Firm Planning

Module 4A

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 Step 1. Firm Identity and Expertise

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 Match your firm
expertise with what
your ideal clients
value

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 Instead of just being
responsive,
be a leader

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 Frustrations in the
Design Profession

● Competing with price

● Unreasonable client expectations
on schedules and budget
● Not making the deserved profit
● Not hiring and/or keeping
talented people
● Lack of leadership and leadership
transitions

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 Avoid

● Overused mission statements

● Vague wishes
● Efficiency tweaks
● Going blindly

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 6 Archetypes of the Design Profession

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 Einstein Firms

● Generates new ideas and new

technologies
● Strong Commitment to R&D
● Staff loves to experiment, teach and
publish
● Driving Force:
Cutting edge innovation
● Client’s Hidden Agenda:
Gain prestige / Improve image
● Their X Factor:
Generate new ideas
● How they Get Work:
Sell Prestige / Teaching & Publishing
● How they Do Work:
Staff mix of Thinkers and Aspiring Stars
● How they Organize Work:
Owned by a Guru

"Affiche 'Think different'

(Einstein)" by simssototo is
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licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
 Niche Expert

● Dedicated to a specific type of

project or service
● Driving Force:
Perfecting Specialty
● Client’s Hidden Agenda:
Overcome adverse conditions
● Their X Factor:
Create new ideas in the niche
● How they Get Work:
Sell rare knowledge / Speaking to
Client groups
● How they Do Work:
Staff mix of Dedicated Specialists
● How they Organize Work: Owned
by Distinguished Experts

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 Market Partners

● Strong advocate for their clients

● Driving Force:
Customer Partnership
● Client’s Hidden Agenda:
Augment skills
● Their X Factor:
Expand ways to help their clients
● How they Do Work:
Staff mix of Professionals &
Former Client Side Personnel
● How they Organize Work:
Owned by Market Experts

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 Community Leaders

● Aims for leadership role

in their towns
● Seeks premier local project work
● Packages the Process for Clients
● Driving Force:
Community Connectivity
● Client’s Hidden Agenda:
facilitation through community
gatekeepers
● Their X Factor:
Nurture network of relationships
● How they Get Work:
Sell connectedness / Promotes through
community events & PR
● How they Do Work:
Multidisciplinary Staff
● How they Organize Work:
Employee Stock Ownership

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 Orchestrators

● Focus on outstanding project

management
● Emphasis on speed, coordination and
control
● Known for their CM & PM Expertise
● Driving Force:
Project Management Challenge
● Client’s Hidden Agenda:
Control project complexity
● Their X Factor:
Push logistics control
● How they Get Work:
Sell process control
● How they Do Work:
Staff mix of Project Managers & MBAs
● How they Organize Work:
Owned by Project Managers

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 Efficiency Experts

● Focuses on prototypes and

multi-site project rollouts
● Driving Force:
Cost/Quality Challenge
● Client’s Hidden Agenda:
Deliver product / optimize budget
● Their X Factor:
Advance brilliant production
technologies
● How they Get Work:
Sell best quality for price / direct
mail, ads & sales reps
● How they Do Work:
Staff mix of Professionals &
Technicians
● How they Organize Work:
Owned by Entrepreneurs/ Family
Corp

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 Step 2: Strategic Planning

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 Definitions

● Integrated Process of
Examining, Deciding, Composing
the Firm’s Life
● Good Strategy requires Decisions
● Decisions to choose to be
exceptional
● Disciplined process
of looking at your needs and
wishes for the future

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 Decisions

● Why? Pressing issues and

attractive opportunities
● Who? Your desired firm culture
(common ground, shared values)
● Where? Your Bold Target /
Big Goal /End State
● How? Your most potent strategies
● What? Your “investment” quality
actions / current year tasks

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 Choose a Firm Legal
Structure

● Single Proprietorship - Owned by

1, Easy to start, Owner keeps all
profits, Unlimited Liability
● Partnership - Owned by 2 or
more, Easy to start, Partners
share skills, talents, profits, risks,
Unlimited Liability
● Corporation - Owned by many
(stockholders), Difficult to start,
Can raise money by selling stocks,
Closely regulated by government,
Limited Liability

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 References

● Demkin, J. A. & The American Institute of Architects. (2001). The Architect’s

Handbook of Professional Practice. Wiley.

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