The past 5 years have seen a dramatic shift in the architecture industry.
Larger firms are going after smaller projects that they wouldn’t have touched before.
Firms are leaner after shaving off extra weight during the Great Recession – competition is up.
What can a small practice do to compete and stay relevant? How can sole practitioner architects keep up with other firms which are able to leverage more ‘people-power’?
One of the most popular buzzwords in the business world today is “Lean”. The word itself suggests a type of management practice that cuts all the unnecessary fluff and keeps only the core elements that produce value. To some extent, this definition is true. “Lean” has been associated with increasing productivity and quality in the software development, construction, healthcare, and manufacturing industries. The most famous example is the Toyota Production System in the 1990s. Since then, Toyota has since grown from a small automaker to one of the world’s largest car manufacturers.
So how does “lean” apply to the business of architecture, especially small practices? Mark R. LePage, founder of Entrepreneur Architect and a speaker at this year’s online webcast event The Business of Architecture Summit, will be speaking on “Building A Lean Practice With Digital Tools”. According to Mark, a lean practice encompasses only that which is ‘needed in order to perform the services we small firms architects are providing to our clients’.
Today, Mark is the Partner in Charge of Operations at Fivecat Studio | Architecture, a leading residential architecture firm in upstate New York. Mark has come full circle. He first started his business in the basement, grew it into a successful business in a 2000 square foot open studio filled with employees, and most recently shifted back to a 200 square feet home-based office studio featuring a virtual business model.
Tomorrow at the Business of Architecture Summit Mark will be pulling back the curtain on the digital tools and processes he uses to run a lean and profitable architecture studio.
How should you be using Dropbox? Evernote? Skype? Find out tomorrow (Friday, October 16) when Mark gives us a deep dive into all the digital tools he uses to boost productivity, manage files, and coordinate staff and contractor resources.
At the Business of Architecture Summit you’ll also hear from other speakers focused on small architecture firm success (you’ll also be able to pick up 10+ AIA CES LUs).
Today is the last day to get tickets at the pre-conference rate. Join other small firm practitioners at the Business of Architecture Summit. Read more about the Summit by clicking here.
In the meantime, tell us in the comments below – what elements of a ‘lean studio’ have you been using in your practice?
Excellent presentation on the Business of Architecture Summit, Mark!
As mentioned in comments on your earlier posts or elsewhere, we’ve used a virtual model since the early 1990s. In pre-internet days, it was through use of contract drafters or consulting professionals, who brought physical deliverables to our office. With the internet & e-docs, we moved more to a virtual model, except briefly from 1999-2003 with CAD drafters overseen by a project manager. Since then, we’re essentially virtual.
The recent challenge is to keep up with increasing demand for services, while working with outside professionals proficient in our software and trainable in our methods. A recent, part-time, non-virtual intern proved adept for us, as one example. An ideal scenario would be for her to become an independent BIM provider as she gains experience.
The challenge for the profession of architecture is that fewer potential registered architects serve the needs of the public, since fewer qualified individuals follow into licensed practice nowadays. Considering where fees went in the past 40 years, it may not be bad to increase scarcity, though above all, we must increase business proficiency among all who practice.
Hello Mark,
Big fan of your blog. Thank you for what you do for architects. I just went out on my own in this fall and working from home has been, well, not working out. Too many distractions, too many comfortable beds. I really want to get an office, but of course fear the commitment of office rent. I’ve just launched my website and have yet to actually market myself, so I don’t have any clients at the moment. When I do, though, I feel I’ll need an office to show clients a physical example of my aesthetic and a demonstration of professionalism. So I am considering an office for $300/mo + heat & utilities. TMI, I’m sure, but the point is, or rather the question is: do you think it’s still viable for sole/emerging architects to pay for an office outside of the home, as long as it’s a minimal amount? Could this still be within the “Lean” strategy, as long as the rent is low?
Thanks in advance for any feedback you can offer. I’d love to hear more about how your own home studio has been working out, now that you’ve been there a while. Anything you miss about going to an office?