Cosmic Cosmic CollectionsCollections

Questions...Questions... If we built an API, would anyone use it?If we built an API, would anyone use it?CCan you really crowdsource the creation of collections an you really crowdsource the creation of collections interfaces?interfaces?

MashupsMashups combine data from one or more sources combine data from one or more sourcesand/or data and visualisation tools such as mapsand/or data and visualisation tools such as mapsor timelines.or timelines.

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are a way for APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are a way for one machine to talk to another:one machine to talk to another:

‘‘Hi Bob, I’d like a list of objects from you, and hey, Alice, Hi Bob, I’d like a list of objects from you, and hey, Alice, could you draw me a timeline to put the objects on?’could you draw me a timeline to put the objects on?’

What if you had a party and nobody came?What if you had a party and nobody came?

AKA ‘the fears and how to deal with them’AKA ‘the fears and how to deal with them’

•Acknowledge those fearsAcknowledge those fears•Plan for the worst case scenarioPlan for the worst case scenario•Take a deep breath and do it anywayTake a deep breath and do it anyway

What did we learn?What did we learn?

People need (more) help to participate in a geektastic People need (more) help to participate in a geektastic project like thisproject like thisThe dynamics of a competition are trickyThe dynamics of a competition are trickyMashups are shaped by the data provided - you get Mashups are shaped by the data provided - you get out what you put in out what you put in

Can we help people bring their own content Can we help people bring their own content to a future mashup?to a future mashup?

““More of this kind of thing! Museums are supposed to More of this kind of thing! Museums are supposed to be publically accessible resources for the enrichment be publically accessible resources for the enrichment and education of humanity. Their knowledge and data and education of humanity. Their knowledge and data should be too and this was a great step!" should be too and this was a great step!"

"giving a tough-to-reach community real ownership of "giving a tough-to-reach community real ownership of the museum project"the museum project"

"The very idea of the "The very idea of the competition was competition was

awesome"awesome"

Tim Berners-Lee: “The thing people are amazed about with the web is

that, when you put something online, you don’t know who is going to use it—but it does get used.”

Tim Berners-Lee: “The thing people are amazed about with the web is

that, when you put something online, you don’t know who is going to use it—but it does get used.”

But: It doesn’t happen automatically

It’s not a magic bullet

Using the feedback to focus and Using the feedback to focus and improve collection-wide APIimprove collection-wide API

Adding other forms of machine-Adding other forms of machine-readable datareadable data

Connecting with data from your Connecting with data from your collections?collections?

Thank youThank youJoin in at http://museum-api.pbworks.com/Join in at http://museum-api.pbworks.com/More at http://openobjects.blogspot.com/ or @mia_outMore at http://openobjects.blogspot.com/ or @mia_out

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" new landscapes but in having new eyes"

Marcel ProustMarcel Proust

Image credits: Nasa, Science Museum. Tim Berners-Lee quote Image credits: Nasa, Science Museum. Tim Berners-Lee quote http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2010/01/mash-the-state/ http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2010/01/mash-the-state/ Full paper online at http://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/papers/ridge/ridge.html