Visioning

Whether you’re planning a brand-new museum or re-inventing an established institution, a visioning process is an effective way to mobilize ideas, energy, and support. Focused sessions, facilitated by Alice Parman, bring together a diverse group of insiders, stakeholders, and community members.

First Alice researches your institution’s history, current situation, and critical issues. A daylong meeting energizes and unifies participants, through brainstorming, analysis, and dialogue about exhibit renewal and institutional identity. Alice captures the proceedings on large sheets of newsprint, and provides a detailed, well-organized meeting summary.

Alice’s next step is development of a forthright and imaginative visioning document. Tailored to your needs and resources, this substantive report includes

  • a detailed, useful analysis of your situation and prospects
  • an energizing and creative framework for interpretation
  • realistic, doable organizational and fundraising strategiesrecommended next steps
  • recommended next steps

Your review and comments are the basis for a revised document. If you wish, your team can share the vision more widely in an optional town hall meeting, also facilitated by Alice. At your request, Alice can also conduct focus groups and other evaluation studies to add further information and substance to the vision document.

Interpretive master planning

How do visitors experience your museum? What ideas and values do you want to convey? What is your institution’s unique identity in the community? Who are your actual and potential partners? Who are your current and potential audiences? Interpretive master planning looks at the total museum experience through visitors’ eyes.

Site visits, in-depth meetings with your planning committee, and extensive research, along with optional focus groups and town meetings, are ingredients that make the interpretive master plan an invaluable fundraising, planning, and communications tool for institutional and exhibit renewal.

A detailed analysis of your museum from the visitor’s point of view results in a comprehensive interpretive master plan:

  • an approach to interpretation tailored to your needs and resources
  • a compelling narrative walkthrough of exhibits and visitor experiences
  • recommendations for marketing, programming, visitor services, regional partnerships, and other topics pertinent to your situation
  • optional evaluation studies to find out what visitors know about your subject matter, what they want to know, and what misconceptions and stereotypes may need to be corrected.

Alice collaborates with designers to develop visual and informational elements:

  • schematic diagram showing visitor flow through your building/site
  • target budget
  • sample design/production schedule
  • optional artist’s renderings of proposed exhibits
  • optional presentation document

Alice works with designers selected by you; or if you wish, she can recommend highly qualified professionals in your region.


© Alice Parman, Ph.D., 2004-2009. All rights reserved.