The majority of architecture and design firms employ fewer than ten people. As with any small business, the owner/principal of these firms must make plans for all of the eventual transitions that will impact the practice and any or all of the people therein. This book in the Professional Practice Essentials Series offers comprehensive advice on the subject, specifically tailored to the practicing design professional. Here, a noted consultant who specializes in architecture firm management addresses a host of vital transition issues, including growth, expansion, management changes, internal transitions, mergers, acquisitions, liquidations, retirements, and much, much more.
Written by two leading experts in the field this essential volume offers a step-by-step guide to understanding and evaluating the goals, risks and the rewards of starting a firm. Covers the basics of firm organisation, personnel requirements, legal considerations, fee setting, marketing issues and the essentials of strategic and business plans Addresses how to get started including how to create your first business plan, evaluate initial needs and costs, create a budget and a produce a list of action items to get started This volume is practical, applied, concise, portable, affordable and user-friendly
Coverage addresses all aspects of getting started, from preliminary analysis of personal skills and resources preceding a startup (including creating a business plan and evaluating initial costs) to business and marketing strategies to keep your firm going.
Architects must be proficient in a variety of business practices to contribute to, manage, or launch a successful firm. They are responsible for the same kind of legal, financial, marketing, management, and administrative activities as any other professional. Within these broad categories, however, there are many details, including professional standards and documents, that are unique to the profession of architecture.
Written by two leading experts in the field this essential volume offers a step-by-step guide to understanding and evaluating the goals, risks and the rewards of starting a firm. Covers the basics of firm organisation, personnel requirements, legal considerations, fee setting, marketing issues and the essentials of strategic and business plans Addresses how to get started including how to create your first business plan, evaluate initial needs and costs, create a budget and a produce a list of action items to get started This volume is practical, applied, concise, portable, affordable and user-friendly
The architect's interest in continuing education has increased as a result of the national trend of state initiatives requiring continuing education for architect registration Architect's Essentials of Professional Development assists registered architects and architecture firms in designing their own professional development programme in the context of professional practice l Information on this subject is in high demand l Covers strategic planning, programme design and assessment while taking into consideration the culture of different design firms l Assessment worksheets and questionnaires allow readers to personalise their books while discovering and implementing their own professional development goals and strategies l Practical, applied, concise, affordable and user-friendly
Written by a cost-control expert with more than thirty years of design and building expertise, this volume in the Professional Practice Essentials Series gives you practical, user-friendly guidance on how to better manager costs through all phases of a project. Dell'Isola first explains the basics of cost management-from estimating costs during the design phase to managing costs during construction and even after occupancy. He then covers all of the tools and techniques available to architects/designers and explains how best to use them. A number of useful case studies clearly show how the author's principles work in real-life situations.
Professional practice courses often suffer from a boring reputation, but there’s nothing dull about this updated, cornerstone edition of Professional Practice 101, which renders accessible the art and science of contemporary architectural practice. With its unique focus on links between design thinking and practice, this third edition brings an inspiring and fresh perspective to the myriad issues involved in successful architectural practice. The process of providing architectural services in today’s constantly evolving practice environment must be just as creative, intellectually rigorous, and compelling as wrestling with design problems. In this new edition, packed with invaluable advice from leading experts, Andrew Pressman bridges the knowledge and experience gap between school and practice covering topics such as: Ethics, social responsibilities, and obligations to the environment Design firm types, culture, and leadership Financial, project, and time management Service and project delivery; leveraging emerging technologies Entrepreneurial business models and business development Legal issues, including AIA contract document analysis Collaboration and negotiating with clients and stakeholders Practice-based research Students and early-career professionals will discover the fundamentals they need to launch their careers as well as more sophisticated strategies that will allow them to thrive as their roles evolve and they assume increasing responsibilities. This engaging, comprehensive primer debunks the myth that recent architecture graduates have little or no guidance to prepare them for business. Professional Practice 101 is a learning tool that will readily deliver the knowledge and background for success in current architectural practice.
The definitive guide to management success for sole practitioners and leaders of small design firms Owning and operating a small architectural design firm can be challenging, with tight project deadlines, on-the-fly meetings, rush proposals, and fluctuating workloads as part of the firm’s day-to-day activities. To help small firm owners cope with the chaos and prepare for the unexpected, here is The Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management, a no-nonsense guide to repurposing daily demands into workable, goal-directed solutions. Crucial topics such as self-aware leadership, people management, technology, financial health, scenario planning, sustainable practice, and future trends are examined using real-life case studies and business model paradigms. This definitive text explores the whole system experience of a small firm practice to deliver organizational strategies proven to keep a firm’s creative mission on a steady, productive path. The Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management addresses how small firm owners can: Deal effectively with unexpected circumstances and shifting work requirements Meet the demands of the marketplace while creating a satisfying workplace Set and achieve goals in an environment of constant change This book is a must-have for those facing the often harsh reality of managing small design firms in a difficult and changing economy. Entrepreneurial architects and designers will discover how to define their own personal and professional meanings of success, as well as how to refocus their business approach to replace long, unrewarding hours with manageable, satisfying ones.
