do i count - evaluation of user generated projects

8/3/2019 Do I Count - Evaluation of User Generated Projects

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Do I Count?User-Generated Projects that Users Will Use

By Marjory OToole - Intro to Public Humanities - AMCV2650

What is history in the richest sense of the word?

It is bottom-up history, history that will make people feel like they count.

Studs Terkel1

Studs Terkel was referring to StoryCorps, one of the many shared authority, public humanities projects discussed inLetting Go?Sharing Historical Authority in a User-Generated World. While reading the book, I wanted to take a closer look at some of theprojects to see which ones are succeeding in making their users count. After a quick and dirty review of several on-line projects

mention in the book, I learned that my favorite projects:

1. Are easy to use.

- One time visit- Easy navigation

- Clear instructions- A simple way to contribute

2. Offer me something I value.2

- A sense of belonging

- Entertainment- Access to interesting/private information/collections

- An emotional connection- Immediate gratification

Trying to Share

The first section ofLetting Go? focuses on Virtually Breaking Down - Authority and the Web. Its varied papers mention several web-

based, shared authority projects as models. I visited the sites they mentioned and searched for a few others at my favorite museumswebsites. I also visited the websites of several non-virtual projects mention inLetting Go? to see if they had an on-line component.

Finally, I fell upon some sites through keyword searches. It was rare that participatory projects were highlighted on a museums home

page. Most required some digging.


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In the end, I visited fifteen sites, staying on each one for varying lengths of time depending on how well they captured my interest orhow hard it was to navigate them. I developed a simple form to help quantify my reactions and took notes about what I liked and

didnt like about each project. (The forms are at the end of the report.) My goal was not so much to critique the projects individually,

but to try and identify the shared qualities that made them worth a visitors time and attention.

Where are the Best Stories? Where is My Story?3

Not every good site had every quality I liked and not every bad site lacked all redeeming qualities. The more valuable a site wasto me, the harder I was willing to work to stay on it, dig for information and contribute to it. The less valuable a site was, the less

patience I had with any type of complication and the quicker I was to quit. I would be willing to work very hard for a project thatallowed me to contribute information about my town or my family or another personally important topic. I wouldnt spend more than

a few minutes on something that didnt resonate with me.4

I wanted the sites to make me feel welcome and important - an insider. I appreciated warm, upbeat graphics. I wanted to be

entertained and informed. I was happy to know the qualifications of the contributors and I appreciated being offered shortcuts to thebest stories, thematic tours, story previews, primary source documents and private photographs. I also wanted to connect

emotionally, to laugh, to empathize or even better, to cry.5 A search feature was essential for cutting through the masses of data andfinding items important to me. I was really interested in two things: Where are the best stories? And where is my story?6

A Few that Succeed

Nerdy Day Trips is my favorite user-generated project. At this quirky, low cost, grass-roots site (not by a museum but about

museums) I absolutely counted. It was clear that my contribution was equally valued to all other contributions. It was extremely

quick and easy to add a post. My contribution appeared instantly on the global map and was highlighted as the newest post, which Ifound flattering. The site feels vibrant. BecauseNerdy Day Trips is fun, easy, flattering and has information I can use, I will return to

it and recommend it to others. On the downside there is no curation. It is possible to search the contributions to find your own story

or other topics that interest you, but no expert is picking out the best stories or protecting you from the fake, the boring or the vulgar.PhilaPlace was a close second. This more serious site hosted by The Historical Society of Philadelphia is an excellent model for a

place-based project. They offer a lot of valuable information. Expert and user-generated posts are differentiated but treated with

equal respect. It is easy to find stories that may be of particular interest to you. It is very easy to post your story and it would be easyto find your story if it was posted. PhilaPlace acknowledged the receipt of my story with an immediate e-mail. That was great.

However, PhilaPlace did not post my story after about a week. It bruises my ego that my story was not good enough for them. Ididnt count and I am not likely to try again.

21st Century Abe is an archived site that really seems to have worked well in its collecting phase and still works well in its new

resource phase. Even in its archived state the site is vibrant and welcoming. I love the access to primary source documents and thecelebratory approach to creative user-generated contributions. The best thing the site does now is make it crystal clear that it is no

longer accepting contributions. This saves visitors from confusion and is respectful of them.


