CONCEPT Concept Introduction Preliminary Questions Stakeholder Input Focus Group Questions Resource Inventory Contributing Factors Considering Realities Considerations for Small Websites Considerations for Medium Websites

Concept - Contributing Factors

When developing an inventory list of skills, talents, and resources for your museum, it is important to recognize a range of factors that contribute to the success of educational websites. Before you ponder visual design and technology options, review the following factors for success in educational websites:

Empowering and Engaging your Audience

Museums present, interpret, facilitate, teach, and empower people through a variety of methods. How does your museum empower and engage your visitors? Most successful content-based websites place emphasis on the visitors' experience, offer alternative learning styles, present themes and learning objectives in a cohesive and engaging manner, and respect the visitors' voice and input.

Museums have expertise, community trust, and visibility. As a direct link to your museum, your website will speak with a voice of authority because you are hosting it. Visitors to websites trust that the information and content is accurate and complete. Successful websites research content thoroughly and have safeguards in place to check and double check content, activities, and postings.

Harnessing your Expertise

Museums that host successful educational websites focus on their own areas of expertise. Focus your educational website on the subject areas that your museum presents well. Prepare an inventory of materials that you have access to - collections, artifacts, articles, images, electronic exhibits, or media and involve your staff expertise, scientists, curators, interpreters, volunteers, librarians, etc. in the development and hosting of your website.

Evaluate your Website

Successful educational websites are not created without trial and testing grounds. Museums have physical spaces where you can test your work and evaluate content and usability. This is an enormous advantage. Test your website at all stages of the website project, at concept, design, and development.

Will you provide visitor access to your museum staff members through a communication or feedback mechanism on your website? Successful websites offer interactivity between the host and the visitor. Evaluate your website's ability to communicate and connect with your visitors.

Content Considerations

Just as you manage your collections and programs, you will need to manage your website content. When new research or information becomes available, you will need to post it to your website in a timely and responsive manner. When content becomes out of date, you need to update it or provide archival files for visitors to review. Successful websites manage content well.

Promotions

Websites do not promote themselves. Register your website domain name early in the planning phase and, if possible, choose a domain name that is linked to your museum name or is easy to remember. Use your current marketing tools to promote your website. Put the website URL on business cards, promotional material, and on all communication materials. Successful websites are continuously marketed and promoted.

Will you link your web page to other websites? Will you have a reciprocal agreement with other museums to promote their institutions through your site? Educational websites often link to other learning resources. Choose your resources carefully and place your website URL on professional indices and resources lists.

Protect Privacy and Copyright

Website content requires protection from unauthorized use and copyright infringement. Successful websites protect their museums' assets and resources. Consider how you will copyright your web content and protect your data from unauthorized use or access?

Do you have permission from artists, content providers or donors to post information or images on your website? Protect yourself by having release statements and donor consent before posting information to the website. Have a policy in place on your website that explains copyright requirements to your visitors.

Consider how much of your museum or collection you want to share in advance of creating an expectation with your website visitors. Successful websites do not necessarily share all of their collection or artifacts online. Successful websites share selected pieces that educators can use freely without worry of copyright or access infringements.

The Big Picture

Costs associated with website design and implementation can vary greatly depending on file sizes, graphic elements, and content and technology requirements. Consultant fees or design costs may be budgeted for using project funds but maintaining a website will require a monthly commitment to financial and human resources. Domain names have to be registered (most require an annual fee), hosting services have to be maintained, content has to be checked and updated, and technology changes will require that you update software from time to time. Successful websites stand the test of time. Make sure that you have the resources to maintain your website over the long run.