Practice Innovation Workshop Recap

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["b"],["sup"],["i"]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The 2019 AIA Wisconsin Fall Workshop focused on \u201cPractice\nInnovation.\u201d The Workshop explored the future of the profession, the practice\nof architecture, and the industry trends that affect us. Kicking off the day,\nlocal expert Chandra Miller Feinen of StartingBlock Madison shared how her\ncompany supports start-up companies and entrepreneurship, entrepreneur\ncharacteristics versus architects, and experience in working with architects to\ndevelop a space conducive to entrepreneurs. Tom Fisher, with the Minnesota\nDesign Center, set the stage for our architectural industry\u2019s foresight explaining\nthe evolution of our practice, the economic trends happening around us, and the\nemerging concept for the \u201cSharing Economy\u201d trend. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"With these new ideas in mind, the participants broke-out\ninto small workshop groups to explore and construct the ideal architectural\npractice or innovation for our profession\u2019s future. Facilitators assisted the\ngroups in identifying strategic goals and services, as well as strategies for\nmessaging and communicating services to a target audience. The day then\nculminated in shark-tank style, group pitches to a judging panel. Following the\nworkshop, there was an optional tour of the \u201cThe Spark Building\u201d and the\nStartingBlock Madison offices, led by Chandra Miller Fienen and the designers\nfrom Epstein Uhen Architects."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Entrepreneurs versus Architects"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Miller Fienen shared her perspectives in working with both entrepreneurs\nand architects, as the director of StartingBlock Madison. Although both may be creatives\nand optimists, the most striking difference lies in our views of failure. Entrepreneurs\nbelieve in Thomas Edison\u2019s quote, \u201cI have not failed, I have just found 10,000\nthings that do not work,\u201d or John Maxwell\u2019s \u201cFail early, fail often, but always\nfail forward.\u201d Whereas the architects\u2019 reference of failure is in building or\nstructural failures, and therefore something to avoid. This has a real effect on\nthe architect\u2019s ability to pursue practice innovation strategies."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Entrepreneurs also tend to have a circular process or one\nthat loops back: generating an idea, developing it, implementing it, and then\nreevaluating. For architects, the end of the project is the beginning of the\nclients use. Post-occupancy reports and getting feedback is not a built-in loop\nfor most current practice models. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The key to innovation is not only to understand the problem\nto solve, but also to have the foresight to think outside the box. Architects\nneed to develop a process to get to the answers for questions that the client\ndoesn\u2019t know to ask. As Henry Ford said, \u201cIf I asked people what they wanted,\nthey would have said \u2018faster horses,\u2019\u201d when the future led to the development\nof something they had never even considered. This analogy ties closely to the\nrole of the architect and will be to our benefit as we approach our\nprofession\u2019s future. Miller Fienen shared three entrepreneurial companies\nhaving an effect on architecture right now: Arch Virtual, a virtual reality\nrendering company; Curate, a company that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to\nidentify and aggregate public information and records; and Build It Fab, a\ncompany that utilizes visualization scenes to sell their lighting. She also conveyed\nthe importance for architects to communicate according to your clients\u2019 communication\nstyle to be the most effective."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"The New Economy Flips the Old One on Its Head"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The reality of the current practice of architecture and its\ndelivery methods are still based in the post-industrial revolution era. Fisher revealed\nthe shifts in our 21"],[0,[1],1,"st"],[0,[],0," century life and economy that are affecting\nthe role of the architect and what is designed\/produced: environmental shifts\/sustainable\npractice needs, evolving work patterns incorporating flexible schedules, remote\/virtual\nofficing, collaborative learning and work spaces, vehicle expense and commuting\npattern shifts, Uber, AirBNB, 3-D printing production evolutions, Amazon\ndelivery models, on-demand and subscription services, etc. These new patterns\nhave contributed to Fisher\u2019s definition of the \u201cSharing Economy, an umbrella\nterm for similarly emerging concepts that capitalize on new methods of\ninteraction facilitated by centralized online platforms:\u201d"]]],[3,"ul",[[[0,[],0,"The Gig Economy \u2013 Connecting employers with contract-based\nroles (Freelancer \u0026 Udemy)"]],[[0,[],0,"On-Demand \u2013 Delivering a product or service through\nan online platform that matches expressed supply and demand in real time\n(Netflix \u0026 Spotify)"]],[[0,[],0,"Crowd Economy \u2013 Connecting participants with the\npurpose of achieving a goal of mutual interest (Mechanical Turk \u0026 MyCrowd)"]],[[0,[],0,"Collaborative Consumption \u2013 Sharing, swapping,\ntrading or renting products and services (Thredup, Zipcar, \u0026 Helpling)"]],[[0,[],0,"Peer to Peer \u2013 Buying or selling assets or\nservices in a decentralized economic model of peer to peer networks and\nplatforms (EasyRoomate \u0026 Small Business Barter Exchange Services) "]],[[0,[],0,"Collaborative Economy \u2013 