Why we use CollectionSpace: How we built belong.dev by listening to customers
belong.dev Team
Architecture & Research
When we started thinking about belong.dev, we did not want to build another collections management system from the ground up. We wanted to understand what museums need and where there was an opportunity to make things better. That led us to CollectionSpace.
Starting with an established museum system
CollectionSpace is an open-source collections management system designed for museums and other collecting organisations. It provides tools for managing collection information and an API that allows other applications and services to work with the system. For us, this provided a strong starting point. Instead of recreating the fundamentals of collections management, we could focus on the parts of the experience where belong.dev could add value.
Listening to the people who use it
The product should start with a problem, not a list of features. By talking to customers and understanding how they work, we can learn what they need from their museum systems and where existing processes could be improved. Those conversations help shape the direction of belong.dev and the areas we choose to focus on. It also means we do not assume that every museum needs the same thing. We listen to the requirement first, then consider whether it is something we should build, improve or approach differently.
Building on what already works
Choosing CollectionSpace means we can build on an established open-source project rather than starting from zero. Its existing capabilities and API give us a foundation to work with while we focus our development on the experience we want to provide through belong.dev. The goal is not to rebuild everything that already works. It is to understand where we can add value and put our effort there.
Still listening
We see building belong.dev as an ongoing process. As we continue working with museums, their questions, feedback and changing needs can influence what we build next. That is ultimately why we use CollectionSpace. It gives us an established starting point, while listening to customers helps us decide where belong.dev can add value.
Build on what already works. Listen to what people need. Then build where it matters.
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