42
Doing audience research in a Web 2.0 world Dr Lynda Kelly, Australian Museum

Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Workshop given at New Zealand Digital Forum Conference 28/11/08, Auckland

Citation preview

Page 1: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

Doing audience research in a Web 2.0 world

Dr Lynda Kelly, Australian Museum

Page 2: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

TitleCoverage

• What is audience research?

• How is it done?

• What has it told us?

• How do we use it?

Page 3: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

Knowledge andcollections to be communicated

(defined by museum)

Program Development

Audience needs; interests;prior knowledge &understandings;expectations &learning styles

(defined by audience)

AUDIENCE RESEARCH

Page 4: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

TitleDevelopment of audience research

• Gilman: 1916• Robinson & Melton: 1930-1940s• Alt, Shaw, Griggs: 1970-1980s• Screven, Hood: 1980-1990s• Falk & Dierking: 1990-2004• Hein, 1998• Museum Learning Collaborative: 2000 • Web 2.0 & Evaluation: Kelly & Russo, 2007; 2008• Website Analytics: Chan, 2008

Page 5: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Purpose of audience research:– Who uses audience research– What have they done– What have they used it for– Feedback/questions

Exercise 1

Page 6: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• It gives us data about:– leisure patterns: who, where, why– demographics– what people want from a visit– what they do when they visit– prior interests and knowledge– satisfaction– what they learn and take away

Why do audience research?

Page 7: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Find out visitor mix:– locals, tourists (Austn, O/s), age, social

grouping

• Visiting patterns:– weekdays, weekends, seasonal– helps to plan programs, opening hours,

pages

• Track advertising and marketing

Page 8: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• For use in:– promotion and marketing– grant applications– grant acquittals– decision making– programming– improvements and change– seeking funding (e.g. Councils, Ministry,

Federal agencies, others)

Page 9: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Before embarking on anything there are a number of questions we need to ask…

Doing audience research

Page 10: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• What information do we already have?• What are the gaps in our information?• Who will use the information?• What will the information be used for?• What will be the consequences if we

don’t get the information?

Page 11: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Who do we need to get the information from?

• How can we get the information?

• What methods will we use?

• How much will we invest: cost vs. benefit

Then ask …

Page 12: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• What does this mean for your institutions??

Implications 1

Page 13: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Methods:– What types of audience research are you

aware of/used?– How are you measuring visitation/online

users– Feedback/questions

Exercise 2

Page 14: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Structured surveys, questionnaires• Log files, analytics• Usually closed questions (e.g. yes/no, rating

scales, agree/disagree)• Results often presented as percentages,

frequency counts• Gives statistical measures:

– extrapolate to general population– trend data: over time and across programs and/or

venues

Quantitative research

Page 15: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• demographics• where else they visit/sites used• how they find out/how they got there• areas visited (physical/online)• satisfaction• what stood out• things they’d tell others• messages retained, meanings made

Surveys

Page 16: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Focuses on people’s own recounts and meanings made

• Through:– in-depth interviews– case studies– observation/tracking– focus groups– community consultation

• Results are interpretations

Qualitative research

Page 17: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• What research methods might be suitable?

• How can it be done effectively and efficiently?

Implications 2

Page 18: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Visitor Motivation:– Why do people visit museums/museum

websites?– Who visits your institutions - profiles

Exercise 3

Page 19: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• 77% visit to experience something new• 71% visit for entertainment• 71% for learning• 70% for interests of children/family• 64% worthwhile leisure• 57% special events I must see or do• 56% recommended by others

AM research found

Page 20: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• How will you factor visitor motivation into programs and services?

Implications 3

Page 21: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Visitor needs:– What do visitors want when they visit a

museum?

Exercise 4

Page 22: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• People have strong views about what they want from a physical museum visit …

Wants

Page 23: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Experiences that are:– hands-on, active– sensory– memorable, with something to take away

• Learning that:– goes from familiar to unfamiliar concepts – is controlled by them– caters for all levels and styles– is new

They want

Page 24: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Exhibits:– to touch and explore– not overloaded with words & information– that can get up close to– with staff there to answer questions– that are realistic– relaxing spaces to ‘take it all in’– that encourage talking/sharing amongst groups

Page 25: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• AM research has found that visitors have specific interests and information needs about collection items

Collections

Page 26: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• What is it made of?• How is it used?• What is it used for?• How often is it used?• What is the symbolism of it?• How old is it?• Is it still used today? If not, what is?• Who were/are the people and what are their

stories?

Anthropology collections

Page 27: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• What is it?– scientific name– everyday name/description

• Where did it come from:– and when was it found– distribution

• The ‘museum’ things:– how is it preserved– why is it in a museum? what is it used for?

• What is it related to that’s familiar to me?

Natural history collections

Page 28: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• How will you factor these needs into programming both physical and online?

Implications 4

Page 29: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• Visitor behaviour:– What have you noticed about how visitors

behave in your institutions?– How are visitors navigating your sites?– What data do you have to support this?

Exercise 5

Page 30: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

PLANNING:FRONT-END EVALUATION

DESIGN:FORMATIVE EVALUATION

CONSTRUCTION / INSTALLATION

OCCUPATION:REMEDIAL EVALUATION

SUMMATIVE EVALUATION

Page 31: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

TitleStaff ‘buy-in’

• Include in planning• Involve in data gathering• Work through findings• Debriefs• Use consultants• Communication systems

Page 32: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world
Page 33: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world
Page 34: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

TitleCommunicating results

• Imagine:– Listening to young children in museum

environments

• Museum 3.0:– providing excellent physical and virtual

museum experiences for young people

Page 35: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

TitleVisitor voice

• Web 2.0:– YouTube– Facebook– Flickr– Two-way interaction– Equal relationship

• Visitor voice

Page 36: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world
Page 37: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world
Page 38: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

38

Page 39: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

TitleGilman, 1918

To fulfil its complete purpose as a show, a museum must do the needful in both ways. It must arrange it contents so that they can be looked at; but also help its average visitors to know what they mean. It must at once install its contents and see to their interpretation.

Page 40: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

• All audiences want …– Respect for them as individuals– Choice– Welcoming atmosphere from trained, aware,

friendly, knowledgeable staff:• both front & back of house

– See themselves reflected in programs, exhibitions, collections & staffing:

• the “work” of the museum– Active & varied learning experiences:

• group-based & individual– Involvement– A contemporary experience:

• in communication & interpretation modes• content/issues that are relevant & current

Page 41: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

http.//www.australianmuseum.net.au/amarc/

http://amarclk.blogspot.com/

Page 42: Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world