Presenter(s)

• Madlyn Larson - Associate Director of Education Initiatives @ Natural History Museum of Utah
• Barry Joseph - Principal @ Barry Joseph Consulting
• Tim Halstead

This how-to session will focus on the topic of developing a data-driven strategy for digital engagement. The topic will be explored through a case study of the Natural History Museum of Utah’s Research Quest, a free collections- and classroom-based program for developing critical thinkers. Working with outside partners, the Museum developed a new data-driven strategy for digital engagement to expand the reach and impact of Research Quest. Based on personas, journey maps, experience maps, expanded success measures, and rich data analytics, the Museum was able to make surgically precise design decisions, track the efficacy of marketing campaigns, launch a new national community of Research Quest boosters, and more.

This presentation is designed to walk the audience through what it means to go beyond “one’s gut” and create steady streams of actionable data to learn if one’s programs are actually hitting the mark. Using the Museum as the example, the presentation will begin with what inspired NHMU to take on this new direction. We will then explore each of the steps the Museum took along its journey: defining success measures (KPIs, metrics, benchmarks, etc.), quantitative components (like personas), and qualitative components (expanding beyond Google Analytics to tools like Heap and other data visualization tools).

At each step of the journey, the presentation will turn interactive, guiding the participants to explore how they might apply the same tools within their own programs. Examples from the audience will be shared from the podium.

Next, the Museum’s journey from collecting data to turning it into actionable analytics will be explored, in areas like site design and outreach campaigns.

The session will end with suggested resources for how attendees can get started once they return home, followed by a Q&A.

Participants will leave inspired, informed, and with a sense that “Hey, I can do this… and o