Successfully managing capital projects

Written by Bill Ferris OBE DL, with thanks to Artelia. Based on the experience of the AIM Biffa Award National Heritage Landmark Partnership Scheme Projects

Capital projects that involve heritage sites and buildings, frequently face unexpected challenges and more uncertainty than normal projects. Managing these, alongside all the ‘normal’ challenges of a capital project is a significant undertaking.

The organisations supported by AIM Biffa Award learnt a great deal about project management in the course of their work and this guide shares some of that learning.

Capital projects are exhilarating, exhausting, exciting, demanding and all consuming! For most organisations the project is a
means to an end not an end in itself.

Alongside delivering the capital project you will be researching and preparing your collections for new exhibitions, fundraising, developing new marketing materials, planning new ways of delivering your operations etc. so that when the
contractors move out, the “home team” is ready to make a success of the finished project. Doing all of this, and possibly
keeping your museum open throughout, is extremely demanding – but this guide will help make sure you will have the people and budgets you need to make a success of your completed project.

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