Given the ever increasing pressures on museums, many of them are increasingly aware of the importance of having in place a realistic plan designed to ensure the museum's future. Planning methodology, typically drawn from the private sector and in some instances, the military, places an emphasis on defining the museum's current position and then growing from that point. However, new approaches to applied strategic planning involve envisioning the desired future for the museum and then defining the steps required to ensure that it meets these goals. Such planning has become a tool for all museum professionals: directors, curators and educators alike.

This practical workshop is designed to introduce applied strategic planning principles and techniques to INTERCOM members. In order to have a single, common model which all the workshop's participants can work with, we are inviting INTERCOM members to participate in actively planning the future of the Committee itself.

The three day workshop will involve the application of a strategic planning model to the Committee and its work, while at the same time ensuring that the participants develop the skills to apply this same model to their own institutions.

Participants will receive a workbook with relevant articles and worksheets at registration. The workbook will also include practical suggestions on how to apply the model to one's own environment (wherever possible).

DRAFT PROGRAM

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13:

Pre-Conference Excursion to the Dead Sea - 7:00 am- 7:00 pm
Visit to the Arad Art Museum
Visit to Mesada

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14

9:00 - Welcome and Introductory Remarks

Jacques Perot President, ICOM
Avshalom Zemer President, ICOM Israel
James Snyder Director, The Israel Museum
Nancy Hushion Chair, INTERCOM

9:45 - 10:30 - Keynote Speaker, "The Well-Managed Museum" (speaker to be confirmed)

Workshop Sessions

10:30 - 11:15 - Principles in Defining the Vision

11:15 - 11:30 - Break (Coffee/Tea/Juice)

11:30 - 12:30 - Monitoring your environment: why, how and when? (small working groups)

12:30 - 2:00 - Luncheon

2:00 - 3:00 - What is a Values Scan and how do you do it?

3:00 - 4:00 - Critiquing INTERCOM's Mission Statement (small working groups)

4:00 - 5:00 - Panel Discussion, "Strategic Planning: Practical Experiences in Museums"

5:00 - 6:00 - Presentation of Papers / Round Table

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15

9:00 - 10:00 - Identifying Strategic Success Indicators; what are they, how do we use them?

10:00 - 10:30 - Break

10:30 - 12:00 - Conducting a SWOT analysis - are there gaps between INTERCOM's current framework and its new Strategic Success Indicators: can they be reduced/closed? (small working groups)

12:00 - 1:30 - Lunch

1:30 - 3:00 - Developing Action Plans for INTERCOM (small working groups)

3:00 - 4:00 - Implementing the Plans

4:00 - 5:00 - Information Session/Discussion on ICOM's Reform Task Force

5:00 - 6:00 - Presentation of Papers / Round Table

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16

8:30 - 3:00 - Tour of Jerusalem with Dr. Gabi Barkai

4:00 - 5:00 - Closing Keynote Speaker

Prof. Mordecai Omer (to be confirmed)
Director and Chief Curator, Tel Aviv Museum of Art
Content and Form: Who Manages Whom? 5:00 - Closing Reception

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17

Excursion to Galilee, Nazareth and the Syrian Heights.
Tour of the Old City of Acra
Tour of Nazareth and Lunch
Guided tour of Tefen and the Open Museum of Tefen
Tour of the Golan Heights and the Katzrin Museum
Return via Tiberias

The workshop sessions will be facilitated by Nancy Hushion, Chair of INTERCOM and independent museologist who has worked with a number of museums and museum associations in developing their strategic plans. Several of the sessions will break out into working groups which will also be facilitated.

Because of the hands-on application in the workshops and break out sessions, it may be necessary to limit registration to a maximum of 60 participants. Simultaneous translation in French/English will be available for the keynote speakers and workshop sessions; there will be a francophone working group.

The excursions and on-site visits to a number of Israeli museums are generously offered by ICOM Israel; further details will be available as soon as full confirmations are received.

Call for Papers

INTERCOM is also issuing a Call for Papers. Proposals for papers addressing strategic planning in museums are invited. The maximum duration for each paper is 15 minutes. Please submit a one page abstract to the Conference Co-ordinator, ideally via e-mail to nlh@inforamp.net. The abstract may also be faxed to 1 416 351 0217 or mailed to 489 King Street West, Suite 303, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1K4, Canada. The deadline for receipt of these proposals is January 10, 2000. In the event that the number of submissions received exceeds the time available for presentation, the INTERCOM Board will select those which are most relevant to the conferences theme.

REGISTRATION FEE $125 US

- includes all conference sessions and a copy of the Workbook
- excursions to the Dead Sea and to the Galilee
- lunches and coffee breaks
- simultaneous translation (English/French)

Both INTERCOM and ICOM Israel are currently researching the possibility of providing limited travel assistance for delegates from less developed countries. It is hoped that 2 such bursaries will be available.

If you are interested in applying for this bursary, please send the completed registration form, accompanied by a request for travel assistance and a statement of how attending this workshop will benefit the applicant and his/her museum.