Unlocking the value of\nunderused assets by matching needs through peer to peer networks (ParkFlyRent)"]]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Practice Innovations"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"After the presentations, participants broke into small\ngroups to develop their own practice innovation, to brainstorm new ways to deliver\nservices or perform work in the architectural profession. They self-selected\ntopics\/models that fit their interests: Profit, Process, Product, or\nPhilanthropy. The following are the results of the brainstorming session:"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"Inte-Great! (Profit)"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This team developed a subscription business model, where clients\npay a monthly fee for facility \u201casset management\u201d over the typical single\nproject delivery services. They could advise on a regular basis when maintenance\nprojects or programming updates need to occur, monitor\/evaluate system\nperformance, and whether to remodel or build new. They believe they could\nprovide better services due to the long-term knowledge base of the facilities and\nenhanced relationships. This idea was revered for developing better\nrelationships between architect and client and offering more roles for the\narchitect than just design."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"Shift (Profit)"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This team looked to expand (or take back) the role and\nservices of the architect. They will offer a more wholistic approach to projects,\nfrom early on in a project with site selections, market studies, re-zoning\napplications, etc., all the way to the end and leading construction management\nand post-occupant surveys. This team was commended for their great presentation\nand ideas for \u201cend-to-end coverage\u201d of the built environment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"A-Harmony (Process)"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This team modeled its business after E-Harmony, connecting\nthe public to architects. They saw challenges for the public finding compatible\npartnerships with architects, and this company would \u201ctake the mystery out of\nworking with a design professional.\u201d They would set up an application and\nalgorithm platform to create the matches and generate revenue through subscriptions\nby architects and advertisements. One reviewer thought this could give good\nexposure to different design problems."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"Blues (Process)"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This group seeks to redefine the \u201cBlues,\u201d blueprints that\nis. Their software would provide 3D optical scans of spaces and equipment of\nclient\u2019s properties, develop a data-sharing cooperative, and offer integrative\ntools for all aspects of the design process utilizing easy-to-use virtual\nreality and artificial intelligence. They are confident it will improve the\nprocess of project delivery and increase levels of client satisfaction and\nprofits. Their presentation was memorable, since it also tied itself to Blue\nMoon beer for all of the participants. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"Willow (Product)"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This team identified communication as a major challenge in\nthe architectural profession. Their business would develop an enhanced meeting software\nthat would also track design decisions and approvals. Rather than searching\nthrough endless emails or meeting minutes, they envision a virtual topic-based\nsystem that would branch together the timelines and decision makers like a\n\u201cwillow tree.\u201d Reviewers thought this would be an extremely useful tool and would\nmake design decisions much easier for clients."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"DetailIT (Product)"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This team brainstormed a new subscription-based, smart,\nbuilding detail library. They see the challenges of the profession with increasing\nretirees and younger staff, less experience, and requirements for faster\nproduction, all with less errors. Through a series of prompts and questions, it\nwill auto-generate details to a CAD 2D or 3D format that would still allow\nadjustments by the design professionals. Reviewers liked the idea of automation\nin order to save their time doing the things that require their thought and\nenergy."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"Sharette (Philanthropy)"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This team\u2019s mission was to develop a company that connects\narchitectural volunteer opportunities with firms and design professionals. It incentivizes\nvolunteering and enhances the visibility of architects in their community. They\nenvision an online platform to encourage virtual collaboration and networking.\nReviewers were impressed with their unique business name and believed it to be\nvery plausible."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Looking to the Future"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The workshop events and exercises are important as we\nconsider the future of the profession. As architects we need to be agile and\nresilient to keep up with the changing economy. What may have been the most\nimportant revelation of the day is that it is helpful to take a step out of the\nday-to-day grind and commit to rethinking the profession\u2019s future and\npotential. The 2019 AIA Wisconsin Fall Workshop provided the opportunity to do\nthat."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"EDITOR: The author was Chair of the 2019 AIA Wisconsin Fall Workshop. "]]]]}