Technical excellence in architecture: A top-level commitment

Real Estate Weekly,  Jan 10, 2001  by David Erik Chase

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The Technical Resources Studio is also charged with professional education at Hillier. It has standardized the firm's project management process by updating the pre-computer manual, instituting a training program and a continuous cycle of learning. Since mid-1999, the course has been offered quarterly to Project Managers. The full program involves eight two-and-one-half-hour sessions taught by firm principals. The first phase will train 45 Project Managers; the course will be offered yearly thereafter.

Technical Resources also initiated a 12-person Professional Development Committee that organizes weekly programs on topics ranging from sexual harassment to building and information technology. This committee also oversees a Toastmaster's Group, as well as computer training for all employees.

Because of the nature of technology itself, the mission of the Technical Resources Studio is ever changing. The new E-economy may soon offer an entirely different information flow relative to the way we deliver technical details now. We have to be open to change and the opportunities that will result.

Having a comprehensive program for architectural technology at the principal level has proven itself rewarding for both Hillier and clients alike. The client benefits by having a building free of technical defects and delivered in the shortest possible time. Hillier's benefits include reduced project overhead due to rapid completion, as well as decreased litigation, easier recruitment, and longer staff and client retention of staff.

How have clients reacted to the program? That's hard to quantify, though Hillier is experiencing a near hundred-percent increase in marketing success from a year ago. We can demonstrate to potential clients our technical programs for quality assurance, technical programs for Architects, Interior Designers and Project Managers, and the continuing education programs we offer. These are reassuring initiatives, since clients don't take the assurance of technical excellence for granted. In January, we'll begin a measurement program to gauge the effectiveness of our efforts to produce defect-free projects. This is one of our primary Hillier value proposition elements. Some of the things we'll look at are the number of claims on a project, as well as change orders, time delays, and feedback from contractors, suppliers, and subs.

The commitment to technical excellence can be the platform for Architectural and Interior Design innovation and must be holistic -- embedded in the core values and strategy of the firm. In truth, it must be who we are and who we want to be, as professionals.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Hagedorn Publication
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning