Audience Research in a Web 2.0 world

Doing audience research in a Web 2.0 world

Dr Lynda Kelly, Australian Museum

TitleCoverage

• What is audience research?

• How is it done?

• What has it told us?

• How do we use it?

Knowledge andcollections to be communicated

(defined by museum)

Program Development

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

(defined by audience)

AUDIENCE RESEARCH

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

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

Exercise 1

• 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?

• 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

• 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)

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

Doing audience research

• 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?

• 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 …

• What does this mean for your institutions??

Implications 1

• Methods:– What types of audience research are you

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

users– Feedback/questions

Exercise 2

• 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

• 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

• 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

• What research methods might be suitable?

• How can it be done effectively and efficiently?

Implications 2

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

websites?– Who visits your institutions - profiles

Exercise 3

• 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

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

Implications 3

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

museum?

Exercise 4

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

Wants

• 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

• 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

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

Collections

• 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

• 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

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

Implications 4

• 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

PLANNING:FRONT-END EVALUATION

DESIGN:FORMATIVE EVALUATION

CONSTRUCTION / INSTALLATION

OCCUPATION:REMEDIAL EVALUATION

SUMMATIVE EVALUATION

TitleStaff ‘buy-in’

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

TitleCommunicating results

• Imagine:– Listening to young children in museum

environments

• Museum 3.0:– providing excellent physical and virtual

museum experiences for young people

TitleVisitor voice

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

• Visitor voice

38

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.

• 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

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