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The Practice Management Knowledge Community (PMKC) identifies and develops information on the business of architecture for use by the profession to maintain and improve the quality of the professional and business environment.  The PMKC initiates programs, provides content and serves as a resource to other knowledge communities, and acts as experts on AIA Institute programs and policies that pertain to a wide variety of business practices and trends.

    

  • 1.  yes

    Posted 01-24-2017 06:22 PM

    Both may be accomplished in unison, develop culture of sharing and growth.......and be sensitive to liability and maintaining a high level of credibility of our profession.

     

    Herman Schmidt, AIA, Emeritus



  • 2.  RE: yes

    Posted 01-25-2017 05:47 PM

    Mr. Schmitt, I guess you need to explain your comment better.  The way I interpret it, you are suggesting that the profession not share things that one might say are failures.  Yet, without that critical knowledge, aren't we subject to repeating these?  How do we learn if not from our mistakes.  Likewise, when I was a younger architect, I was told not to share anything, because it gave my firm a "competitive advantage." That's a bunch of bull today.

    My experience as an AIA Vice President who worked on the Knowledge side of the Institute is that there is a desperate need to transform the profession from the way you and I learned to practice, to one that is more evidence based and knowledge driven.  That means investing in and sharing research and experiences.  It's going on every day in the most progressive and successful firms in the world.  Just talk to members of the Large Firm Roundtable.  They see knowledge (per the description in my previous post) as the currency of their practices, and that knowledge base is increased exponentially because of the sharing culture these firms have created between themselves.  

    In my practice, which has been transformed, I realize my clients have an EXPECTATION that when they hire me, they are going to solve whatever problem they have.  In other words, they want (or demand) a return on their investment.  All my professional life I was taught not to guarantee anything, but yet, my clients, who I need to make a living, want those assurances.  If we don't give them this, then another profession will and we will continue to question "what happened to our business?"

    So, sharing may not be your cup of tea, but it's important to the market place.  A rising tide lifts all boats.



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    Walter Hainsfurther FAIA
    Managing Director
    Design Team, LLC
    Highland Park IL
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