Outline
User Guide
Overview
Welcome to the AmbITion approach to digital development. This approach has been specifically developed for use by arts organisations of any size and in any art form who are looking to “develop digitally.”
The approach has been extensively tested with a range of arts organisations, and this toolkit takes their learnings and experiences into account in providing an easy-to-use step-by-step approach to developing a successful digital project.
This first section is all about “getting started”. It explains how to use this website, and gives you some guidelines on beginning to use the AmbITion approach.
Using this Website
The AmbITion Components
The AmbITion approach is meant to be flexible and adaptable, so that you can adapt it to the needs of your project. The website allows you to easily move through the 5 components of the approach.
These sections are clearly shown in the sidebar to the left, and you can expand each component to see the different steps involved.
Resources
We have developed and identified a wide range of resources to help you with your digital development. Technology moves on very quickly, so we have concentrated on providing an understanding of how technology might help you out, and to give you an understanding of what is available, rather than specifying particular technologies.
A series of “How to…” Guides offer specific expertise from experts in their field, whilst the written and video case studies of arts organisations that have been through their own “digital development” should give you good examples of what similar organisations to your own have achieved.
We have also developed a number of templates during our work with AmbITion organisations and these are available for you use in your projects.
These are clearly identified and linked in these ‘resources boxes’ as you go through the approach:
i.e.
If your board is a bit risk-averse on the subject of Digital Development; or if you’re the digital expert in the organization needing to influence your SMT/board, then AmbITion’s How To… Help Your Board and SMT Get Digital will be useful.
Hints & Tips
Throughout the AmbITion approach you will find some easily recognisable “hints and tips.” These are based on the real experiences of arts organisations who have been through digital developments of their own. They help illustrate how the approach has been used in the real world.
These are clearly recognisable as ‘tips boxes’ throughout the approach and all listed under Tips and linked to the relevant text:
i.e.
Glossary
We have tried to avoid “jargon” wherever possible, but the nature of digital development means that you are often coming into contact with new concepts or products – and often, the terms that are being used might not be immediately understandable. So whether it’s a new type of behaviour like “crowdsourcing” or the jargon for a particular technological effect such as “RSS feeds”, if you’re not sure what it means, check the glossary we have provided.
What is Digital Development?
Digital development can involve some or all aspects of the technology in your organisation. The AmbITion approach encourages you to look at your technology needs on a “whole organisation” basis, rather than seeing things in isolation.
For example, if you are looking to develop a new website, it’s an opportunity for you to consider what your organisation does, who it’s audience is, and how you want to promote yourself through the internet. You might identify that staff need training, or that your IT network needs upgrading. You might be looking to make more of your content, such as video, available via the web, or to integrate your box office with your website.
Technology is primarily an enabler, that should help an arts organisation provide a better product, reach a wider audience, or explore new areas of work.
How the AmbITion Approach was Developed
The AmbITion approach brings together best practice in digital development, and applies it to the arts. Using best practice case studies from the sector, and consultants with experience of both digital development and the arts, the approach has been tested with a wide range of arts organisations – of all sizes, and across all art forms.
This experience and the lessons learnt from the arts organisations it has been piloted with provide a robust “toolkit” for any arts organisation wanting to “develop digitally.”
Who is it For?
The AmbITion approach was developed to be used across the arts sector, for any organisation or project that has a digital element to it.
We have made the approach practical and scalable so that it can be used on projects of different size, and across art forms. Whether you have little or no understanding of digital developments, or are a specialist, the approach offers you a toolkit and resources and templates to help you develop your projects successfully.
Getting Ready for AmbITion
Before you begin working through the AmbITion approach it’s probably a good idea to get ready to use it. It is likely that there has been a “driver” that has led you to consider developing digitally. You may have been asked to develop a business plan for your organisation or your funder may be encouraging “digital” applications. It might be that your organisation has already begun experimenting with digital technologies, or wants to begin doing so.
The AmbITion approach doesn’t expect you to be an “expert” or even to have the skills and experience around digital technology. Far more importantly, you should be wanting to learn about how technology can help your organisation, and have the “buy in” from management, staff and your board to begin exploring the opportunity.
Consider whether now is a good time to begin developing digitally. It will be an exciting journey, but will take up some of your time and other resources. Yet, if you plan it carefully, you’ll be surprised how it can transform your organisation.
Planning Your Project
The various steps of the AmbITion approach will take you through a project from start to finish. At this stage, you might want to start planning the outline of your project. Perhaps by allocating a member of staff to work on it, arranging a meeting, or bringing in some outside advice.
What’s Next?
You should now be ready to begin your digital development. Take time to familiarise yourself with the AmbITion approach, and take inspiration from the case studies, videos and other resources we have provided.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
