A user centered approach to designing, building,
  and implementing a

Digital Asset Management System

for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
      
Thoreau Lovell
Margo Dunlap
Joanna Plattner

IS213 
Spring 2001

 

project home page

Interview Summary

Interview Participant: Tim
Title: Production Manager, Interactive Educational Technologies
Department: Education Department
Interviewer Margo Dunlap
Date 02/07/01

 

Overview:

Tim oversees the digitizing and image processing for multimedia projects. His work immerses him in data management. He describes a "heavy" emphasis of his work is tracking information on image production. Tim does not differentiate between using images and creating images in his work.

Background:

  • 2 years @ SFMOMA

    • -1 year as Production Manager, IET
    -1 year as intern
    -Contracted work on image processing and design, and worked on UI for museum intranet

  • BA in painting and sculpture
  • On the job training for design
  • Takes night classes at SF State in Multimedia Studies

Image Creation:

  • 20% on image creation from transparencies
  • Images created for editorial and production work
  • Editorial staff determines image need based on program content; generates list of images needed

Example: Exhibition "Points of Departure": Works from permanent collection rarely seen

Challenges:

  • Most pieces stored off-site
  • items never been photographed or photographed in poor environment resulting in poor quality prints

Goal: Produce accompanying multimedia presentation for exhibit

Workflow:

  • Peter Samis, Susie, Peter Stevenson meet with exhibit curators and writers to identify featured images
  • Generate list
  • List forwarded to Registration Department and Graphic Study

    • -Registration maintains informal collection of transparencies
    -Graphic Study maintains photograph collection

  • For unavailable images, IET support staff researches outside source
  • Tim scans available transparencies or photographs
  • Tim evaluates quality of raw digital image. -quality can be rescued by modifications in photoshop

Image Processing:

  • Capture from transparency using scanner-24 bit color, maximize capture (based on subjective interpretation of general image prinicples); concern for color fidelity
  • Always corrected-color, mathematics (balance b/w)
  • No written standards for making multiple versions (staff trained hands-on)

Documentation:

  • Request for images
  • Surrogate logged (Successful requests yield corresponding surrogate )
  • Record for raw scans saved in FileMaker
  • New model for documentation [Handout] "May change in a couple of months"
  • Flexibility in documentation practices-changes according to needs of staff

File Naming:

  • Artist truncated, title truncated
  • Metadata associated with surrogate-operator date filename

Image Use:

  • Images reproduced in programs for kiosks, cd-roms, and web content
  • Programs authored by entire group

Goal: Present works in accessible, engaging manner. "Works demand a context" Concern for contextualization.

Endnote: Tim is enthusiastic about his work. He is inspired by his working environment and learns from others. He works cooperatively within his work group.

 

 

*documentation provided by participant