Community Case Study: Museum Professionals скачать в хорошем качестве

Community Case Study: Museum Professionals

What if the reason your conference feels forgettable isn’t the quality of the speakers—but the lack of real connection between the people in the room? In this episode of Community Case Studies, host Seth Resler talks with Max Evjen, a museum technologist and longtime board member of the Museum Computer Network (MCN), about how one of the oldest professional communities in the museum world has quietly been getting community right for decades. MCN is a nonprofit professional community for museum workers who use technology across education, interpretation, marketing, fundraising, and collections. Its mission hasn’t changed much since the 1960s: help museum professionals grow their digital capacity by connecting them to ideas, proven practices, and—most importantly—to each other. In this conversation, Max breaks down how that mission actually shows up on the ground. You’ll hear how MCN: Prioritizes connection over content, designing conferences where relationships matter more than slide decks Clearly separates its shared mission from its business purpose, and why that clarity matters Creates embers like “I found my people,” psychological safety, and a genuine desire to contribute Uses mentorship, onboarding, and feedback loops to help members move from newcomers to leaders Engineers the conditions for serendipity—moments where unexpected collaborations lead to real-world impact You’ll also hear why MCN members repeatedly step up—volunteering time, sharing expertise, and even financially supporting the organization—not because they’re asked to, but because they believe in what the community stands for. If you’re running conferences that people attend once and never return to—or building a community that looks healthy on paper but struggles to create real relationships—this episode offers a clear model for what to do differently. Listen for how MCN designs its spaces, rituals, and feedback loops—and consider which of those ideas you could borrow for your own community. The Museum Computer Network: https://mcn.edu/ ---- SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... SUBSCRIBE ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kdkhJj... ---- Want community building tips? Subscribe to my email newsletter: https://www.communitymarketingrevolut... ---- 00:05 Introduction and Welcome to Community Case Studies 01:31 Understanding the Museum Computer Network (MCN) 03:03 How Technology Shapes Museum Collaboration 04:34 Building Community Through Shared Values 06:04 Inside MCN’s Nonprofit Operations and Board Work 07:42 Creating Digital and In-Person Spaces for Connection 09:20 Using Slack, Zoom, and Basecamp to Stay Connected 10:54 Why MCN Made Membership Free for Everyone 12:25 Conference Funding and Community-Driven Support 13:54 How the MCN Conference Model Evolved Post-Pandemic 15:36 The Shift to Museum-Hosted Events and Collaboration 17:08 Listening to Members Through Surveys and Town Halls 18:45 Reviving the Mentorship Program and Member Growth 20:22 Building a Welcoming Space for New Members 22:00 Designing Conferences for Meaningful Human Connection 23:38 The Power of Serendipity and Collaboration at Events 25:14 Measuring Community Success with Data and Feedback 26:49 Balancing Quantitative and Qualitative Insights 28:24 Advice for Building Mission-Driven Communities 30:02 Closing Thoughts and How to Learn More About MCN