Digital Futures training programme

Image of the Digital Futures 'Interactive Stories' training session

Museum Development Officers run training programmes and provide one-to-one support for museums right across London

In 2018 - 2022, the Digital Futures Programme will excite the London museum sector with the possibilities of digital technologies and digital engagement. Through the training programme, London Museum Development will deliver at least 12 courses each year aimed at developing the digital skills of London's museums. These courses have been designed and tailored for London's museums, based on the feedback from our Training Needs Analysis of the London non-national museum sector (PDF 690kb, opens in new tab). The programme has also been influenced by the findings of the Mendoza Review, Culture is Digital and Digital Culture 2017 reports.

The Digital Futures training programme will take a modular approach, with sessions focused on social media and marketing, digital content creation and digital 'back of house'. Each module will start with a briefing session which will focus on the different skills and literacies needed for museums within each module. You can download a calendar for 2019 - 2020 to see when we will be delivering each module and the types of courses on offer (PDF 354kb, opens in new tab). You can apply for a place on these courses below, or directly through our booking form.

Digital Futures training sessions

Leading a Digitally Literate Museum
Friday 15 November, 10am - 4.30pm
Museum of London, London Wall

Is your museum leadership team confident when it comes to digital? Are they as digitally literate as our fast-changing world requires? The opportunities around digital culture can be huge but it’s a fast-changing, multi-layered environment that is a challenge for many museums to exploit. A thriving, successful museum needs a digitally literate workforce that understands the ways in which digital technologies, content and culture can best serve their mission. It’s down to museum leadership to create the right conditions to meet those challenges. This one-day workshop will combine strategy, theory and expert insight with practical advice and peer support. Themes covered include:

• Digital literacy - what this means for museums and why it matters
• Mission and purpose - the impact digital culture is having on museums and how to meet the needs of your team, audiences, collections and mission
• Sector developments - how to make the most of new (free) strategic initiatives and resources to support digital development in your setting
• Being experimental - driving evidence-based change through iterative practices to build digital capacity.

This session is open to museums from both the London region and the South East region, based on our usual criteria. Download a full course outline (PDF 187kb, opens in new tab). Please use our online form to book a place.

An Introduction to Rights Management
Tuesday 14 January, 10am - 4pm
Museum of London, London Wall

This session will provide an introduction to the sometimes daunting world of rights management. Together we will explore intellectual property rights (IPR), in particular works protected by copyright. The session will offer an overview of copyright and its implications for museums, their audiences and collections. We will discuss basic principles including ownership, duration, obtaining and recording permissions, risk management and orphan works, as well as how to apply the Spectrum 5.0 Rights Management procedure within your organisation. Delegates will be encouraged to participate through discussions, and there will be plenty of opportunity for questions throughout. We ask that, where possible, delegates kindly submit questions in advance, to enable us to answer them effectively on the day. If possible please bring with you any relevant documentation, for sharing and discussion – for example your organisation’s permission forms, IPR policy etc. Download a full course outline (PDF 68kb, opens in new tab). Please use our online form to book your place.

Understanding online audiences
Friday 07 February, 12 - 4pm
Museum of London, London Wall

This session will provide an introduction to using digital analytics and user testing within the setting of a museum or gallery. Participants will learn how to collect data and insights using tried and trusted methods, and free and low cost tools. Participants will be able to use this improved understanding of their online audiences to improve communications, website user experience, and more. We will cover: Google Analytics - how marketers, website managers, and content producers can find the most insightful information. User testing and surveys - getting feedback from people in person and online. Download a full course outline (PDF 161kb, opens in new tab). Please use our online form to book a place.