Museum Reset.

A monthly newsletter with fresh discoveries at the intersection
of technology, design and museums.

Artwork image of filming taking place inside a history museum.

Editor's Letter

Hello!

Does remote work kill innovation? This month I read Microsoft’s The Effects of Remote Work on Collaboration Among Information Workers report, the largest study of its kind yet published. Researchers analysed ‘rich data on the emails, calendars, instant messages, video/audio calls and work hours’ of over 60,000 Microsoft staff in the US. The conclusion? Remote work damaged communication across the company.

To me this finding isn’t particularly surprising. Previous research has suggested that innovation depends on a constant flow of informal communication inside and between teams.

For museums reflecting on their WFH policies, it will be important to consider what is fair (ensuring those who have to come on-site are supported and possibly financially compensated for travel!); and also consider ways to encourage serendipitous meetings and informal conversations for those at home.

As we enter the new “school year” I am intrigued to hear: how are your organisations handling remote work policy?

Anna Lowe
Smartify CoFounder

Apps, tools and sites

1000 Dreams - What a delightful idea for a storytelling project: 1000 Dreams tells the stories of 1000 refugees across Europe. A wonderful publishing idea that seeks to change prevailing refugee narratives in the media.

Bookfeed - My favourite feature of Spotify is the weekly Discover and Release Radar playlists. This little tool (built on the Google Books API) creates a custom RSS feed that notifies you whenever your favourite authors publish a new book. :D Cool.

Demystifying Public Speaking - Practical advice for speaking to crowds. Lara Hogan has made her book on public speaking available online - for free: “From choosing a topic and creating a presentation, to gathering and distilling feedback, to event-day prep. You’ll feel confident and equipped to step into the spotlight.”

Fingerspelling - I love this idea! Learn American Sign Language with machine learning and your computer camera.

Five recommendations
from Emma Roberts,
Smartify Head of eCommerce

A podcast worth listening to .........................................

“I shouldn’t Say This, But…” interviews leading digital marketers and offers an honest account on personal development. Katy Leeson who hosts the podcast is the Managing Director of Social Chain, one of the fastest growing social media marketing agencies in the world.

A piece of advice worth passing on ........................................

Work & Life: Knowing how you add value, what strengths you have, will make you feel more fulfilled. You will show up to the task at hand and give back value to others, which in turn leads to happiness in life.

A phrase worth knowing ...............................

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better’ - Albert Einstein. Recently I have had the chance to reconnect with nature. Self-care and mindfulness is so important, and making sure to step outside is key.

An exhibition worth exploring..............................

I love any exhibition which takes you away from your day-to-day reality and awakens you to creativity and adventure. Immersive multi-sensory experiences are what I love. The latest is the Infinity mirror rooms by Yayoi Kusama at Tate Modern.

A newsletter worth subscribing to .........................................

Digital Culture Network- full of digital news for the arts and culture sector, with case studies and free webinars in Digital Marketing skills.

Emma Roberts, Head of eCommerce for Smartify, was previously ECommerce and Merchandising Tech Champion for Art Council England’s successful Digital Culture Network initiative. She has helped 1000s of cultural organisations and individuals move their shops online, build digital resilience, and attract digital audiences.

Tweet of the month

"While I can't change the demographics of museum boards across the country, I can amplify the online presence of women museum directors, etc. - here's a few from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait & UAE

(yes, I've been editing, no apologies)"

Lucy Moore @lucyajmmoore Jun 25, 2021

Food for thought

Why Vans is launching a skateboarding world inside Roblox

Skate brand Vans has launched a metaversal playground inside video game Roblox.
Vans World is a shared space inside the game featuring real-world branded locations such as the House of Vans skate park in London. Gamers can customise their avatar, try on virtual shoes, and practice their tricks. More and more brands are creating activations in Roblox - the platform has 44 million daily active users, most under 18.

The V&A's sustainability strategy

The V&A has published a sustainability strategy aiming for net zero emissions by 2035. It outlines actions across the museum’s estate and operations as well as new programmes to raise climate change awareness among audiences.

How can we help you?

Smartify is the world’s most used museum app (and web app!). We'd love to help you deliver and monetise tours, classes and OnDemand video across multiple channels.

Here's 3 reasons to get in touch:

1. You want to offer a mobile guide via the Smartify platform.
2. You want to talk to us about content production: video, audio, animations, online courses, AR, games.
3. You want to talk to us about content strategy or format development for on-site and online experiences.

We do other things too. To learn more and get in touch, visit https://about.smartify.org.

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