Skab positiv forandring med unge og deres fællesskaber
Ressourcer
For at sikre, at du kan få fuld gavn af de indsigter, der blev delt under webinaret, har vi samlet en række ressourcer, som du kan dykke ned i:
Webinaroptagelse: Se eller gense hele webinaret, hvor Alice Bednarova deler sine erfaringer og strategier inden for digitalt design og publikumsengagement. Optagelsen giver dig mulighed for at se eller gense de vigtigste diskussioner og tage noter i dit eget tempo.
Slides: Få adgang til slides. Slidesene indeholder centrale punkter og visuelle eksempler, der understøtter hendes tilgang til digital innovation og publikumsudvikling.
Interview med Alice Bednarova: Læs det dybdegående interview, hvor Alice bliver interviewet af BARCs communityansvarlige, Thore Davies, og går nærmere ind på sin baggrund som UX/UI-designer og hendes arbejde med kulturinstitutioner som V&A og appen EASE. Interviewet giver et eksklusivt indblik i hendes tankegang og metoder.
Takeaways fra webinaret: En kortfattet opsummering af de vigtigste læringspunkter fra webinaret, perfekt til dig, der ønsker et hurtigt overblik eller en opfriskning af emnerne, der blev dækket.
Alle disse ressourcer er designet til at hjælpe dig med at implementere de praktiske strategier og metoder, Alice delte, i dine egne projekter eller din institution.
Takeways
Alice Bednarova, en erfaren produkt- og oplevelsesdesigner, delte værdifulde indsigter under vores seneste webinar, som fokuserede på publikumsudvikling og engagement i kultursektoren. Her er nogle af de vigtigste takeaways:
Digitale værktøjer: Alice understregede potentialet i digitale værktøjer til at støtte unge mennesker og lokalsamfund. Hun fremhævede, hvordan disse værktøjer kan designes til at fremme kreativitet, forbedre mental trivsel og skabe sociale forbindelser.
Brugercentreret design: Et centralt tema i Alices arbejde er vigtigheden af brugerundersøgelser. Ved at forstå behovene og oplevelserne hos forskellige målgrupper kan kulturinstitutioner skabe digitale oplevelser, der virkelig resonerer og har en varig effekt.
Effektmåling: Alice diskuterede sin brug af impact frameworks til at evaluere effektiviteten af engagementstrategier. Disse rammer hjælper med at indsamle både kvalitative og kvantitative data, som er afgørende for at finjustere programmer og vise deres værdi overfor interessenter.
Publikumsengagement uden for museet: En af Alices nøglestrategier er at tage kulturprogramlægningen ud af de traditionelle museumsrammer for at nå et bredere publikum. Ved at møde folk, hvor de er—enten i digitale rum eller i deres lokalsamfund—kan institutioner opbygge stærkere og mere meningsfulde forbindelser.
Case studier fra førende kulturinstitutioner: Alice delte eksempler fra sit arbejde med anerkendte institutioner som V&A, hvor hun udviklede programmer, der ikke blot engagerer, men også styrker unge målgrupper og den interne samtale i institutionerne. Disse cases er værdifulde eksempler på, hvordan man effektivt kan integrere publikumsindsigter i programlægningen.
Mental sundhed: Alice introducerede EASE-appen, et digitalt værktøj designet til at give unge mennesker øjeblikkelig adgang til kreative aktiviteter og mental sundhedsstøtte - meget á la de samtaler der lige nu finder sted om Kulturpasset. Denne indsats viser kraften i at kombinere kulturelle oplevelser med sundhedsressourcer og tilbyder en holistisk tilgang til publikumsengagement.
Arbejde med marginaliserede grupper: Webinaret berørte også udfordringerne ved at engagere underrepræsenterede grupper, såsom dem fra udsatte områder eller dem, der ikke typisk besøger museer. Alices tilgang involverer at opbygge tillid og relationer gennem konsekvent, fællesskabscentreret programlægning.
Delt ejerskab: Partnerskaber er nøglen til succes: Alice fremhævede vigtigheden af samarbejde mellem kulturinstitutioner og eksterne partnere, såsom universiteter og velgørenhedsorganisationer. Disse partnerskaber kan forbedre rækkevidden og effektiviteten af digitale initiativer, så de er relevante og effektfulde.
Styrkelse af den næste generation: En væsentlig del af Alices arbejde er dedikeret til at styrke unge mennesker. Ved at involvere dem i designprocessen og give dem platforme til at få deres stemmer hørt, kan kulturinstitutioner sikre, at deres programmer både er inkluderende og fremadskuende.
Disse takeaways giver en omfattende oversigt over, hvordan digitale værktøjer og brugercentreret design kan drive positiv social forandring med unge og deres fællesskaber i kultursektoren. For mere detaljerede indsigter vil webinaroptagelsen og relaterede ressourcer snart være tilgængelige på vores hjemmeside.
Interview: Alice Bednarova
By Thore Davies, Partner & Advisor, BARC Scandinavia

Photo: © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Can you share how your experience as a UX and UI Designer and museum producer has shaped your approach to creating digital tools that support youth and communities?
I worked as a creative producer in the V&A’s Learning Department for several years before transitioning to a freelance role as a product and experience designer where I continue to build on my audience engagement experience designing impactful digital products and experiences. From my experience, I know how much of a potential museums have to drive positive impact in their communities and I know that digital tools, if used correctly, can accelerate this. My design process is guided by audience insights so the final experience is not imposed onto the audiences but rather, it's born through open consultations where audiences share their lived experience and pain points and stay involved throughout the entire design process and beyond.

