Phase 2: Concept Development

From this point until opening day, the team will meet weekly, with the project manager setting meeting agendas and serving as the designated point of contact for all other Departments, and for all outside partners.

The team includes at least one staff member from each Division:

• Exhibition Project Manager 

• Exhibition Developer 

• Exhibition Designer 

• Graphic Designer

• Production Supervisor/Manager

As well as one or more Content Advisors—Research and Collections staff members from the Museum, guest content advisors from other museums or institutions, or Co-curators consisting of individuals or groups from outside community organizations.

Depending on the nature of the project, additional staff will participate at various points in the process and at different levels of involvement. The Extended Team may include:

• Exhibitions Registrar

• Mount Shop Supervisor

• Exhibitions Conservator

• Digital Project Manager

• Media Producer

• Interactives Producer

• Traveling Exhibitions Manager, Sales

• Traveling Exhibitions Manager, Operations

• Traveling Exhibitions Production Supervisor

The Design and Media division is learning about the content, seeing some of the proposed objects, and learning about the stories and experience goals that Developers wish to create. They research sources of inspiration, and respond in the team setting to the proposed experiential goals with specific ideas for spaces, media, and/or graphics that could accomplish the established goals. They start to understand and explore the tone, voice, narrative structure, as well as star objects and potential spatial organization, based on draft materials from the Developers, planning to adapt these to the possibilities given by the physical space. They start to share ideas with the team to propose a “look and feel” for the exhibition.

The Development division...

The Planning division remains closely involved during concept development to ensure the interests of collaborating partners and potential venues are kept in mind.

Operations is closely involved with development and curators, making sure they are on task and moving towards this phase's milestones. Additionally, they are looking toward the future to make sure everything is in place to move into the core team process and are setting the schedule, refining the original budget, and working with internal and external stakeholders.

The Production division:  As information is shared, Production (Production Director, Production Manager, and Mount shop Supervisor) will begin to refine the SOV.  They will start to plan on what types of cases and componentry will be needed. They will look into any unusual ideas or concepts and look for ways to include them.  Plan for any heavy or large objects or components that may need special attention. They will call out any concepts that may violate building code.