1. Museum Assessment Program: Public Dimension Assessment
Presentation given by Laura Ryan, Assistant Director, Museum Advancement & Excellence, Accreditation.
BC Museums Association Conference 2002
Rend Lake, IL
October 16-18, 2002

2. Today’s Objectives To answer the questions:
What is AAM’s Public Dimension Assessment?
“What’s in it for my museum?” Why do it?
“How can my museum start the process?”

3. MAP Stats MAP is 21 years old MAP has served over 3,800 museums
MAP has done over 5,000 assessments
49% of museums in 2001 had budgets under $250,000

4. MAP is: a process of Self-Study Peer Review
Comparing museum operations to
standards and best practices
Implementing recommendations

5. Characteristics of MAP
Collegial consultation
Not pass/fail
Tailored to meet the goals of each participating museum

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7. Some Uses of MAP Preparation for institutional planning
Evaluation of the museum by an incoming director
Preparation for AAM Accreditation
Response to major changes in the museum: expansion, move to a new building, loss of traditional income, desire to serve new audiences
Leverage support

8. MAP Assessments Four Assessments are currently available:
Institutional Assessment
Collections Management Assessment
Public Dimension Assessment
Governance Assessment (New in 2001!)

9. Public Dimension Assessment
Reviews the entire operations of the museum and how they serve the museum’s audience; looks at the organization from the outside in, while focusing on the public’s perception of, experience with, and involvement with the museum

10. Public Dimension Assessment Results
Understanding of the museum's image in the community
Improved service to the museum's current audience
Develop new markets or improving marketing
Increased community support for and participation in public activities
Better communication and cooperation with and between staff and board
Improved public programs

11. Elements of the MAP Process
Application
Self-Study
Peer Review
Implementation

12. Public Dimension Assessment
Readiness issues: Museum must have
Mission statement approved by the governing authority
Previous experience with self-study process (e.g. MAP, Accreditation, GOS application)
Institutional planning document approved by governing authority

13. The Process Find the Partners The Museum The Peer Reviewer
The MAP Staff

14. Forming the Assessment Team
You form an Assessment Team - a group of people who all have a vested interest in the success of the museum
Paid Staff
Board members
Volunteers
Community members

15. Participant Quote
“We thank you for MAP…It forced us to look at ourselves as we see us; and to see ourselves as you saw us.”
Kathy Fisher, Director, Furnace Town Historic Site

16. Self-Study Workbook Questionnaire Activities
helps you explore the operations of your organization, and compare them to standards and best practices in the field
Activities
designed to produce a different kind of learning than the Questionnaire. Enable you to assess your institution’s knowledge about its operations in action
Activities include:
Public Perception Activity
Public Experience Activity
Public Involvement Activities*
Focus Group
Community Meeting
Community Questionnaire
* Participants choose one of the three.

17. Time Allocation
The Self-Study Workbook will take the majority of your time during the assessment process.
Over 57% of museums participating in Public Dimension Assessment report dedicating five months or more to complete the Workbook

18. Phase 3: Peer Review
MAP staff help match you with two Peer Reviewers (MAP Surveyors);
Surveyors make a site visit;
Meet with the Assessment Team and other staff and members of the governing authority
Prepare an Assessment Report with recommendations and resources

19. Phase 4: Implementation
Form an Implementation Team
Review the self-study material and the Assessment Report
Integrate assessment results into your planning for the next one to three years
Set goals and measure progress

20. Revision of Public Dimension
In the fall of 2002, MAP staff, former MAP museums, peer reviewers, and members of the Museums & Community initiative at AAM will be working together to revise the Public Dimension Assessment Self-Study Workbook.
* Revision will incorporate findings from the Museums & Community Initiative
* New version will be available in 2003 (December 1, 2002 grant deadline)

21. MAP Availability: IMLS
Can be funded by grants available from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS.)
Grant deadline is December 1
Grants are non-competitive
Museums must meet IMLS eligibility criteria and satisfy MAP readiness issues
There is a small museum cost share ($ )

22. MAP Availability: Once is not Enough
New for previous grant recipients: Museums can get IMLS funding to do a MAP assessment a second time
Applicants must:
have received their previous award on or before September 1996
report on what actions have been taken to implement planning based on the previous assessment

23. MAP Availability: Fee-for-Service
Museums may pay for MAP with non-IMLS funds
IMLS eligibility criteria do not apply
MAP readiness issues do apply
Museums may start the program at any time

24. Participant Quote
“The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is a "poster-child" for the MAP. We took advantage of it and used the outcomes as steps on a ladder to success. MAP helped us redefine and reposition the museum...The cumulative findings and recommendations from these activities were essential in creating strategic, long-range plans and instrumental in the decision-making process for planning, designing, developing and building a new museum facility. I have 28 years of experience in the museum field, and I think that MAP is one of the best programs that exists anywhere.”
Peter Tirrell, Associate Director, SNOMNH

25.
AAM’s Web site