Thanks, Andrew. Having been through this process several times over the past half-century, I long ago started to compare the shock of opening a building to post-partum depression. The causes art the same: You sustain yourself through a long gestation period (9 months for a child; 7+ years for an arts facility) of discomfort, disorientation, and occasionally intense pain (physical and psychological) with the promise that the labor will one day be over and you will have brought a glorious new life into the world. The day finally comes and -- even as you are exhaling the word "finally!" -- the beautiful, hoped-for creature begins screaming incessantly for your attention and you suddenly realize that you may never sleep again.
I wish I had had this matrix several years ago at a former role. Would've really helped to frame conversations where some users were wishing for a 'showpiece facility' (but without the ability to articulate that so clearly) and I was concerned about sustainably maintaining an organizational budget (without the ability to articulate that so clearly). And concur, Jim, sleeping is off the table.
Thanks, Andrew. Having been through this process several times over the past half-century, I long ago started to compare the shock of opening a building to post-partum depression. The causes art the same: You sustain yourself through a long gestation period (9 months for a child; 7+ years for an arts facility) of discomfort, disorientation, and occasionally intense pain (physical and psychological) with the promise that the labor will one day be over and you will have brought a glorious new life into the world. The day finally comes and -- even as you are exhaling the word "finally!" -- the beautiful, hoped-for creature begins screaming incessantly for your attention and you suddenly realize that you may never sleep again.
I try to prepare my students for this by having them repeat, as a mantra, "Buildings eat money. Every! Single! Day!"
I wish I had had this matrix several years ago at a former role. Would've really helped to frame conversations where some users were wishing for a 'showpiece facility' (but without the ability to articulate that so clearly) and I was concerned about sustainably maintaining an organizational budget (without the ability to articulate that so clearly). And concur, Jim, sleeping is off the table.