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Archives & Museum Informatics info @archimuse.com |
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'Symmetrical transactions' through the WebIan Russell, Interactive Science Ltd. Online Discussions:
Front-End Issues
This will be a 'virtual workshop' taking place on a British Web site
with the discussion open to contributors all over the world as well
as to 'real' conference delegates. An example of the potential interactivity
of the World Wide Web, it will be 'moderated' from Britain by Ian Russell.
Is it right that museums, as well as the Web, seem to be widely regarded
as 'read-only' media? How can visitors be encouraged to 'put something
in' for others to see, as well as 'get something out'? Does Web-browser
software now offer valuable opportunities for more 'symmetrical transactions',
whether used with the Internet or with a closed intranet network? Up
to now, provision for museum visitors to exchange information and opinions
beyond their immediate circle of companions has been relatively scarce,
yet we all recognise the importance and popularity of informal conversation
as a museum activity. Popularity is not the only potential benefit.
Sensitive and controversial subjects clearly need new techniques that
extend beyond those traditional, 'top-down' forms of presentation which
attempt to present a 'balanced' viewpoint, but which some visitors may
distrust. 'Chaired' by well-informed moderators, could a new kind of
electronic forum be an appealing way of presenting museum visitors with
reliable information while also encouraging them to feel involved and
'listened-to'? Also, could some other kind of lively 'social' approach
like this be designed to attract more teenagers into museums? And what
about creative, artistic input from the public? What other possibilities
are there? What is the best way into this? What are the best hardware
and software interfaces? Who is already doing it? What can we learn
from each other? |
