Our free report will help you develop a strategy and avoid common pitfalls in the software selection process.
Museums, art galleries, historical societies, universities, cultural institutions, and private collectors need to keep track of the collections in their care, and most of them do so by using some form of collections management system (CMS).
A new CMS should enable you to more efficiently use and manage your collections – and it should also open doors to better ways of bringing the full value of your collections to light for your organization.
Getting started in the process of selecting a new CMS can be overwhelming. However, taking extra time now for planning and evaluation of potential solutions will result in a smoother transition to a new system.
To help get you started, we’ve prepared a free report: “Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Museum Collections Management System.”
This report illustrates the most common mistakes people make when selecting a new CMS solution and provides additional tips to keep in mind during the selection process.
As collections management consultants, History Associates frequently collaborates with clients and software developers to introduce or upgrade existing CMS solutions. In our experience, the most effective changeovers begin with a structured and coordinated system selection process.
Our report details some of the mistakes we’ve seen, including this very common one:
Mistake #1: Evaluating systems before establishing your requirements.
There are dozens of CMS options, hundreds of functions and applications, and limitless possibilities for customization. Don’t panic –and don’t assume that you need a comprehensive review or evaluation of every system on the market.
“Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Museum Collections Management System” explains how to start with an in-house needs assessment before contacting vendors or looking into system specifics.
Click the cover to download a PDF of this guide
Download this report and you’ll avoid these common mistakes:
- Evaluating systems before establishing your requirements
- Selecting a CMS without thoroughly testing it
- Buying expensive new hardware first and then looking for a CMS
- Unknowingly limiting the scope and function of your CMS
- Assuming that a CMS will be compatible with your organization’s other software
- Launching into a CMS development project without considering the “hidden” time and costs
- Not taking your organization’s IT policies and restrictions into account
- Failing to address data inconsistencies
- Deferring addressing data standards until after you get the new system set up
- Selecting your CMS without learning from others who’ve been through the process
