Task Analysis
March 2019 - Ongoing
Our Task Analysis first addressed and walked through the steps staff members take to conduct their art information-related tasks. We need to understand the trigger or reason as to why they began the task and what is their end goal. We also need to gather the fine details of their workflow, such as what platforms are being used or if they need to contact other staff members to successfully achieve that goal. Other details we look for include the process of their search; whether they are successful in that search; is there a place where they put their newly found information, and what does that workflow entail; and, most importantly, what challenges are encountered which inhibit or complicate the completion of the task. Going through this analysis reveals common and systemic pain points, habits, and tasks. This informed what tools or strategies we developed for our prototype and what work we ask our taxonomist and consultants to conduct, iterate, and refine. It allowed us to prioritize solutions that improve the workflow for our staff and access to our institution-wide content, all in accordance with the goals of the Art Information Commons.
Now that we are in the prototype phase, we continue the collection of such information, but have been actively including the research we gathered from past task analysis.
The Art Information Commons at the Philadelphia Museum of Art has been made possible by the Mellon Foundation.
