All Together Now

Smithsonian Institution Transcription Center&

Engaging Digital Volunteers

Meghan Ferriter, Ph.D.22 January 2014

Transcription & Crowdsourcing

Tasks include:

• Manuscript (narrative) transcription

• Record Creation

• Specific form data population

• Geolocation

• Translation

With Success in SI Digit ization, Some

Challenges EmergeAs we increase volume of digitized collections and open access, in what ways can we:

Improve and Increase the Quality of Engagement?

Increase Access and Use of Resources?

Create Pathways of Learning and New Knowledge?

Maintain and Build Trust with Communities of Interest, Stakeholders, and Audiences?

What Is It?

Smithsonian Institution Transcription Center

a. An interactive space for audiences

b. Flexible and can be changed to suit project needs and evolving SI and Unit goals

c. Allows us to create pathways & experiences with digitized resources

d. And link these resources to physical collections & experiences (“seriously amazing”)

Assumptions & Concerns

• Misbehavior & Vandalism

• Quality & Trustworthiness

• Process & Workflow - Center & Unit

• Resources - Units & Users

• Motivation - If We Build It, Will They Come?

Transcription Center: By the Numbers

• Approximately 6 months of growth: June/July 2013

• 2403+ Registered Users

• 75+ Projects

• 8 participating units (+2 in the pipeline)

• 2 Templates: Narrative and Form Data

• Engaging Users: from 15 to 135 per unit

• Soft launch, minimal promotion, and organic social

Recalling Pilot Discoveries• Workflow & Experience prevents vandalism (but not

discrepancies)

• Quality is… HIGH! – though we must continue to assess quality and accuracy

• Unit-specific but Center-focused Process – leading users through and to specific tasks

• What are we doing? Using templates to drive workflow to a) reviewing manuscript transcripts and b) create collections records

• User Motivation is CONNECTING with and HELPING the Smithsonian - “being involved” and “having access”

What’s Next?

• Refining Process for Units

• Improving UI for Units and Users

• Outreach: Contribute & Connect; Compel Reviews

• Making Meaningful Metrics in Pursuit of Goals

• Working with Units to Determining Material Selection Strategy

• Introducing and Integrating other Units and Materials

Power Users• Top 20 Users by total events–

• all total events over 1000 (drop by 200+ after)• Top 20 “Power Users” (high vol transcribers &

reviewers & projects) completed 5365 – 469 events• Relationships of Activity: 10 of 20 in Top 20

transcribers & Top 20 reviewers• Projects: 4 users over 20, 9 between 10-20 -- Max: 25,

Min: 3• Joined: August (7) – November (5); top 2 Oct & Nov• 15 active within the last week (13-19 January 2014)

Traffic & Referrals

*Greatest traffic, by far: ORGANIC (927) and Google (584)

*Top 5 Referrals from • SI.edu: 170• Facebook.com: 159• T.Co (twitter): 94• m.facebook.com: 77• Siarchives.si.edu: 44

In top 25 referrals: SIA, Botany, Collections Search, AAA, Smithsonian Tumblr, forbes, AmericanHistory, SI-SIRIS, anthropology; Also: teachers, geneology, ushistoryeducatorblog

Behavior on Site• If pushed into homepage, users tend to leave within two

clicks (pages)• If pushed into an active project page, users drill down 3-4

pages further (decreased dropoff)• Users want to do it right – seeking instructions & tips• Recently time on site is increasing (with increase in

reviewing?)• Increasing returning visits• Sustained rate of sign up & % visits last more than 10 sec • Excellent response on Calls to Action – C&C and project

description changes

What Does It All Mean?• Users want MORE, MORE, MORE• Must improve UI for Units and Users to speed approval• Must establish “pipeline” queue of projects & self-

service• Outreach is effective: Contribute & Connect & directed

SIMULTANEOUSLY• Units are primed for great interaction around TC projects

in social/blog/web presence• TC must establish stronger social presence & apply

approach catering to relatedness + tasks + needs• Finding BEST way to combine amazing materials and

units capabilities – unit-by-unit process and strategy

Questions?

Thank you

Let’s chat!

Meghan Ferriter - ferriterm@si.edu - 202-633-2932