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Who We Are

The mission of the AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx) is to advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms. The objectives of the AIA SFx are three-fold:

1. Advocate the value of small firms, the national SFx, and local SFx groups, both within the AIA and to the public.

2. Curate and disseminate the most pertinent resources and information, from the AIA & elsewhere, that benefit small firms.

3. Inform the AIA of current issues facing small firms and areas in which current resources/information are lacking.

Approximately 75% of all firms within the AIA are small firms (less than 10 employees), which equates to 14,459 small firms within the organization.

~26.8% = sole practitioners = 5,173

~33.5% = 1-5 employees = 6,459

~14.7% = 5-10 employees = 2,827

For context, small firms share of staff is 16.0% and share of billings is 12.0%

We need to find ways to leverage that size for collaboration and influence, just like the individual large firms do.

   

  

  • 1.  Project Management Software

    Posted 12-31-2012 01:01 PM
    This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Small Project Practitioners and Small Firm Round Table .
    -------------------------------------------
    Happy New Year's Eve everyone,

    As we start a new year, we are thinking and rethinking how we do things here in the office, always trying to make things better and more efficient.

    I am on the hunt for a good, user friendly, project management software.
    We have several projects going on at once, several staff asking what is due and when, and client expectations to manage.
    Can any of you recommend good software to help do this?
    Something visual, that is either online or/and has an iPad app.
    We don't need any accounting incorporated into it, we have quickbooks for that.

    Thank you!
    All the best.

    -------------------------------------------
    Jean Dufresne AIA
    Architect
    SPACE Architects + Planners
    Chicago IL
    -------------------------------------------


  • 2.  RE:Project Management Software

    Posted 01-01-2013 09:02 AM
    Hi Jean, and Happy New Year!

    My guess is that your firm and any firm will be disappointed with what anyone else may have created for themselves.  Suggest that you consider starting a Master Project Schedule & Management Spreadsheet for your company.  I did this about 20 years ago and it still serves me well. 

    With something as flexible as a spreadsheet, you can always enter more items To Do, along with due dates, project team members and other reminder data.  I also integrated billings, as you mentioned, and you could omit that if you have that covered by other means. 

    My point is that each practice will have things particular to how they conduct their business that you will want to customize and you can't find anything easier to use and more customizable than a spreadsheet, which also has the added ability to add and subtract days as formulas, which give you start dates, completion dates, days left for certain tasks and similar data.  You could post such a Master Project Schedule into your company's DropBox Cloud file, where everyone could access it, from anywhere.

    Happy 2013! 

    -------------------------------------------
    Rand Soellner AIA
    Architect/Owner/Principal
    Home Architects
    Cashiers NC
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE:Project Management Software

    Posted 01-01-2013 02:02 PM
    Have you checked out ArchiOffice? Very visual, designed by architects for architects.
    http://www.bqe.com/default_ao.asp


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    Betsy Nickless
    SDA-orange County Chapter
    Newport Beach CA
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    Original Message