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I agree with the many fine points raised by Eli, Eric, and Chuck.  In addition, I wrote a series of contracts for a client where the exhibit designer was a sub to the architect.  The museum is now open so I'll check back with them and see what wisdom they have to share about how the paradigm worked out and I'll post the results here.

My own experience runs the gamut from being on-staff as the project manager for getting a museum open, on-staff as the exhibits operation manager, and out-of-house as the project manager and Owner's Rep.  I have yet to encounter a project where bringing the exhibit designers on early was a mistake or waste of money; their contribution to the ultimate layout of the building and type of exhibit infrastructure required is generally invaluable.  With regards to Eric's comment about the architect charging a premium on managing the exhibit design firm as their sub, and about how that money could be spent on others managing the designers, let me add one other point of view -- if you don't have the expertise in-house, or the work does not require a full-time staff person, it can be dramatically more cost effective to bring in a project manager as a consultant.  You may get someone with more expertise than is available locally, and because you  control the size of their scope, you can utilize their input efficiently so as to reduce overall costs.


Barbara Punt
Punt Consulting Group
409 North PCH, Suite 326
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 937-3366
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When in Doubt…Punt!


>> On Jan 10, 2014, at 8:56 AM, Eli Kuslansky wrote:
>>> 
>>> I firmly believe that as much of the development team in place from
>>> inception is best. That includes not only the architect and exhibit
>>> designer but if feasible media producers. Many architects have their own
>>> agenda, style, varying knowledge of exhibit design and its requirements,
>>> and less so of media and technology requirements. Barbara Punt from Punt
>>> Consulting in LA would know a lot about this as she was an owner's rep and
>>> project manager on many of these types of projects. The advantages of
>>> having the two type of firm starting from the concept development phase
>>> offsets any disadvantages.
>>> 
>>> As a side note here is our post on this process model: http://bit.ly/1hDPppc




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