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Firefly Watch at the Boston Museum of Science is a great example of a citizen-science site that clearly depends on user generatedinformation to survive. Great graphics, fun for families or classrooms, and instant inclusion and gratification. My data was

immediately posted to the map. What I had to say mattered to the museum and that made we want to contribute again. There were

lots of other pins on the map, so I felt like part of a success story.

A Few that Miss the Mark

HyperCities is an amazing data-rich site that is just not ready for public consumption. Run by UCLA, it may benefit in the future froma public humanists touch. There are no directions for submissions and very poor navigation in the collections. It is a huge program

and did not run well on my laptop. The global nature of HyperCities puts every user on potentially equal ground but as it is now, it isan insider only project, great for researchers and student assignments, not for the public.

Cabspottingis also very rich on data but seems to have been totally un-inspiring to the public. Its user-generated section contains onlytwo projects that were most likely commissioned as examples of what to do. The site repeatedly invites the public to create their own

creative projects with the data but no one has accepted the invitation. The cab information is too narrow to be of popular interest (Ithas minimal value.) and the projects are too complicated to undertake as a lark. This seems like a very expensive project, sponsored

by the Exploratorium,, that did a great job collecting information and a poor job connecting to users. It is one of 151 activities listedon the museums website and it feels like a flop. It doesnt count, so its contributors wont either.

City of Memory is the equal to PhilaPlace but after several visits to it I come away with the impression that it is a dead site. The

invitations to contribute are still there. The mechanisms to contribute are still there. I contributed a story but I think it went into ablack hole. The last curated posts are dated 2006. The last public posts are dated 2008. If City of Memory is still active it needs to

act. If it is not active, it needs to add that message to the website, if only out of respect for its users. Still a great resource for New

York stories (expert and lay) but currently frustrating for potential contributors.

American Indian Responses to Environmental Challenges created by the National Museum of the American Indian is another reallyexpensive looking site with terrific data. It is designed for teachers to use with students. There are no user-generated projects posted,

just a single example. This site is not really looking for new information from users. Like Cabspotting, it invites users to use the datathe museum provides to make projects. There are opportunities to make connections to local communities but the site is more about

experts allowing users to participate rather than experts sharing authority. There are a lot of rules and a lot of steps and no one has

contributed yet. Or if someone has contributed, the museum has not posted it. It seems to have missed the mark.

Making Them Count

Less successful sites keep users at arms length with complicated rules and submission protocols. They are less willing to share anauthority that may not really be theirs to give away in the first place.7 Some submissions dont make the cut and the contributors are

alienated. The projects are more about what the museum wants the public or their funders to hear, than about what the users want tosay. As a result the sites do not resonate with the public and never reach a critical mass. They become ghost towns surviving on the

web, but seldom visited.


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The most successful sites really want to collect new information from users. They are willing to be shaped by user-contributions.They treat the information as valuable and quickly share it with the public. Users are not asked to work too hard. They are treated as

valuable members of a team. Successful sites have a critical mass of user contributions. This creates a sense of vibrancy and

encourages others to jump on the bandwagon and contribute as well. Successful sites offer users something of value thepreservation of a piece of their history, the spreading of truth as they and their fellow contributors (expert and amateur) see it, and easy

access to information they care about. 8 Contributors are further rewarded with an honored place in the projects community, publicrecognition, an emotional/creative outlet and a visible sign that they impacted the project - proof that they counted.


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Museum NA

Program: Nerdy Day Trips

http://www.nerdydaytrips.com/31 Global Travel Site

High3

Med.2

Low1

No0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to Find fromMuseum Home Page

X

I immediately feel wanted/welcome. X

Instructions are clear X

It is easy to add content. X

It is easy to find the best stories X Not curated in any way. Would be great if curator put together suggested trips day long week long themed etc. or suggested

staff favorites. Seachable by keywords and geography.

