What’s the project?

An exciting project i’ll ship this year is to extend the size of Bristol Museum & Art Gallery shop (by removing the stockroom to gain 20%), introducing new fittings (better flexible bays) and align the ‘feel’ to our brand. The constraints are that it must happen in-between exhibitions, cost no more than £30,000 (thanks BMDT for the funding) and address the issues that removing 20% of stockroom entails! Here are a bunch of photos of the current shop for reference.

When does it ship?

We’re currently reviewing tender submissions but it MUST happen before the summer holidays. Once we’ve awarded the contract I’ll be more loose-lipped I promise. I can promise the team that we’ll be burning the candle at both ends to get all the stock back into the shop and get it looking sweet.

Who is responsible for shipping it?

I take responsibility for the delivery of this project. It won’t be possible however without the support of the retail team – Sue, Julie, Helen, Jane and the great extended “casual pool”, Retail Thinking consultancy, Darren, James, Rowan and David. I’ll be roping in more people throughout the project so apologises if I haven’t named you here.

What are you afraid of?

Unforeseen delays to the schedule. The period in-between exhibitions is fleeting and a delay can result in the project being kicked into touch by up to 16 weeks at a time YIKES!
Removing the stockroom is bold but also scary. The new design must ensure that the stockroom lose isn’t negative to the team workflow
How will we fill the new space as our existing product range isn’t enough
What if the new shop is Meh?
What if the contractor doesn’t treat this project like its life and death?
I lead lots of areas so what happens if I’m pulled from pillar to post on those other priorities? I take my eye off a critical detail on this project?

What else (the truth this time)?

We predict that we’ll make an additional £30,000 in sales per year…what if I botched my calculations and we don’t boost sales significantly?

Why are you afraid?

Failing potentially means losing staff in the future. I need to find more and more money to maintain our resourcing at the level it is at now… £30,000 is the equivalent of ‘whole’ member of staff.

Pick some edges

If I need to compromise then I guess its best to determine what fittings and fixtures will give me the best return for 2018. For example I want to remove the ceiling to reveal the architecture but I can’t afford it and its a ‘nice to have’. I’d rather have fewer but durable components that will least ten years or more. I need to ensure I have storage. I can add less expensive components at a later date but it’s best to ensure the core of the new design is complete. I’m happy to use cutting edge techniques that aren’t yet proven. It should be done as fast as possible but no faster.

Who is your customer?

I am trying to please members of the public who may come once in their lifetime or who visit 5+ a year. If you walk into the shop we should have something for you and the occasion you need to buy for.

Who are the key influencers, gatekeepers and authorities?

The public, the wider retail team, Operations and the retail community through the Association of Cultural Enterprises.

Does anyone else matter?

~~[Redacted].~~ Nope.

Questions and ideas for the devil’s advocate (things to say to slow things down, average things out or create panic or malaise):

It’s too soon
It’s too late
It’s technically risky
It’s boring
It will offend retailers
There are significant legal issues
The plant is too backed up to produce this
It will take too much training to support
The Media won’t get it
Our industry is too regulated
The home office won’t approve
There’s no room in this year’s budget, let’s review in a few months
It might fail
Our big competitor will steal it
It’s been done before
It’s never been done before
People will laugh at us

If you hear any of these, underline them. If you find yourself saying them, stop yourself.

Who can stop this project?

Nobody. Well maybe [redacted].

Who else can stop this project?

Really, nobody.

Who is essential to our success?

Association for Cultural Enterprises
Becky Peters
BMDT
Collections team
David M
Helen and Co
Mark and Steve
Peter Holloway from Retail Thinking
Simon Fenn

What does perfect look like?

All boundary walls fitted with bays that are flexible. Well lit. Solution for all storage needs. Two till points that ease congestion. New ceiling or no ceiling. Additional floor units for merchandising that are movable and encourage pick-up lust. Removal of 1990s wood effect look. Movable till area.

