Storytelling, the art of communicating archaeology

A joint The Nuclear Institute: Project Management SIG and APM’s three part Nuclear webinar series.

Storytelling enables nuclear, transport and other large infrastructure projects to communicate their challenges, progress, and experience. What does this look like in practice?

Everyone loves a great story and in our profession, we are fortunate to have so many to tell. The challenge discussed in this webinar on Thursday 20 October, was how best to pitch that story to the audience. It’s not always a keen local society or a group of school students; sometimes it’s a hard-pressed developer or a client with competing demands. I want to share some of the ways that HS2 and its amazing supply chain has sought to communicate the nature, excitement, and challenges of our works. Helen highlighted examples of current best practice, ways to reach a wide audience and how to help celebrate the benefit that archaeological practice brings in so many ways.

[edit] Webinar resources

Helen has very kindly allowed her presented material to be made available for viewing.

The slides on APM Slideshare and the webinar recording on YouTube is now available in our APM resources area and also embedded below for reference.

The questions submitted from attendees during the webinar are being reviewed and answered by Helen.

[edit] Speaker

Helen Wass interest in the past started early - growing up in Northumberland so many trips were to Hadrian’s Wall where as a curious child I wondered what Romans were doing there. Fast forward through volunteering on archaeological excavations, university and a post grad, I worked as a field archaeologist and researcher before joining the world of consultancy. Through various roles I ended up working on High Speed One; it was for me a career-defining role working for Rail Link Engineering, the consortium that project-managed and oversaw delivery of the archaeology programme.

I am now ten years in on High Speed 2 as Head of Heritage. I and the discipline lead and have a strategic remit setting project’s strategy and technical standards for the historic environment. With my team we monitor the supply chain delivering the work on the ground, engage and consult with a myriad of stakeholders from the local community to Historic England and our engineering colleagues. I am excited to be able to share our amazing discoveries and lessons learnt in delivering the largest ever programme of archaeology in the UK.

[edit] APM slideshare

Previous webinars can be viewed on the APM Slideshare and YouTube channels. Follow @APMEvents for upcoming event information. @apmwebinar @NuclearInst

This article first appeared on the APM news and blogsite as "Storytelling in major projects: The art of communicating archaeology webinar" date October 20, 2022.

--Association for Project Management

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Archaeology and construction.
• Archaeology in the built environment.
• Building archaeology.
• Building archaeology and conservation.
• High Speed 2 (HS2).
• HS2 and community projects.
• HS2 decision.
• HS2 Phase One - safeguarding directions updated.
• The Archaeology Data Service.