Getting Digital Introduction Hannah Rudman

Editor's Notes

• #2: I’m Hannah Rudman, lead consultant for AmbITion Scotland - I run Rudman Consulting, and Envirodigital - who are providing the webcasting today. Today, I’ve got a fair amount of story telling to do, so its fantastic that we’re here at the home of Scottish. I’m going to brief you on why AmbITion Scotland has been initiated and fill you in on how you will be involved.
• #3: So a bit about the AmbITion Scotland’s background. We’ve seen huge socio-economic and cultural behaviour shifts. We’re seeing these because the impact of technology, and this has caused paradigm shifts in the ways that we live, do business, communicate. Global stats. 1/6th world on BB by 2013. 60% world already have mobile phones. Last year the publication of Lord Carter’s Digital Britain report drew a line in all the sand for all businesses to respond to. Initiatives like 4iP and Scotland’s Digital Media IP fund provide the opportunity for the creative sector to innovate digital work. The Getting Digital report, commissioned by SAC, showed that investment in digital development in Scotland had been piecemeal, that it wasn’t considered key to business, operations or artistic development. Digital developments were usually projects, often led by education or marketing departments “under the radar”.
• #4: we’re not alone - many businesses still misunderstood IT Look at the quote. IT used to be a tool. Now the tool has escaped the toolbox! 1. This is a changing landscape for organisations, who are struggling to keep up Lets play a little game of spot the difference Successful organisations today need to operate in a refined and subtle way, which means fundamental changes to business models. The channel to market is different, feedback loops and expectations are different. It will not pay to have a simplistic view of digital development.
• #5: Barack vs Gordon: they want to be current, but I implore to spend 15 mins with both online and see if you can spot any differences. One of them gets it, one’s behavioural and cultural evolution is much slower. Social Technologies It involves listening, watching, being in tune, being in touch, engaging with interested parties and being responsive to communities. One of them gets it. Gets IT. Gets that digital development is business critical. One of them chose a most unfortunate background for this video shoot!
• #6: With an ageing and growing global population, there is a wider age range within arts sector workforces and our audiences, all of whom have grown up at different times. This means that there are very different understandings of where the world, business and culture is actually at. Do young people growing up now imagine this is the life their grandparents lead?
• #7: Another issue we face in the cultural sector is a digital divide - not in terms of kit, but in terms of of HOW to participate using the new technologies. Both in the sector’s workforce and amongst the public who engage with arts organisations as audiences and other kinds of participants there are now “digital natives”, people who have grown to be adults in a world with mobile phones, the Internet, iPods and always-on anywhere computing. Under 28, these young adults look bemused as older generations talk about the impact of the “new technology”. But for the rest of us, feeling like a digital migrant is reality. This is OK! As long as we don’t put our heads in the sand about it.
• #8: So SAC recognised that Scottish cultural organisations were faced with these issues and needed support. AmbITion Scotland then is a project that will support digital & technological development processes of course, but really the programme will be about supporting the change processes that have to be embraced by any organisation in the arts and cultural sector that wants to engage with the digital opportunities of the 21st C. AmbITion Scotland will not be purely about the technology, the IT. It will be about assisting organisations with their ambitions to continue to grow artistically, to continue to attract new and existing audiences; and strengthening growing aspirations that arts organisations have, to develop new business and fundraising models for sustainability well into the 21st century.
• #9: In England, AmbITion worked closely for the last 2 years with 15 arts organizations. None of those organisations have stayed the same. You can’t now develop digitally and stay the same. They changed at their core: they have a new understanding of their market and the boundaries between them and their market.
• #10: Watch and read about their journeys on getambition.com We also trialled the approach with Bluecoat Arts Centre who were undertaking a major capital re-development and who needed to consider their digital developments in light of a new building.
• #11: It’s worth telling you what they did. Most of the AmbITion organizations ended up implementing technologies that are not cutting edge at all, but that have enabled the organization to be cutting edge with how they present work; interact with audiences; and how they operate internally. • CRM, CMS driven websites, database integration, intranets, wifi, remote working, connectivity, ticketing, back-up • Productivity tools • Broadening digital channels & networks: all now have online social networks, tweet, etc . • Digital content capturing / recording kit - HD delivery over the internet means that our aesthetic and quality of experience can now be upheld • Upgrading networks. Content - specific and appropriate to art form: on content - like RLPO and off-content.
• #12: How did they do it? The organisations worked with the AmbITion approach to ensure successful digital developments. What is the AmbITion approach? Well, it’s not rocket science! The AmbITion approach supports arts organisations to use digital technology in an effective and integrated way (across artistic, organizational and business practices). Its a holistic approach - it works across the whole organisation and so changes the whole organisation - to facilitate more 21st C sustainability and more resilience. The AmbITion approach is about considering digital developments and IT whilst simply working through these steps: • Risk assessment – can your organization cope with a big change at the time you are thinking? Do you have capacity? Capability? Buy in from stakeholders and support from the board? Do you need the support of a consultant, or your time covered whilst you manage it? • Audit – its good to find out exactly where you’re at. Doing this as a full team reveals where current frustrations lie • Diagnostic – diagnosing where you want to be and how you could get there is the exciting part! Again, doing this as a full team brainstorming session is really helpful • Develop a formal Business Case – detailing the benefits of the planned digital development, the risks and costs in detail, the implementation plans in detail. • Implementation – as per the details in the business plan, reporting into the SMT or board • Continuous reflection helps embed the learning
• #14: and a reminder of why its worked? It’s not just about the technology! • Audit and diagnostic looks at where an org is at and where it wants to be and is “cross-departmental” - its not just about nor is it allowed to be just the enlightened individual! • Orgs have to create robust business cases - embeds thinking, language and learning across the staff and the board, impact of activity into job roles and timescales of the organisation’s year, brings it into established structures and practices • Implementation is stakeholder owned • It’s a scaleable process.
