Increasing Our Reach: Developing a

Digital Content Engine at The Henry

Ford

Ellice Engdahl, Digital Collections & Content Manager

Network Detroit

September 30, 2016

@ErisuEEE

The Edison Institute, Founded 1929

Francis Jehl, Thomas Edison, President Herbert Hoover, and Henry Ford at Menlo Park Laboratory in Greenfield Village, 1929 (P.O.4556)

Five VenuesHenry Ford Museum

Greenfield Village

Benson Ford Research Center

Giant Screen Experience

Ford Rouge Factory Tour

Henry Ford Museum, 1953 (P.B.3002)

Old Car Festival, 1959 (2005.0.9.18)

• ~250,000 objects

• ~25 million archival

documents and photographs

• Historic audio and video

• 200+ objects on loan to

dozens of institutions

• ~21,700 artifacts on display

in Museum and Village (~5-

10% of non-archives

collection)

• More than 30 distinct

collections storage areas

totaling nearly 200,000 sq.

ft.

Eye Portrait, circa 1800 (61.151.40)

Our Collections:

“The Bottomless Pit of Wonderfulness”

Our Mission

The Henry Ford provides unique educational

experiences based on authentic objects, stories,

and lives from America’s traditions of ingenuity,

resourcefulness, and innovation. Our purpose is

to inspire people to learn from these traditions

to help shape a better future.

Digital Vision: 2020

• Embrace the Connected Consumer

– Deliver world class user experiences and

exclusive content to consumers on all screen

sizes and device types

• Drive Global Accessibility

– Curate digital-first content that effectively

blends with physical experience to drive

global access to America's most important

history collection

• Consumer Experience & Data Focused

– Cultivate a consumer experience focused and

data driven culture. Leverage data driven

insights to optimize a consumer experience

that effectively blends the physical and

digital worlds

• Monetization

– Leverage digital technology and distribution

models to optimize and create new and

innovative revenue streamsAdvertising Photograph, Model with 1979 Ford Mustang interior Door and Seat (88.400.52)

New Digital

Collections Interface

• Findable

• Responsive

• Robust

• User-friendly

• Improved backend

infrastructure

Artifact Cards

Explore

Skills

• Content strategy & program management

• Collections imaging (museum & archives)

• Web implementation

• Digital design

• Cataloging

• Collections management

• Content authoring & project management

• Conservation

• Video production

• Social media

Women Employees Receiving Approved Coverall Uniforms at

Willow Run Bomber Plant, 1942 (P.833.76946.F)

Process

• Idea generation

• Initial discussion

• SME follow-ups

• Idea finalization

• Content creation – by or

in collaboration with

SME(s)

• Content vetting – by or

in collaboration with

SME(s)

• Content publication

• Content distribution

1924 Ford Motor Company Institutional Message Advertising Campaign, "Organized Economies“ (64.167.19.601)

Content Types/Destinations for

Storytelling

• NEW

– Connect3 videos

– What If stories

– Exhibit stories

– Curating/Preserving stories

– On-the-floor digital kiosks

• REVAMPED

– Expert Sets

– Popular Research Topics

• EXISTING

– Other videos

– Blog posts

– Online exhibits (Google Arts &

Culture)

– Social media posts

– TV show episode pages

– On-the-floor digital kiosks

• FOUNDATIONAL

– *Digitization (can include 360˚ views,

narratives, extended narratives,

specs, etc)Grand Panorama of Cinderella, circa 1890 (59.48.2)

What

If?

Stories

Connect

3 Videos

Some Results So Far

• ~10% of our unique pageviews

March-August 2016 are for content

or Digital Collections pages

• 6% year over year growth in visits to

thf.org for July 2016

• 123% year over year growth in usage

of Digital Collections for July 2016

• Referrals from social and search

engines growing

• Rosa Parks What If is a top draw

• Low usage of Connect3s

Themes Made Visible

• Content takes more time &

staff than anyone might

think

• Much of our collection is not

as well-understood as we’d

like

• Collections content provides

opportunities

• Our collections really are the

“bottomless pit of

wonderfulness”

• We have many institutional

messaging needs

• Analyze, analyze, analyze

• Our collections are the root

of our institutionBoys in Brooklyn Children's Museum, 1899-1915 (32.351.38)

Thank you!

Ellice EngdahlDigital Collections & Content Manager, The Henry Ford

@ErisuEEE