Museum has done what they

promised (in three days)

X We've decided to take this one step further, and try to build a giant, inclusive,user-generated nerd map. This means we need you to tell us about your nerdyfuntime destinations. Dr. Ben Goldacre

I see impact of my contribution 3days later

X

My contribution seems important X

I am happy I did this XI would do this again X

I would recommend this to others X

Total 31
http://www.nerdydaytrips.com/http://www.nerdydaytrips.com/


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Museum Historical Society of

Pennsylvania

Program: PhilaPlacehttp://www.philaplace.org

29 Historical Stories about Philadelphias Places

High-3

Med.- 2

Low- 1

No- 0

Notes:..


x

I immediately feel wanted/welcome. x

Instructions are clear x

It is easy to add content. x Historical Society their expert Partners and Visitors allcontribute. Different colored pins on map

It is easy to find the best stories x

Museum has done what they promised(in three days)

X Promise Review in one week. Immediate E-mail to say theygot it.

I see impact of my contribution 3 dayslater

x

My contribution seems important x

I am happy I did this x

I would do this again x

I would recommend this to others x

Total 29


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Museum: N/A

Program: Storycorps http://storycorps.org 28 Tell Your Story

High

-3

Med. -

2

Low -

1

No -

0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to Find from Museum Home

Page

x



It is easy to add content. x You must go to a physical site.


Museum has done what they promised (in three days) x Curation

I see impact of my contribution 3 days later x





Total 28


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Museum: Rosenback Museum &

Library

Program: 21st Century Abe

http://www.21stcenturyabe.org22 User-generated Multi-media Celebration of Lincoln

High3

Med.2

Low1

No0

Notes:..


x Has own webpage They are very clear that this is aretired site that is helpful to user not left wondering



It is easy to add content. x Guessing based on clarity of directions

Project is closed


Museum has done what they promised

(in three days)

x Guessing based on overall professional look

Project is closed

I see impact of my contribution 3 days

later

x Viewers can see their work easily not idea of turn around

time

My contribution seems important x Accepted contributions have a place of honor


I would do this again x Once is enough because I would not contribute I would just

look at other contributions

I would recommend this to others x As a model

Total 27 Minus 5 for not working 22


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Museum Oakland

Museum of California

Program: Forces ofChange

20 Physical By Invite Only Exhibition

High

3

Med.

2

Low

1

No

-0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to

Find from Museum

Home Page

x Museum Tag Line - The Story of California The Story of You (very

promising)

I immediately feel

wanted/welcome.

x

Instructions are clear x By invitation only

It is easy to add content. x

It is easy to find the

best stories

x Forces of Change is one of several parts of the gallery that will include voices from the community such as these.This is a new and exciting direction in museums: rather than dictating a story fr om an unseen, all-knowing curator,

we are sharing the story-telling with our community. It is one way in which we are stepping aside andto put it in a

1960s waygiving power to the people.

Adam NilsenHistory Researcher

Museum has done whatthey promised (in three

days)

x In person exhibit three day rule does not apply

I see impact of mycontribution 3 days later

x Invitees see their impact

My contribution seemsimportant

x Invitees are important

I am happy I did this x I would like this.

I would do this again x Unlikely to be invited twice

I would recommend this

to others

x Seems to be over nice as a model. May have been fabulous in person.

Minimal on-line presence.

Total 25 Minus 5 for being over and for having no web version = 20


10/20

Museum: Boston Museum of Science

Program: Firefly Watch

www.mos.org/fireflywatch20 Citizen Science Nationwide Fire Fly Counting

High

-3

Med. -

2

Low -

1

No -

0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to Find from

Museum Home Page

1 Must go through multiple menus no hint on Home

page

I immediately feel wanted/welcome. 2 Nice graphics

Instructions are clear 3

It is easy to add content. 2 Must return after doing experiment but that is nature

of experimentation.

It is easy to find the best stories 3

Museum has done what they promised (in

three days)

3 My tag is on map and my data is posted instantly

It is easy to find my story (in threedays)

3 I can see my results easily so could the other users.

My contribution seems important 1 Because this seems like a dying program

I am happy I did this 2

I would do this again 3

I would recommend this to others 2 In the summer time.

