We presented some of the work of the Social Interpretation Project at UK Museums on the Web Conference on the 25th November 2011.

Agile as a starting point: We have taken an agile approach quite naturally, as it fits the New Media team at IWM and UCL’s focus on user centred design, works well with agile principles. Tom then went on to explain, the project.  Social interpretation happens anyway in person, it’s not new, you share stuff with other people all the time, we are  just using new digital platforms to facilitate it.

Project Aims: To increase Engagement with IWM content and Spread of collections and we are going to utilise social media methods to develop three applications, in gallery, mobile and online which hopefully facilitate social interpretation. Tom pointing out that as soon as the idea that visitors will be allowed to voice their opinions in any kind of permanent space (in gallery or online) museums have a tendency to get anxious, Tom framed this conversation quite nicely, with swear words and Nazis.