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Comment by shubh cheema on July 19, 2009 at 2:12am

I am an architect who is very much interested in bussiness aspect of the proffession and i do feel that i have to learn lot many things . I was illl prepared for starting up an architecture firm and thats what i have been teaching myself......u can have a look at my blog for things in archi field and beyound....interesting to hear that from another design fellow....

Comment by oz on July 1, 2009 at 6:38am

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Comment by se_cris on June 27, 2009 at 9:27pm

:) this can be always NEGOTIATED ;)

@ d.e.v. - that is a very WRONG conclusion! Ask a businessman and you will find out how the best business is done if you do it with passion!
Take care!

Comment by d e v on June 27, 2009 at 2:06pm

OR...
KEEP YOUR PASSION AS A HOBBY...... AND BUSINESS WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE.

Comment by Michael McKenzie on June 27, 2009 at 1:07pm

Agreed Jim...the Artist generally does not have the skills nor innate attributes of the business number cruncher and the late Architectural giant, Arthur Erickson was a prime example. Any successful process achieves through the collaborative efforts of a variety of primary skills...and the architectural firm is certainly not an exception.
There is critical need for sales, marketing, operations and financial management in the business of architecture/design...gone is the day when you can exist without those skills and any architect who would attempt to wear all those hats is doomed.
Moreover, the massive unserved markets ignored by the 'put up a sign and wait for clients' posture of traditional architecture practice represent the very future of architecture and the proactive pursuit of that vast business potential requires a very different mindset/skillset.
In short...Architect perfect your primary skill and partner with those whose primary Business skills will ensure your financial futures.

Comment by Jim Foster on June 27, 2009 at 11:36am

I come from this from a different perspective in that I have my MBA and have a firm that provides services to architecture firms in the from of surveying the built environment and providing BIMs and existing conditions plans. So, for the most part, the only way I am dealing with an architecture firm and/or design professional is strictly from a business perspective.

My general feeling and experience has been that designers, god bless them, are squarely focused on design and not as much on the business end of their operations. Due to what seems to be conflict avoidance they do not seem inclined to rock the boat when dealing with their clients which in turn effects my business. For example, developers always seem to have an issue with 'soft' costs, that is if it does not involve pouring concrete or putting steel up they question the value. This permeates the business and maybe why architects go above and beyond with their design to prove their worth, and subsequently have such hierarchical pay structure where junior members do not make much and are always at risk from massive layoffs. Receivable collection is a casualty of this and effects every part of their business. By not managing operating cash flow the peaks and valleys of their business are extreme. As someone who is intimately connected to this operation, I get paid last with many receivables aging +120 days and sometimes much much more. When I deal with developers and sign contracts with concrete terms in the concrete things usually go much more smoothly, as they deal like this everyday and do not seem to mind at all that I have imposed certain terms.

With the advent of BIM and construction coordination I believe architects will have to take a much more active role in the entire business of building buildings. If the operations of design firms are not locked down these problems will continue to multiply.

I have a friend who is an operations manager for a landscape design firm, he was hired by the managing partner to solely focus on the operations of the business so the design professionals could focus on design. This has been so successful that he started a business consulting on business operations. So in conclusion, this may be an example of how things may evolve. Bring in a business specialist who is not married to the design end and can worry about these headaches so designers can concentrate on what they want to do, what they love to do, and what they got into the business to do in the first place.

Hope this was somewhat helpful.

Comment by Phillip Caekaert on June 27, 2009 at 4:15am

Well I hope this all helped d.e.v. If not I definately have some new insights, thanks everyone.

Comment by se_cris on June 27, 2009 at 3:14am

@ Phillip: l said something about the communication skills, yes. And regarding to your pointed difference between "capitalism and social issues" we might conclude once again that this is communication status. It is not necessarily quite different but it only lacks in our field...or let's say: it is delayed. We can produce some drawings of our designs full of social issues, and we still are unable to communicate in terms of capitalism. Let's say we have to build an office building for a company. When we present our thoughts and product (full of social issues in the same time), then we can not sell this so easy to the capitalist company that needs to see prompt results from their point of view. In the same time we don’t have to forget that any capitalist company follows the leadership's and management's laws to develop in time, adapting and growing in optimal way. Therefore l bet it must be a common communication way between the two! We just have to find this common issues and point them...and use them too! And for this l consider that there would be very necessary some courses of marketing, management and business administration in any architecture educational schools all over this world. And l would encourage d.e.v. to follow MBA if he need more professional issues into this "joungle".

Comment by Phillip Caekaert on June 26, 2009 at 5:56pm

I hate to say it, but from what I've seen of the two; business and architecture have unreconcilable differences. One is about "business ethics" (profit margins) and architecture, among a plethora of things, is about making something to better the world. I hate to use these terms but you cannot reconcile capitalism and social issues the way they are defined today. Se_Cris said something about communication skills, which I think could be the issue. These two things communicate two conflicting ideals (at least to me) and really need to be redefined, meticulously, slowly over time so that the two can co-exist.

Let me know what you think...

Comment by ® irgeorgellanespecore on June 25, 2009 at 1:45am

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome." GODSPEED!

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