Modern museum management requires the continuous pursuit of efficiency and innovation. One major way to gain efficiency is through shared resources. As financial resources constrict, many institutions are looking beyond traditional, isolated operational models.
For museum professionals acutely aware of budget constraints and the pressure to do more with less, the adoption of shared software systems is one strategy to consider. From managing vast collections and digital assets to handling the complex needs of modern ticketing and memberships, centralized technology may offer a new era of operational synergy.
However, this foray into creative partnership holds some significant minefields to navigate. This post will explore the core benefits and tricky challenges of embracing a shared software approach.
What Types of Software Systems Can Be Shared?
When considering this partnership approach, it can be helpful to have a few examples in mind. Sharing software can include the specialty-based Collections Management Systems and Digital Asset Management Systems we need to provide care and access to collections; as well as more commonly used enterprise platforms.
The Benefits: Buying Power
The most immediate and tangible benefit is financial. By sharing a platform, museums can leverage economies of scale that are simply unavailable to individual institutions, particularly smaller or mid-sized ones.
This translates to greater buying power and securing more favorable licensing terms for robust enterprise software that might otherwise be prohibitively expensive. Think of it as “doing more with more”.
Furthermore, a consolidated IT strategy prevents redundant software purchases and maintenance contracts across multiple departments or institutions.
The Benefits: Shared Expertise and Streamlined Workflows
Technology is only as effective as the people running it. In a shared model, a single team of technology professionals can manage the system for multiple “tenants” or departments.
This promotes a shared expertise environment, allowing institutions to access specialized IT and systems management skills that might be too expensive to hire full-time for one museum. Implementing shared software systems can also support streamlined workflows and help break down data silos that often plague museums.
The results are better working processes and improved system use and functionality.
The benefits at-a-glance are:
- Cost efficiency
- Greater buying power
- Shared expertise
- Streamlined workflows
- Improved system use and functionality
The Challenges: Tenant Isolation and Security Failures
Despite the clear advantages, the implementation of shared software can introduce complex problems that, if unaddressed, can quickly become untenable. A critical technical challenge in cloud-based, multi-tenant environments is ensuring tenant isolation.
If this separation fails, data from one museum could theoretically be accessed by another, leading to a breach of sensitive information or intellectual property. Security configurations and access controls become complex to manage, requiring strict protocols to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.
The Challenges: Loss of Control and Customization
Ability to customize and configure software depends on the sophistication or level of software procured. When customization or configuration options are available it can be difficult to arrive at shared decisions when attempting to meet partner museum software requirements and preferences.
The shared platform approach can lead to a loss of configuration control for individual users or departments. Changes beneficial to one museum might be detrimental to another, leading to conflicts over priorities.
This often results in limited customization, forcing museums to adapt their unique, mission-driven processes to fit the software’s structure, rather than the other way around.
The Challenges: Implementation Complexity and Potential Misuse
Implementing a comprehensive enterprise system is a massive undertaking, requiring significant investment in licensing, hardware, and staff training. Complex implementations can put additional strain on staff, who must support unfamiliar technologies without the help of additional personnel.
There’s also the risk of potential misuse or improper configuration, which can happen when managing configuration settings becomes difficult without a clear strategy or adequate training.
The challenges at-a-glance are:
- Tenant isolation doesn’t exist or fails
- Loss of configuration control
- Limited customization
- Complex implementations
- Potential misuse
Meeting Your Museum’s Mission Through Partnerships
Adopting shared software systems is a powerful move toward a more efficient and more financially sound museum. With understanding and strategic planning for both the substantial benefits and the profound challenges outlined above, museum professionals can leverage creative partnerships to secure robust software systems—systems that can streamline museum operations and make it easier to meet their mission.
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