Total 25 Minus five because no one is using it = 20


11/20

Museum Little Compton

Historical Society

Program: On-Line Collection

Littlecompton.org19 User Feedback on Objects in On-Line Collection

High-3

Med. -2

Low -1

No -0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to Findfrom Museum Home Page

1 On-line collection is easy to find not clear that it isinteractive.

I immediately feel

wanted/welcome.

2

Instructions are clear 1 Small feedback button

It is easy to add content. 2 Easy to ask question or give info. Will not show up unless werevise database. That can take time.


Museum has done what theypromised (in three days)

3 We are really excited when people use this feature and answer them right away personally.

I see impact of my contribution 3

days later

2 We will get back to them immediately. May be months before

database is update.

My contribution seems important 2 Delay in seeing added info on-line makes seem less valuable.

I am happy I did this 2

I would do this again 2

I would recommend this to others 2

Total 19


12/20

Museum City of Memory

Program:

http://www.cityofmemory.org/map/#/tour/48/18 User Generated Stories of New York Inactive?

High-3

Med. -2

Low -1

No -0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to Find from Museum HomePage

3

I immediately feel wanted/welcome. 2 Graphics are cold




Museum has done what they promised (in three days) Says they will review and get back tome

I see impact of my contribution 3 days later


I am happy I did this x Everything is old question if stillactive

I would do this again x same


Total 23 Minus 5 for everything being old = 18
http://www.cityofmemory.org/map/#/tour/48/http://www.cityofmemory.org/map/#/tour/48/


13/20

University: UCLA

Program: Hypercities

http://hypercities.ats.ucla.edu/#17 Complex Global Map Multi-Media Database

High3

Med.2

Low1

No0

Notes:..


x Own website

I immediately feel wanted/welcome. x No instructions on how to participate



It is easy to find the best stories x Huge cumbersome program

Museum has done what they promised (inthree days)

x Assumption

I see impact of my contribution 3 days later x Assumption a contribution would be posted

My contribution seems important x User generated items have their own collections area

less important than mapsI am happy I did this x

I would do this again x It needs to be more polished before I would want to use it

I would recommend this to others x Seems like huge potential but not user friendly yet

Total 17 No easy way for outsider to get in
http://hypercities.ats.ucla.edu/http://hypercities.ats.ucla.edu/


14/20

Museum: Boston Museum of Science

Program: Interactive robots 17 Virtual Guides Offer Personalized Advice

High

-3

Med. -

2

Low -

1

No -

0

Notes:..


Museum Home Page

x No hint on home page had to guess where it might

be




It is easy to find the best stories x Examples of curated hypotheses scroll by as examples

to follow

Museum has done what they promised (in

three days)

No promises they may pick you they may not

I see impact of my contribution 3 dayslater

You may need to go to museum. May not be chosen



I would do this again x For a child I will seek out at museum

I would recommend this to others x If I knew they were going to the museum

Total 17 Much neater in person


15/20

Museum National Museum of the American Indian

Program: American Indian Responses to Environmental

Challengeshttp://www.nmai.si.edu/Environment/gallery/Gallery.aspx

15 Student projects using provided information

High

3

Med.

2

Low

1

No

0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to Find from Museum Home Page 2 Under education pull down menu

I immediately feel wanted/welcome. 2 They are not looking for new info

Instructions are clear 3

It is easy to add content. 1 Multi-step after big project

It is easy to find the best stories 0 No stories submitted

Museum has done what they promised (in three days) 3 Give them credit not going to try

I see impact of my contribution 3 days later 3 Give them credit not going to try

My contribution seems important 1 Just re-hash info the museum provides




Total 15 Museum retains very high degree of control not spontaneous lots of rules
http://www.nmai.si.edu/Environment/gallery/Gallery.aspxhttp://www.nmai.si.edu/Environment/gallery/Gallery.aspx


16/20

Museum Smithsonian

Program: Tree Banding

http://shoutlearning.org/treebanding.html14 Citizen Science - Nationwide Tree Measuring

High

3

Med.

