What is a museum technologist

WHAT’S A MUSEUM TECHNOLOGIST ANYWAY?

Robert Stein, Dallas Museum of Art

@rjstein

“We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.”

- Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

OF QUESTIONS

WE’VE GOT LOTS

378 RESPONSES

4/2/2013 – 4/16/2013

SAMPLE SIZE = 358 FOR

THIS PRESENTATION

20s 30s 40s 50s 60s0.00%5.00%

10.00%15.00%20.00%25.00%30.00%35.00%40.00%

Survey Respondents by Age (n=358)

56%

44%

Survey Respondents by Gender (n=358)

FemaleMaleGrand Total

2%

30%

65%

1% 1%

Survey Respondents by Educational Attainment (n=358)

Associates DegreeCollege or University DegreeGraduate or Post-Graduate DegreeHigh SchoolI prefer not to answer

1%

11%

18%

28%

41%

How long have you worked in/around museums? (n=358)

< 1 year1-3 years3-5 years5-10 years10 years or more

< 1 year 1-3 years 3-5 years 5-10 years 10 years or more

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Gender Distribution by Tenure (n=358)

MaleFemale

77%

17%

6%

1%

Do you Currently use Media, Technology, or the Web in a Pro-fessional Capacity to Support the Mission of a Museum?

Yes - I work for a museum directly

Yes - I work for a company that supports museums

Yes - I am a student or professor that studies museums and tech-nology

No - but I'm struck by how attrac-tive and intelligent you all are

68%

32%

Do you Consider Yourself a Museum Technologist? (n=358)

YesNo

< 1 year 1-3 years

3-5 years

5-10 years

10 years or more

40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Identification as a Museum Technologist by Tenure in Museums (n=358)

NoYes

68%

32%

Do you Consider Yourself a Museum Technologist? (n=358)

YesNo

Female Male0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Identification as a Museum Technologist by Gender (n=358)

NoYes

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Identification as a Museum Technologist by Employer Type

YesNo

SKILLS AND TRAINING

WHAT SKILLS ARE CRUCIAL TO SUCCESS IN MUSEUM TECHNOLOGY,

MEDIA, AND THE WEB?

Software

Content Creation

Media Creation

Educational Programming

Evaluation

Leading Teams

In-Gallery Interactives

Cataloging Tasks

Attending Meetings

Exhibit Design

IT

Helpdesk

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

What tasks do you typically perform as a part of your job? (n=358)

Art and/or Design

Technology

Museum Studies

History

Science

Education

Creative Media

Marketing

Creative Media

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Most Frequent Areas of Professional Training (n=358)

61%

39%

My Daily Work is Primarily in the Area of My Professional Training (n=358)

YesNo

68% OF RESPONDENTS SELF-IDENTIFY AS A MUSEUM TECHNOLOGIST, BUT ONLY 30% HAVE ANY PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN TECHNOLOGY (108/358)

Software

Content Creation

Media Creation

Educational P

rogramming

Evaluation

Leading Teams

In-Galle

ry Interacti

ves

Cataloging Tasks

Attending Meetings

Exhibit D

esign IT

Helpdesk0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Professional Tasks by Gender (n=158)

FemaleMale

PROFESSIONAL

NETWORKS

THE IMPACT OF

4%

16%

20%

21%

39%

Connection to Peers in Other Museums (n=358)

I do not feel connected to other museum professionals at this time.There are only a few col-leagues I know and feel connected to (1-5)There are a handful of col-leagues I know and feel connected to (5-10)There are many colleagues I know and feel connected to (10-15)There are dozens of museum colleagues I know and feel connected to (15+)

< 1 year 1-3 years 3-5 years 5-10 years 10 years or more

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Degree of Professional Connection by Tenure in Museums (n=358)

There are dozens of museum col-leagues I know and feel con-nected to (15+)There are many colleagues I know and feel connected to (10-15)There are a handful of colleagues I know and feel connected to (5-10)There are only a few colleagues I know and feel connected to (1-5)I do not feel connected to other museum professionals at this time.

< 1 year 1-3 years 3-5 years 5-10 years 10 years or more

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Degree of Professional Connection by Tenure in Museums (n=358)

There are dozens of museum col-leagues I know and feel con-nected to (15+)There are many colleagues I know and feel connected to (10-15)There are a handful of colleagues I know and feel connected to (5-10)There are only a few colleagues I know and feel connected to (1-5)I do not feel connected to other museum professionals at this time.

Flickr Credit ~/skinnyde

CAREER PATH

> 10 years 1-3 years 3-5 years 5-7 years 7-10 years Annually0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

Anticipated Frequency of Job Change (n=358)

Current Position Different Role Different Museum Different Industry Uncertain0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

How do you feel you can best accomplish your long-term career goals? (n=358)

Salary A change of pace to try something

different

Starting my own business

Leading a larger team

Working for a high profile business

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Likely Factors to Leave the Museum Field (n=358)

Personal enjoyment in your work

The ability to see the positive impact of your work

Work / Life balance

Opportunities for professional advancement

A close network of colleagues

Stability and predictability

3 4 5

If you were to stay in the museum field, what factors would keep you here? Importance 0-5 (n=358)

Current Position Different Role Different Museum Different Industry Uncertain2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Influence of Professional Network Strength on Likely Career Path (n=358)

Average Degree of Professional Connection

Unfavorable29%

Favorable49%

Neutral22%

I feel that my direct supervisor understands the nuances of technology, media, and the web

for museums. 1-5 (n=358)

Unfavorable15%

Favorable63%

Neutral21%

I feel that my direct supervisor accurately understands and appreciates my role in the

museum. 1-5 (n=358)

Unfavorable24%

Favorable44%

Neutral32%

I feel that the senior leadership at my museum accurately understands and appreciates my

work in the museum. 1-5 (n=358)

Unfavorable41%

Favorable30%

Neutral28%

I feel that the senior leadership at my museum accurately understands the nuances of tech,

media, and the web. 1-5 (n=358)

Current Position

Different Role

Different Museum

Different Industry

Uncertain

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Perceived Management Ratings (0-5) Influence on Likely Career Path (n=358)

Supervisors Appreciation of my workSupervisors knowledge of media, tech, and webSenior Management apprecia-tion of my workSenior Management knowledge of media, tech, and web

OF QUESTIONS

WE’VE STILL GOT LOTS

HOW ABOUT YOU?