It sounds like a song. I will write it someday. Planning for the future, with knowledge.
The future is the next step. How does that apply to an architect’s office?
Each breath, each thought, each document, each part of the construction documents sets up the efficiency of the next step. Even meeting new possible clients or their contacts is an opportunity to expand the community’s knowledge of our existence. The hundredth monkey principle applies.
Proposal lead to agreements. Site analysis sets up the design concept which then leads to the development of the plans. Those once approved by all parties continue and become the construction documents. With the written game plan for the entire project, timelines and budgets are set. Each person is part of a team. Each person then has a completed due date for the next person’s review before going to clients and consultants for their comments. Each team player can then plan out their time frames to meet their deadlines and practice with the best of efficiencies. If one person misses their due date and time then the team will not win the race. The race is all about time frames, client expectations, and in the end profitability of the project. One day or an hour late could mean the loss of thousands of dollars and missed deadlines. Those could lead to liability issues from many directions. If you are a senior-level employee you have a lot of responsibility. Management has an even higher level of responsibility.
Response time affects deadlines. Know who and when you need to respond to when questions come up from any direction. The higher up on the food chain the fast your response needs to be. Plan for 2 times a day to check all communications and respond before going home. Response assists in making the deadlines as a team.
Be accurate and complete on each phase to limit the reworks necessitated by missing or wrong information. Every line and word is important. Make each mark count. Keep your eyes wide open to all the design requirements and all your training. Knowledge helps. Keep learning. Knowledge assists with your Wide Open Eyes.
Know the general and in many cases the specifics on the codes you are working within. Know Title 24 energy requirements and Cal Green sustainability requirements. They are an integral part of the design. They affect the entire design and choices that need to be made to achieve an approvable design. This includes all details and specifications on top of the biggest choices in siting and the development of the basic parameters of the design. Keep your Eyes Wide Open. Use your and other’s knowledge.
Always keep the clients, the government, the office, and all other team members and their companies at the forefront of each choice. Do it with Wide Open Eyes. Do it all with passion!!
