In December 2024, 20 participants from 18 countries joined HERITΛGE for the Project Management for Heritage Managers workshop. This 3-day online course aims to equip attendees with essential project management skills, guiding them through the entire project lifecycle.

The course instructor, Tim Healing, started day one with a discussion on the concept of a project, how it differs from everyday tasks and the key qualities of an effective manager. He then outlined the project manager’s responsibilities and essential skills before going over common pitfalls to avoid, equipping participants to recognise and address these issues early. These skills were then put into practice with a group analysis of  a case study. The teams used this example to employ the project cycle framework and identify and resolve challenges, before drafting their own proposals.

The projects will be well planned, organized and with clear budgets to attract donor funding. The projects will also be evaluated and risks clearly assessed to have greater impact to the intended beneficiaries.
Walugembe Muzaphalu, Executive Director at Kanungu Empowerment and Support Organization

On the second day, training focused on the need for a structured agenda, with task outlines and risk identification the priority. Tim also introduced the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Critical Path Diagram and the SPECTRES risk assessment tool. Participants then  worked on the Niger Restoration Project case study, ranking risks, proposing solutions, and identifying which risks should be mitigated before starting the project, applying the risk management techniques and SPECTRES framework already outlined. 

I have found good insights in how to manage my project already in progress and it benefits to improve the rest of my project activities.
Rediat Messele, Lecturer in Archaeology and Heritage Management at Aksum University

The final day began with a session on developing project budgets, explaining direct and indirect costs through a publication case study. Participants worked in groups on the Sudan Museum Project case study, identifying monitoring concerns and strategies to stay on track, followed by group presentations and feedback.

The discussions remained lively to the end, and it was clear that participants had gained skills which they felt confident in applying in their own careers.

Participants were from Albania, Botswana, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Lesotho, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Uganda, and the United States.

Read more about our upcoming workshops here.