Month: September 2020

Yes, Data Driven Decision Making. But What Data Is Important?

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There is a big push, correctly, for arts organizations to employ data driven decision-making processes. However, not all data is of equal value. Colleen Dilenschneider recently made a good post separating data into diagnostic metrics, key performance indicators and vanity metrics. The most valuable data for an organization is key performance indicators (KPIs). Most data points are diagnostic metrics which, while valuable, support KPIs rather than measure progress toward organizational goals. Vanity metrics make you look impressive, especially in front of your governing board, but are not really useful in measuring the … Read more

The Data Doesn’t Lie

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Now is a great time to dig into some data and use it to inform your fundraising and communications campaigns. Here are some recent reports which might be helpful: Culture Track: Culture + Community In A Time Of Crisis Key Findings With lead funding from The Wallace Foundation and Barr Foundation, and additional support from Art Bridges and The Terra Foundation for American Art, Slover Linett Audience Research and LaPlaca Cohen have collaborated on a national research and strategy initiative to support the cultural sector and help strengthen communities around the U.S. during and after this COVID-19 crisis. 2020 Nonprofit Benchmarks A collection of … Read more

Please Don’t Ignore Me! Rethinking How We Design For Attention

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In an age where arts organizations are learning how to re-engage patrons with remote activity, it never hurts to reexamine what we take for granted. To that end, there’s a fantastic article by Victor Yocco at SmashingMagazine.com that provides exactly the sort of perspective our field can benefit from when engaging digital initiatives. Out of the gate, Yocco does a good job at framing the discussion by reviewing two sub-types of attention that are most applicable to these efforts: Transient Attention This type of attention is brief, perhaps even thought of as … Read more