Putting Curation in Context

We learn better when we can be immersed in actual context.  As you learn the tasks to be performed you also learn how the environment interacts with the content which is critical to success. This is why isolated, separated from the work context, event style training often falls short.

Some learned skills though are more hidden, the outputs are the only evidence of the work performed as the majority of the process happen within ones mind.  Artists are a good example.  Yes, many artists learned techniques and tools and those are visible but the decision-making and planning of a great work is happening inside the artists brain, often in micro-instances.  We often only see the work forming but not until its "done" can it be appreciated and meaning made.

Curation is a similar, hidden process. There are many definitions and practices of curation today and many have long been held by academia and in institutions like Zoos and Museums.  Similar to the work of a traditional curator, content curators must understand their audience, select and discard various pieces, and tell a story that benefits the audience and influences their opinions and behavior.  Curation as a marketing activity is more widely known. These corporate curators sift through the Web and share works of others as a means to inform and educate consumers, thus increasing their company's value in their eyes.

Content creation for learning has grown exponentially with Web 2.0 as well. Articles, video, audio, demonstrations, step-by-steps, strategy pieces, etc are churned out world-wide from practitioners and experts alike. Today, as Dr. Clark Quinn stated, Curation Trumps Creation. Successful individuals are practicing PKM or Personal Knowledge Management and when doing so deliberately and in the open, they become the curators of digital content; separating the wheat from the chaff and helping others to makes sense of it all.

Like the exhibits seen at a museum, much of this curation work is done in the heads of a curator making it very difficult to understand the "how" of curation not just the "what."  It's time to have them Work Out Loud!  With this challenge in mind I set out to work with our local CNY ASTD chapter to put curation in context and immerse the curious in the world of curation to better understand its historic and modern value.  On July 31st The Everson Museum of Art and CNY ASTD are joining forces for From Art to Information: Curation - a Strategy.

The event will start by plunging attendees into the most common setting for curation. For the first hour will be led by  David Prince, Curator of the Syracuse University Collections. David has intimate knowledge of the galleries at the Everson Museum and will lead the group through various exhibits discussing the backstory of the curation process; why the pieces were selected and others not? Is there a reason behind the way pieces are displayed? What story was the curator trying to tell? Were they successful? The attendees will have the opportunity to look beyond the Art and engage a Curator to dig deeper into the principles and practices.

In the second half David Kelly, Program Director for the eLearning Guild, will pick up where David Prince leaves off and share why and how individuals and organizations are curating digital content. David is uniquely qualified as a conference curator and international speaker on learning and performance in the information age. He will share how curation can help individuals and organizations focus on the most relevant and critical information to meet their needs. He will lead an examination of various examples where curation is used for learning, and some of the tools that are used for curation purposes.

I expect the event will deepen attendees understanding of curation and accelerate their own as well as their organizations curation practice.  If it isn't obvious, I'm extremely excited to be a part of something that can bring personal and organization benefits to so many in Central New York.  If you're in the area or can make it into town on July 31st. click here to register and join us for an enlightening evening!

Kickstart a Speaker

As former President and now a current board member of our local chapter of ASTD I am always seeking ways to support the growth of our members. Offering prominent speakers who present or lead workshops is a great way to accelerate that growth. The problem is getting these thought leaders to come here to Syracuse, NY.  No, it's not because of our reputation for terrible weather but more that we are a smaller community of learning professionals and therefore funds are hard to come by. These presenters/speakers deserve every dime but payment and travel reimbursement can get into the thousands and that's hard to get budgeted for.  

By Pbroks13 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Our current approach like most is to go after corporate sponsors for larger (500.00) donations. In exchange they get advertising space on our Website and a logo in our brochure.  Again this is Syracuse and unless its a mom and pop business most don't gain very much from our local advertising.  I've contemplated a long tail approach and wondered openly with the likes of Helen Blunden and Joyce Seitzinger if we might have more success chasing many smaller donors vs. a few larger ones. Can we crowdfund a speaker?

The Kickstarter model caught my attention. 3 simple steps really:

1. Identify the funds needed

2. Set a drop dead date to achieve funds (30 days?)
3. Promote like crazy

If the funding deadline isn't met by the set date, then all funds returned.  This comes with problems though as speakers have lives and multiple commitments. They need to know and have firm dates locked in as this is part of their livelihood. When would one need to know the event is a go or not? The organization too needs to schedule and plan for events. If you get funding then you need to scramble to ensure you've got a venue, a date and time, etc.

What about bigger donors?  In the Kickstarter model they get a perk that the project team dreams up. Either they get the product earlier or cheaper if funded. So if someone gave more than most,  what perk is worthy of doing so? An exclusive breakfast or lunch with the speaker? Is the speaker OK with that?!  If the speaker is an author, maybe a free signed book or two (Which could be rolled into the cost)? 

If you're a speaker, could this work for you? What haven't I considered?  If your an organization, have you done this or entertained the idea?  I'd like to learn more about the approaches out there.

Here's a list of crowd funding services from Forbes.com that give you ideas on the approaches to products, services and charity efforts.