Using this toolkit

The Toolkit is organized around a set of twelve tools, each looking at critical elements of the management system for the heritage place. Each tool has a specific purpose and includes guidance to help users engage in full and open discussions about those management elements. To facilitate their use, the tools are accompanied by worksheets in the form of either a template to help compile information in a systematic way or a questionnaire to help users identify opportunities and necessary actions. Together, the tools offer an iterative methodology that will enable you and all those involved in the assessment to identify what is working well and what can be done better.

As all heritage places are different, you will need to adjust and adapt the use of the Toolkit to your own situation. The scale and detail of each assessment will vary depending on its purpose and the willingness of various people to undertake the assessment, as well as the time they are willing to commit to it, and the information, resources and capacity available. Overall, the assessment should be relatively straightforward and inexpensive to implement.

Management effectiveness assessments are most useful if repeated at regular intervals, preferably
Management effectiveness assessments are most useful if repeated at regular intervals, preferably aligned with the management planning cycle (e.g. linked to revisions of the management plan), to monitor change and help identify progress and improvements.