What does good enough look like?

All boundary walls fitted with bays that are flexible. Well lit. Solution for all storage needs. Two till points that ease congestion. Removal of most of the 1990s wood effect look. Scope to add components at a later date.

List every task and event that needs to happen, by whom, and by when.

Review and moderate tender submissions – ZM and DM by 31st Jan
Seek CPG approval to award – ZM by 8th Feb
Award tender – ZM by 8th Feb
Standstill period – PS by 19th Feb
Engage contractor – ZM from 20th Feb
Agree approach – ZM/Contractor
Finalise design – ZM/Contractor
Build off-site – Contractor
Agree VM plan – HL/PH/ZM
Agree post install merchandising team – HL
Installation – Contractor
Restock – everybody!
Open

Who becomes your competition?

Nearby high street retailers. Bring it on.

What does failure look like?

Due to unforeseen issues with the structure the project has to grind to a halt due to lack of reserve funding.
Sales decrease
New fittings confuse our VM plan
The sector don’t like the resulting shop extension and pan it

Plus it!

List up to ten things you could add that would radically or subtly improve your project:

Ensure we have a full range plan ahead of the build with all locations for new stock
Ensure feedback from the retail team is integrated into the finer detail of the till area
Somebody gives me an extra £20,000 to really finish the project – remove the ceiling, introduce exhibition retail unit area, building proper pop-up shop units, fit out the remaining original bays
Understand what types of product will make customers talk about the shop to their friends
Build a prototype of each new component to test assumptions
Enlist Jane le Bon at design and stocking stage to turn the visual merchandising from good to brilliant.
Reduce install time
Promotion at launch in all the Bristol media
Contractor already uses Basecamp for managing projects
Launch with a killer product that everybody thinks they need but can’t put down

Minus it!

List up to ten things you could subtract that would radically or subtly improve your project or get it out the door.

Remove boring services that are on two perimeter boundary walls and impede the design
Not have any evening events that week which hinder having a pop-up shop
Meetings with people who aren’t domain experts

Thrash

List every element of the project that needs to be settled, designed or approved before you can ship.

A solid project plan
Contractor to advise, design and build the extension – moderation 30th Jan
CPG approval to award
Lock in dates that don’t mess with the exhibition space next door
Conceive a new product range plan for the launch
Enlist a team to decamp all the shop contents ahead of the works and then put it all back at the end of the build phase
Design a suitable till area that works for the team and the new workflow which includes being paperless for all BUYING tasks
Agree what can be swapped out if the budget hits the max limiter e.g. wall bays are a bigger priority than floor units
Agree with Operations what approach we can take to hiding all the services but ensuring they are accessible when required
Need to settle how big the kids range should be
Regarding the initial eye view from outside the shop – agree what type of product will entice passersby

Gated Thrashing

Take the items on the list above and force them into one of four categories, with as many as possible in the first two.

First: before you start design and production

A solid project plan
Contractor to advise, design and build the extension – moderation 30th Jan
CPG approval to award
Lock in dates that don’t mess with the exhibition space next door
Conceive a new product range plan for the launch
Enlist a team to decamp all the shop contents ahead of the works and then put it all back at the end of the build phase
Design a suitable till area that works for the team and the new workflow which includes being paperless for all BUYING tasks
Agree what can be swapped out if the budget hits the max limiter e.g. wall bays are a bigger priority than floor units
Agree with Operations what approach we can take to hiding all the services but ensuring they are accessible when required
Need to settle how big the kids range should be

During: while you’re working

Regarding the initial eye view from outside the shop – agree what type of product will entice passersby

Testing

Design a suitable till area that works for the team and the new workflow which includes being paperless for all BUYING tasks

Final

Need to settle how big the kids range should be

Don’t worry if you don’t think what you ship is good enough. It is. The scarce part is the shipping.

This post uses the SHIPIT project checklist which is a handy PDF.

Building a better museum shop 2018