Human Centered Approach on the New SFMOMA Website

During SFMOMA’s three-year closure, traffic to sfmoma.org remained surprisingly strong. Analytics indicated that visitors to the previous iteration of our site came to watch videos, explore the online collection via Artscope, or conduct research. It was clear that, freed up from the burden of providing logistics and ticketing information, our website was drawing in audiences whose interests were content-driven. With this data in hand, we founded the redesign of sfmoma.org on a more human-focused approach. How did we achieve this? This 20 minute presentation will highlight the ways in which SFMOMA’s online content strategy now prioritizes storytelling above all else. Specifically, we will focus the discussion on the philosophy behind reshaping our artist interview program, developing new visitor-facing content, meaningfully aggregating stories to mitigate what we call the “tyranny of the related,” and the implementation of our new institutional voice. We will discuss how the new Projects + Perspectives section of sfmoma.org is a place to share the coolest stories about what contemporary artists are doing, as well as what we (the people who make up SFMOMA) are doing. In the face of SFMOMA’s expansion, the aesthetic and tone we employ humanize both our gigantic new building and our massive collection of modern and contemporary art. We will also address the ways in which this content strategy intersects with SFMOMA’s voice across social media channels, and the work involved in aligning and curating this content and its distribution. By highlighting human voices, including both artist voices and those from within the institution itself, we are working to create a place for storytelling that borrows from and builds upon the best practices of traditional museum blogs, websites, and social media. Speakers Session Leader : Sarah Bailey-Hogarty, Digital Producer, SFMOMA Co-Presenter : Erin Fleming, Associate Content Producer, SFMOMA Co-Presenter : James Provenza, Senior Designer, SFMOMA MCN 2016 Presenting Sponsor: Piction New Orleans, LA