Multiple Personalities (Are Good)

Every exhibition and experience project team has multiple personalities. 

But that’s good.

The trick is creating an atmosphere that allows each to be themselves, permits conflicts to arise, and resolves them collegially.

Technical designers want to create consistency, with as few engineering drawings as possible to reduce errors. But story developers want to create surprises, pacing, and differences, not consistency for its own sake.

Exhibition developers want to remove barriers between visitors and collections, to increase accessibility and create wows. But registrars want to add barriers between visitors and collections, to protect the objects in their care.

(Side note: Therefore, usually technical designers don’t make good story developers. And registrars don’t make good exhibition developers. Usually.)

Multiple personalities create tension, because their goals are often directly opposed. But that tension is a byproduct of what’s needed. 

Teams shouldn’t suppress multiple personalities. It’s the opposite. Teams should create an environment that encourages each personality, and a framework for them to work together.

Here’s the thing:
Every project team has multiple personalities. But that’s good. 

The trick is establishing an atmosphere that allows each to be themselves, even when tensions arise.

Warmly,
Jonathan

P.S. Wait, did I mention the podcast?