2

Low

1

No

0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to Find from Museum

Home Page

x Had to hunt for something



It is easy to add content. x Must wait for kit, do experiments over whole year

It is easy to find the best stories x Cant access data requires additional sign-ups -

bothersome

Museum has done what they promised (in three

days)

x Mailed kit

I see impact of my contribution 3 days later X Long project

My contribution seems important X

I am happy I did this X Idea of getting kit mailed to me is exciting

I would do this again X

I would recommend this to others X teachers

Total 14
http://shoutlearning.org/treebanding.htmlhttp://shoutlearning.org/treebanding.html


17/20

Museum Exploratorium

Program: Cabspotting

http://cabspotting.org/index.html13 Publics Projects Connected to Cab Traffic Patterns

High-3

Med. -2

Low -1

No -0

Notes:..

Interactive Prog. Easy to Find from MuseumHome Page

x

I immediately feel wanted/welcome. x 151 websites first 40 do not invite visitorfeedback





x Assumption they kept promises no idea of timeline



I am happy I did this x Not that interesting not well developed -



Total 13 Very outdated - The last news post was 2006 onlytwo projects
http://cabspotting.org/index.htmlhttp://cabspotting.org/index.html


18/20

Museum Sites of Conscience

http://www.sitesofconscience.org/activities

Program:

America 2049Facebook game

12 Facebook Game Teaching Social Issues

High-3

Med.- 2

Low- 1

No- 0

Notes:..


x Our sites continue to expand the definition of what a history museum programlooks like, says Elizabeth Silkes, Coalition executive director. The wonderful thing

about this project is that it allows both gamers and human rights activists who may

not have considered museums as places to address present-day issues to

experience for themselves the power of the past in shaping the future.






x





I would recommend this to others x America 2049 has proven immensely successful, with over 20,000 players andnominations for both a Games for Change Award and a Katerva Award.

Total 12 Too complicated. Goofy. I have no idea how to start.
http://www.sitesofconscience.org/activitieshttp://www.sitesofconscience.org/activities


19/20

Museum: Liberty Science Center

Program: Cooking

http://lsc.org/see-whats-happening/upcoming-exhibitions/

3 Not-Yet-Open Cooking Exhibit Too Little Info to Judge

High

3

Med.

2

Low

1

No

0

Notes:..


Museum Home Page

x Once decided not to go to this museum because web presence was

uninspiring

This Exhibit is Coming SoonI immediately feel

wanted/welcome.

x No images nothing fun




Museum has done what theypromised (in three days)

x

I see impact of my contribution 3

days later

x




I would recommend this to others x Promise of interactives and multi-media but no promise of user-

generated content as discussed in Letting Go?.

Total 3
http://lsc.org/see-whats-happening/upcoming-exhibitions/http://lsc.org/see-whats-happening/upcoming-exhibitions/http://lsc.org/see-whats-happening/upcoming-exhibitions/http://lsc.org/see-whats-happening/upcoming-exhibitions/


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1 Quote from Listening Intently by Benjamin Filene.Letting Go?, p. 178

2 These values are not unlike the seven basic values outlined by John Finnis and discussed in The Idea of Cultural

Heritage, Derek Gillman, p. 20.

The seven values are: life, knowledge, play, aesthetic experience, sociability (especially friendship), practicable

reasonableness, and religion

3 Title for section by Steve Zeitlin. Letting Go? p. 34

4 In-person community curated projects like Forces of Change at the Oakland Museum of California or the Public

Perspectives Exhibition Series at the Brooklyn Historical Society ask a great deal of contributors. The value they getin return makes them willing to invest the time and effort. Some on-line projects, like 21st Century Abe inspire similar

dedication while others, like Cabspotting, offer so little value, no one takes the time to participate.

5 Listening Intently by Benjamin Filene.Letting Go?

Professional historians have been trained to be wary of emotion. p. 181

StoryCorps treats emotional reactions as the surest sign of success. p. 182

6 Zeitlin. p. 35.

7 From a Shared Authority to the Digital Kitchen and Back by Michael Frisch. Letting Go? p. 127-128.

8 John Henry Merryman believes that preservation, truth and access should be the primary goals of public policies

concerning cultural heritage.

As discussed in Gilman. p. 45

do i count - evaluation of user generated projects

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