MCN 2026

Most digital projects don’t end with a bang. Instead, content slowly becomes outdated, snazzy features become obsolete, and the website redesign gets pushed back (again) due to budget cuts, which leaves users to rely on information that’s quietly wrong.

In this 45-minute talk, we’ll give real-world examples of the decision-making frameworks we’ve used to determine whether to “f***/marry/kill” a digital project and its content. Attendees will leave with criteria and key considerations for planning and sunsetting short-, medium-, and long-term projects, as well as guidance on managing stakeholder expectations along the way. They’ll also leave with the understanding that public trust isn’t just built by what we launch, but maintained by what we keep accurate, usable, and accessible.

Erin Cecele Dunigan will discuss Getty’s digital governance model and decision flowchart for determining whether a project should be a temporary bespoke website or a long-lasting digital Quire publication. Sarah Luken will discuss the loose framework she uses at the Corning Museum of Glass to decide when to build a short-term microsite or decade-long digital interactive. Mara Kurlandsky will discuss the process and rubric she created for conducting website content audits for her clients, which have included both small non-profits as well as large national museums.

Drawing from a variety of professional perspectives—from an independent contractor to a large museum with 1,200+ employees to a medium-sized arts organization—this talk will delve into the complexities of deciding when to maintain, archive, or sunset projects and content. Attendees will leave with actionable advice on setting manageable expectations, planning for the future, and getting stakeholders on board with the realities of a digital project’s finite lifespan.