While at Carnegie Melon University’s school of architecture in the early 90’s, Michael Gallin developed a passion for finding innovative solutions combining design and technology. Although his primary interest has always been architecture, computer technology has been a close second. Gallin founded his architecture firm just north of New York City in 1999. He recently merged his practice with another firm, forming Gallin Beeler Design Studio. The current office, with a staff of nine, has a … [Read more...]
How Do You Organize Your Week?
So today is Monday. I typically reserve Mondays for administrative work and prepping for the rest of the week. I work on business systems and schedule project interviews on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Friday is a day to wrap up loose ends and make sure clients are happy. Obviously, in order to be successful my routine is flexible. In fact I have a project interview this evening... on a Monday. By keeping my tasks for each day consistent, it allows me to stay focused on what I am trying to … [Read more...]
How do you measure your success?
There's a saying in business, “What gets measured, gets managed.” Winning companies track several metrics to gauge their performance and measure business success. ROI (return on investment), EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization), average sales, website traffic, employee churn and average inventory are all key business indicators. Large retailers track same store sales, days of supply and stock to sales ratio. Public companies are required to publish quarterly … [Read more...]
Architects Can Learn Much from Other Industries
What can we learn from other industries to make the traditional architectural and construction processes better? Hospitals are filled with checklists and other systems to make sure that every step of a procedure is done correctly. NASCAR racing teams also use checklists and directives from multiple layers of team members, each with their own specialty. Toyota uses their Product Development System, also known as Lean Manufacturing, to make every subsequent product better than the last. At … [Read more...]
How You Do It
"The magic, and the way in which you win the hearts and minds of your clients, is how you do it." That's what John over at Duct Tape Marketing posts today. Clients see us as all the same. One architect is just like another. We are all expected to be wonderfully talented designers. We are expected to know the codes and technical details required to construct safe and healthy buildings. In the eyes of our clients, we are all the same...unless we do something to stand out from the crowd. That … [Read more...]
The Pain Level Chart
A trip to Northern Westchester Hospital Center today (everyone is fine now, thanks - a story for another day) got me thinking about systems and how important they are to a successful business. Whether that business is helping patients feel more comfortable or designing a home for a young family, properly designed systems can ensure a consistent, predictable result...every time. In the hospital, everything is located in its proper place. Every piece of equipment is labeled with maintenance … [Read more...]