, becoming
greater & more valuable as it travels.

32. In the real world, museums remain among the most
trusted civic institutions, more than banks, politicians,
broadcasters, teachers and the church.
In a world of hyper-connected information, trust is a
currency
Museums are rich in trust because of professionalism and
accountability – which are expressed through
Documentation, Conservation & Collections Management

33. Strategic Collections Management
• Not about practice for its own sake, but about designing an
organisation that works well & works together
• Making decisions about documentation and collections based on
the needs of the audience and the organisation
• Ensuring effective management based on the right balance of
skills, resources, systems and processes...

34. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree

35. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree
Organisation’s MMiissssiioonn SSttaatteemmeenntt

36. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree
Organisation’s MMiissssiioonn SSttaatteemmeenntt
CCoolllleeccttiioonnss MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPoolliiccyy

37. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree
Organisation’s MMiissssiioonn SSttaatteemmeenntt
CCoolllleeccttiioonnss MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPoolliiccyy
CCaarree UUssee LLeeaarrnn DDeevveelloopp

38. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree
Organisation’s MMiissssiioonn SSttaatteemmeenntt
CCoolllleeccttiioonnss MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPoolliiccyy
CCaarree UUssee LLeeaarrnn DDeevveelloopp
PPeeooppllee PPrroocceesssseess SSyysstteemmss IInnffoo

39. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree
Organisation’s MMiissssiioonn SSttaatteemmeenntt
CCoolllleeccttiioonnss MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPoolliiccyy
CCaarree UUssee LLeeaarrnn DDeevveelloopp
PPeeooppllee PPrroocceesssseess SSyysstteemmss IInnffoo
EEvvaalluuaattiioonn && iimmpprroovveemmeenntt

40. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree
Organisation’s MMiissssiioonn SSttaatteemmeenntt
CCoolllleeccttiioonnss MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPoolliiccyy
CCaarree UUssee LLeeaarrnn DDeevveelloopp
PPeeooppllee PPrroocceesssseess SSyysstteemmss IInnffoo
EEvvaalluuaattiioonn && iimmpprroovveemmeenntt
RRiicchh,, mmeeaanniinnggffuull eexxppeerriieenncceess ffoorr uusseerrss

41. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree
Organisation’s MMiissssiioonn SSttaatteemmeenntt
A continuous cycle of
improvement,
learning, review,
CCoolllleeccttiioonnss MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPoolliiccyy
planning and
development
CCaarree UUssee LLeeaarrnn DDeevveelloopp
PPeeooppllee PPrroocceesssseess SSyysstteemmss IInnffoo
EEvvaalluuaattiioonn && iimmpprroovveemmeenntt
RRiicchh,, mmeeaanniinnggffuull eexxppeerriieenncceess ffoorr uusseerrss

42. UUsseerrss PPoolliittiiccss FFuunnddiinngg CCuullttuurree
Organisation’s MMiissssiioonn SSttaatteemmeenntt
CCoolllleeccttiioonnss MMaannaaggeemmeenntt PPoolliiccyy
CCaarree UUssee LLeeaarrnn DDeevveelloopp
PPeeooppllee PPrroocceesssseess SSyysstteemmss IInnffoo
EEvvaalluuaattiioonn && iimmpprroovveemmeenntt
RRiicchh,, mmeeaanniinnggffuull eexxppeerriieenncceess ffoorr uusseerrss

43. The core elements of SPECTRUM
• SPECTRUM helps museums review their work with their collections,
celebrate good practice and identify opportunities to improve!
• SPECTRUM Standard including translations/ localisations, SPECTRUM Digital
Asset Management, the SPECTRUM Schema and the Archive of previous
versions of SPECTRUM
• SPECTRUM Labs, including new ideas and potential applications of the
SPECTRUM Standard
• SPECTRUM Resources which support the application of the standard
• SPECTRUM Community which includes anyone who uses the standard
nationally or internationally

44. STANDARD
WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY (7,600)
GUIDANCE
COMPLIANCE
(23,000)
PDF/XML/PRINT
+ SCHEMA
NEW IDEAS

45. Create Once, Publish Everywhere
(COPE)
• If the standards, systems, processes and structures of museum
documentation are to meet the current and future needs of our
audiences, we need approaches that are adaptable and scalable
• Designing scalable information systems in museums means ‘no single-use
information’ – information that can be discovered, re-used and adapted
to different needs, channels or experiences
• Instead of designing information around one specific use (collections
management, documentation, mobile apps, websites, catalogues), we
design information so that it can flow dynamically across different uses.

46. COPE in practice
(From a presentation by Paul Rowe, CEO, Vernon Systems)

47. COPE in practice
(From a presentation by Paul Rowe, CEO, Vernon Systems)

48. COPE in practice
(From a presentation by Paul Rowe, CEO, Vernon Systems)

49. Sharing simple information
(From a presentation by Paul Rowe, CEO, Vernon Systems)
Title
Description
Media
Web address
Sewing bag and contents
Sewing bag and contents; a mottled blue, felt bag with
two short, plaited felt handles. Each side of the bag is
decorated with applied felt flowers in pink and yellow.
The bag is dated 1938. The bag contains many scraps
of fabric; a plastic shoe horn; a matchbox; a baby's
shoe and socks;
http://nzgirlhistory.net/object/32498/

50. Sharing on social sites
(From a presentation by Paul Rowe, CEO, Vernon Systems)

51. COPE & the CIDOC CRM
CIDOC CRM
LIDO, ESE, ?
Abstraction layer
Collections
management layer
Data interchange layer
CIDOC CRM opens up the potential to share rich narrative context using the
COPE approach, rather than just simple object information

52. The future of Documentation?

53. There is a golden thread that connects the card-index cataloguing
of the 1970’s with the world of linked open data & the delivery of
dynamic, relevant, modern and accountable museum experiences
(online and onsite)
Documentation is about much more than cataloguing objects, it is
what allows those objects to tell and re-tell their stories
In a connected world, it is the professionalism and accountability of
our documentation & collections care which give us our trusted
status

54. Practical Guides
• A Practical Guide to Collections Management
• A Practical Guide to Documentation
• Both available from Collections Trust as books and e-books
• www.collectionstrust.org.uk/shop

55. Obrigado!
www.collectionstrust.org.uk
@NickPoole1
These slides online at
http://www.slideshare.net/collectionstrust