chris michaels: what does data mean to me
TRANSCRIPT
What does data mean for me?
Chris Michaels
Head of Digital & Publishing
The British Museum
A confession…
Growing up data was not my friend. Books were.
Then I made some websites…
… and I started to see the opportunity.
Then I went back to books…
… and I forgot all about it. Data didn't matter, only sales.
Then I made apps.
… and I got it. It wasn't about the content.
It was about the improvements data made possible.
… And then the publishers got it.
… they were desperate to know what I knew.
… And now the cultural sector needs to get it
Because we have so much we just don't know.
.
… My dream: The Cultural Sector 2020
… A Datavore getting ready to emerge?
The conditions for change are clear…
Political:Government focus on and
investment in data
Economic:Need to improve efficiency and unlock hidden value
streams
Technological:Incredible platforms, and
elastic pricing
Social:Growing cultural
expectation of open information and 'data-
driven' news
Legal:Changing face of privacy
Environmental:Rise of smart cities and
internet-driven efficiencies
So why does it matter for the British Museum?
It's the key pillar of our Digital mission.
We're using mobile, social and big data…
… to fulfill our founding mission.
So today opens a dialogue…
… and shows what's possible
But if it's just about today
… it doesn't matter. Make it matter.
So that's your mission:
Make data matter.
It's up to all of us to change the sector.