• #15: Some examples: the AmbITion intervention introduced new skills and knowledge and kit within Ludus Dance. But it was the passion, interest and excitement with using film and dance by company members that made them such a success.
• #16: Ludus Dance, as the UK’s leading Dance in Education company have used film to explain their products to potential customers As the Dance Development agency for the NW, thy have used film to explain the process of dance to new audiences - before some live performances, short films are shown to help audiences interpret and enjoy the work further; and to engage with audiences. Lets see an example of Ludus doing the first of those - explaining their products
• #17: Videos like this, and the new online shop facility allowed Ludus to sell £10,000 more dance classes last year: more people block booked, the video allowed them to experience what it might be like before the first session, and so they committed cash up front.
• #18: Rerite, NTW, It turns out digital development can help us achieve the aspirations that are core to the arts sector: Its about developing artistic practice: new opportunities to create and disseminate artistic work and content; increase access and deepen participation, quality experiences - any of these sound familiar from the mission statements you work with? NTW launched their initial programme to the world via a webcast. Even the press were told NOT to come to the launch. a new way of working - ensuring equality of access and a lower carbon footprint. The Royal National Theatre have created hybrid productions - theatrical productions re-rehearsed and produced for film, recorded in High Definition, HD, and disseminated to cinemas around the UK for audiences wider than those local to London to enjoy. The Philharmonia innovated a new kind of orchestral project that only works BECASUE of digital technology: Re-rite - a project where live and online audiences got to be the orchestra playing Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. We hope to invite them to a roadshow to talk through a case study of this fabulous work.
• #19: AmbITion org Oldham Coliseum had 1 internet enabled computer in 2006. Liz Wilson knew that had to change, and signed up to AmbITion immediately. Since then, the organisation has developed digitally across operations and business models. The DigiLAB are the social media managers and investigators behind the Youth Community Play at the Oldham Coliseum, and have been working with Christian Payne. They are now experimenting artistically: a new play using new technology as a part of performance will involve working with 4 groups of young people with no experience of acting to use new technologies as part of acting!
• #20: other aspirations digital development can help with that are core to the arts: Its about public engagement: new opportunities to interact with potentially global audiences; this is RLPO’s award winning website from 2006.
• #21: RLPO have changed their marketing strategy from an award winning push/brochure style website to a marketing strategy based around pull and social media.
• #22: other aspirations digital development can help with that are core to the arts: Its about public engagement: new opportunities to interact with potentially global audiences; RLPO have changed their marketing strategy from an award winning push/brochure style website to a marketing strategy based around pull and social media. In their own words, they have ‘Shattered their website’, seeing Social Media as an opportunity to push content and news out from your own site. They now Think distribution: use ticket agents (they have databases, advertising etc). Video & Audio through itunes and YouTube etc. They’re discovering the beauty of user generated content – eventually becomes self perpetuating, and a more trusted message.
• #23: Digital development is about exploiting new business models: new opportunities to monetise events, work and content; Litfest an AmbITion organisation based in Lancaster, have built their own website to exploit these new business models. The web development in cash terms cost £100. In times of energy expended, and time involved it’s cost a lot more. But what it has allowed them to do is digitise Flax, LitFest’s publishing imprint. It is now a print on demand service. They have also developed new services for writers: recognising most writers want a physical book, Litfest helps them value the digital work through a mentoring & training programme. LitFest’s website has also enabled them to better position and market this. One thing Litfest aren’t doing themselves is film: Did an experiment with YouTube content. Andy Darby says: it doesn’t work for us. It’s more natural for us to do podcasts as an organisation. So they engage with film students at Lancaster Uni for any filming they need. This illustrates what I hope you get out of the day: we’re not saying start doing it all! Find out what suits you, your organisation and your art form, and develop that.
• #24: Unique challenges of cultural sector digi natives/migrants professionalised the sector over the last 100 yrs, difficulty with UGC only just getting to grips with enterprise tech - social tech a whole new issue
• #25: You’ll find orgs with differing levels of buy in from the SMT and board, different attitudes to porosity and engaging in conversations with audiences; different opinions towards the idea of digitising artistic content and making live content available digitally too.
• #26: Some of you do get twitter, some of you don’t!! There’s a great guide on getambition.com if you’re looking to understand how it can be used well in an arts context.
• #27: What do you want to do? A mix of disruptive and incremental innovation. Technologies I expect us to be recommending: Cloud computing, social media aggregation and measurement; digital distribution platforms
• #28: Where are you? Obviously if you zoom in on Central Belt, more orgs emerge there. 55 of you, 40 Associates, 15 partners, and many more of you opting to be involved.
• #29: How will you be participating?
• #30: Events we will be producing: more like this, roadshows
• #31: Guiding through a number of different innovations across the business - disruptive innovation. Consultancy to be supportive, we will be matching you in February and you can start work then.
• #32: Do join the network if you haven’t already!
• #33: Consultancy to be about enabling a self-directed journey of innovation: auditing ideas, identifying good ones, sign-posting to idea development partners. we will be matching you in February and you can start work then. Your consultants will be helping you narrow down what ideas to work on with SC/ET, and pitch to other funders.
• #35: Through your own involvement with the online networks, live events and online resources, learn how to begin and progress digital development - from us, the AmbITion Scotland team, and more importantly, from each other.
• #36: Here’s an example of the sort of resources available at getambition.com - this one a how to guide on how to make money from digital developments.
• #37: It turns out the Vatican has already it out.
• #38: Thanks for listening! There’s a bit of time for q’s from the floor and online!