How will your work with the EASE app help tackle critical societal issues? Can you give us an example of how you hope a specific feature in the app will make a difference?
The EASE app is a responsive web application that provides instant access to creative engagement and mental health support for young people without any waiting time (common issue in the UK). We are currently working with our university research partners to secure funding for further research, full development, and the app's launch.Through its events search feature, EASE will link young people with museum and other cultural institution offerings, providing opportunities to be creative, socialise, and enhance their mental health through cultural engagement. EASE empowers young people to take control of their recovery journey, which, according to our research, is extremely important to them. The app offers verified resources to help users learn about and improve their mental health, breaking down common misconceptions and misinformation found online. Additionally, EASE community orientated feature called ‘circles’ facilitates peer-to-peer support and socialisation by connecting users with others in similar situations or with similar interests, helping to combat loneliness.
You have worked with recognised institutions such as the V&A. How have these collaborations influenced your approach to audience relations, especially with young people?
I think the most inspiring thing about working with the V&A Young People’s team is about the V&A recognising that we have a lot to learn from young people. Young people have their own lived experiences, perspectives and knowledge that we may not have and we mustn't discredit their experience. We need to listen to what they say about their needs, how they feel and what matters to them. It's very important to consider working with young people as an exchange where YPs are empowered but being given the agency to genuinely be themselves, make their own decisions, share ideas and explore their potential.

Photo: © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
How do you use user research to understand your different audience groups and how do you translate these insights into effective design strategies?
I think the approach always needs to be very audience-specific. For example, when working with audiences who wouldn’t typically visit a museum—such as families from deprived areas or young people who only visited museums during obligatory school trips. These individuals might not see museums as places for them. In such cases, I would reach out directly to charity partners embedded within these communities, such as children’s centres or youth clubs. By meeting communities in their own settings, listening to what they have to say, and establishing trust, we can slowly build ongoing relationships.Insights gained from these interactions would directly inform future programming aimed at these particular audiences. We would return to these communities to test our products or programs, ensuring they understand the importance of their input. If appropriate, we would invite them to the launch, participate in facilitating the programmes and otherwise maintaining the relationship moving forward.A great example of this approach is the V&A’s initiative, where they recruit young people who are paid the London Living Wage and actively involve them in programming, exhibitions, and supporting youth events. This fosters a sense of ownership and relevance among young participants, making the museum experience more inclusive and engaging.
In the project 'Make Space with V&A East' you worked closely with young people. What are some of the most pressing needs that you have identified and how have you worked to address them?
The Make Space programme is an outreach programme to connect with communities of young people in 4 east London boroughs to establish trust and support them to be able to use the museum as a resource once it opens in 2025. The team has consulted local youth groups about the most pressing needs in these particular communities which mainly concern access to save space where they can come and socialise with their peers, finish their homework, get advice on their creative projects, develop their creativity and creative confidence with professional creatives and access career advice. This is what we are trying to achieve in Make Space.

Can you share an experience from your projects where digital technology really made a positive change for a group of people?
I had always been deeply interested in how museums can serve their communities more directly and relevantly. My MA dissertation focused on this topic, though it wasn't concerned with digital means at the time. The most eye-opening experience I had with using digital technology to make a positive impact was as V&A Learning Producer during the UK national lockdown due to the Covid pandemic.Before the pandemic, we held regular digital workshops every holiday, but these were more about having a digital presence rather than being the most impactful way of engaging our audience. During the lockdown, however, all museums had to close their doors, and similarly, schools shut down. Families, including young people, found their lives suddenly constrained within the walls of their homes. In response, there was a huge need for creative activities that families could do at home using materials and digital means they had available. We managed to recycle a large amount of on-site programming to work online, offering digital workshops, creative drop-in sessions, and other activities. The response was hugely positive, with people from around the world, including Japan, Singapore, Canada, and Argentina, expressing that these sessions brought much needed joy and quality time to their families during such hard times.
How do you see the future of digital products and services in the cultural sector, especially when it comes to creating social change?
Many trends are emerging in digital technology for museums, and we can expect this to grow in the coming years. Digital technology offers huge potential for museums, including increased accessibility, enhanced engagement, democratization of culture, education and awareness, sustainability, and more. However, no organization needs to "do it all" or "know it all" if it’s not right for their audiences. Organizations should focus on their audience's needs and how digital technology can support them.Engaging audiences through digital means in the cultural sector is still in its infancy, meaning we are all beginners learning as we go. It is crucial to embrace this beginner's mindset, being transparent about our mistakes, accepting that what we produce won’t be perfect, and sharing our experiences with the wider community. Organizations shouldn’t fear going digital due to inexperience. Collaboration is hugely important in this area. Cultural institutions should partner with external experts who have the necessary know-how and audience data, such as digital specialists, universities, community centers, or other cultural institutions.
What advice would you give to cultural institutions that want to improve their engagement with young people through digital tools?
I think firstly, it is really important to first see what issues or needs you are trying to tackle for young people in your community and establish how your institution specifically can help with this and how this fits into your mission and long term strategy. Secondly, before starting any digital project you need to be sure that digital is the best way to tackle those needs and that in-person experience wouldn't work better. Despite being a digital designer, I don’t necessarily believe that technology is the answer to everything and we should learn to prioritize personal experience and use digital to enhance personal experience or to enable access that wouldn't be otherwise possible. Using digital means when engaging with young people is often easier than we think - they are digital natives and feel very comfortable with digital technology so it’s less about imposing digital technology on your audiences but rather seeing how young people use tech today and how this could be replicated for impactful engagement. Also, don’t try to guess, just discuss this with your community and they will be happy to tell you.
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