What are the pros and cons of an educator leading a project team

to develop an interactive exhibit?

Aurélie HenryEducation Technology Projects CoordinatorNational Postal Museum

The National Postal Museum?

Smithsonian InstitutionWashington, DC

Presents the history of the nation’s mail service and the largest collection of

stamps in the world

About 40 full-time staff

Visitation in 2008:On-site: 300,000

Online: 2, 500, 000(2 websites)

NPM Organizational Chart

Curatorial & research

AragoArago.si.edu

Education

Main websitepostalmuseum.si.edu

Collection & Preservation Exhibits External

Affairs

Director’s suite

Curatorial & Research Education Collection &

PreservationExhibits External Affairs

Director’s suite

Main website

postalmuseum.si.edu

AragoArago.si.edu

Internet AffairsMarch 2009

Cross departmental collaboration

• Museum-wide project teams for major projects– Exhibit creation– Technology based projects

• Museum wide committees– Exhibit committee– Web strategy meetings

Postal Museum organizational strengths and challenges

• IT handled outside of museum– Challenge: Projects don’t get direct input and

support• Museum-wide project teams:– Strength: Collaboration– Challenge: How can our processes mature?

• Top down structure:– Strength: Strong project support from the director– Challenge: Need a long term strategy

Educator and project manager

• Educator• User-centric approach• Generation Y• Technology enthusiast

but no technical skills

• Assist with public interpretation• School tours • Highlight tours

• Public Program development

• Education’s representative on exhibit teams

• Website product development / Web material review

My role as an educator

My experience as an educator and project manager

The Ford Education Center’s goals

• Five interactive touch screens

• Fun and engaging

• Merging museum’s themes

• Link on-site & on-line experiences

Project management by an educator

• Target audience: families

• Based on observed visitor needs

• Focus on usability and ergonomic design

• Spiral project planning

Project management by an educator

• Spiral project planning

Evaluate

Test Build

Design

All Aboard to Sort the Mail!

All Aboard to Sort the Mail!

What are the pros and cons of an educator leading a project team

to develop an interactive exhibit?

• Pros: – Focus on users and their learning– Emphasize evaluation

• Cons: – No in-depth understanding of IT

• Recommendations:– Gather a reliable team of experts– Make the project management the priority