The War on Talent 2.0: Are You Ready?

It is hard to believe that just a few years ago, one of the biggest conversations within the architecture and design profession was the war for talent — or a shortage of talent. Firms couldn’t find enough workers to fill seats much less enough talented staff. Leaders were in short supply. A very limited supply of H1B visas were accessible to architecture and design firms. Times have certainly changed.

The conditions of today don’t need to be explained in detail. Unemployment in the profession is over 15%. Firms are struggling to keep even talented staff. Backlogs are shrinking or in some cases evaporating. Competition for new projects is fierce. Each situation is unique, but common pain is felt by all. However, it becomes increasingly clear that we all have two choices: We can be the victims of these economic and structural shifts or we can be inventors of strategic success and satisfaction.

A part of this success must be setting a vision and developing strategy for the new world of architecture, whatever that may be. The future condition is unknown, but we can control our attitudes and develop scenarios to allow for our success in whatever this condition holds. One future condition that is certain is that the role of talented design professionals will be even greater. And yet where will this talent come from?

The share of the U.S. workforce that has a post-high school education is not expected to rise in the next 20 years. This is a scary fact given the national high school graduation rate hovers around 50% in the nation’s fifty largest cities, and rises only to 71% in the nation’s suburbs. In some of our more diverse urban areas, where much of the diversity needed for the relevancy of our profession resides, the graduation rates drop to nearly 30%. According to 2007 Department of Education Statistics, only 31% of 8th-graders in the United States are at or above proficient levels in standardized math testing. These are just a few of the frightening trends surrounding the struggles of education.

In a Journal of Business and Psychology article titled “Attracting Applicants in the War for Talent: Differences Among Workplace Preferences in High Achievers,” the authors state, “Students with very high cognitive abilities and strong records of extracurricular activities prefer ‘investigative’ occupations involving analytical or intellectual activity aimed at problem solving and the creation or use of new knowledge.” This is terrific news for architecture and design. However, the fact is that only 10% of people are in the top 10%.

Rather than spending all of our resources chasing the top 10%, I recommend we spend more of them chasing the other 90%. We all want a slice of that top 10%. But by developing a vision and strategies that embrace new paradigms and dynamics within our profession we can begin to develop effective ways of recruiting from the 90% and developing them into the top 10%. If we don’t, competitors will. If we wait for the future to happen, it won’t be desirable. This is the opportunity to affect the future health of our organizations that we have been looking for.

Toward a Collaborative Future

A few weeks ago, I attended the AIA Northwest/Pacific Regional Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, and participated in its first Leadership Institute. The leadership institute was made up of about 20 students and young professionals from Washington, Montana, Oregon, and Hawaii. This remarkable group of young leaders spent two days discussing characteristics of leadership and how we as architects — or future architects — can contribute our talents to the betterment of the built environment. Among the many leadership characteristics that the group discussed and began to dissect, one rose to the top as particularly germane to the challenges facing our future — and the opportunities architects have to lead this future.

The group identified a key attribute for leaders — both present and future — to be collaborative integrators of information and perspectives. The reasoning for this should be apparent, so I won’t elaborate further, as we spent time not discussing why this was important, but rather are we really? We talk about the architect being the person at the table who can bring various view points together. We believe that the design process is inherently collaborative, and the architects as “master builders” are the rightful leaders of this collaboration.

As necessary as it is for the future, are we training the next generation of professionals — or current professionals for that matter — to be facilitators and communicators among various groups with different interests? Are we truly good communicators or collaborators?

Schools across the country are getting better about teaching collaboration through the design process — the Solar Decathlon set to open in Washington, D.C., this weekend is a perfect example. Leading firms are offering professional development courses in collaboration and communication for staff, particularly to those talented individuals identified as future leaders of their firms.

If architects and designers wish to assume the role of the visionary and collaborative leaders best equipped to improve the future condition of our communities, it is time we stop giving lip service to these issues. A sustained, focused effort is needed by firms, institutions, and professional organizations to strengthen the focus on leadership and building the skills necessary to assume these roles. We are making baby steps, but I believe it is time for a few leaps forward!

If We Believe in Our Future, It’s Time for Action

In his recent blog post, Scott Simpson states that, “Over the next five years, the A/E/C industry will undergo a profound transformation.” Simpson asserts that the leading drivers of this change will be BIM, IPD, and LEED. I believe quite strongly that Scott is right but would argue the transformation is upon us rather than something that may or may not occur in the future. In his post, Simpson summarizes just a few of the reasons why building information modeling (as a tool) and integrated project delivery (as a process) are changing the way leading firms and sophisticated clients across the world are doing business. According to ongoing research done by the Greenway Group for the Design Futures Council, these are among the most important trends driving the ongoing revolution of architecture and design.

However, if we are to believe in our own future, as the title of his post suggests, it is time for serious action on the issue. Rather than focusing on tools for execution, I believe the profession and, perhaps most important, our academic institutions should begin to greatly enrich the focus on collaboration and leadership in the creation of designers and architects. As the A/E/C industry goes through a powerful redefinition of relationships in the coming years, the architectural profession has the opportunity to assert leadership and design thinking, which will both have increased relevance to our clients and the design and construction process.

Simpson says, “With IPD, all the brainpower in the room can be focused like a powerful lens on the problem at hand.” However, as the state of affairs in the halls of the United States Congress reflects, lots of brainpower focused in one place does not always lead to powerful solutions. What the IPD process needs to be successful and truly transformative is leaders who can enhance discussions and successfully encourage all team members to work toward common goals. Most architects have never received any formal leadership education — an unfortunate outcome of the priorities of architectural education in most institutions. However, architectural education and practice does create great skill in understanding complex relationships. With focus and coaching, architects can serve as the facilitators of these integrated teams to create truly remarkable outcomes.

I believe that the firms and institutions that focus on developing and enhancing leadership characteristics in their staff and students, promote collaboration, and provide stimulating environments that foster design thinking are best situated to lead the profession — both now and in the future. To this end, academia, firms, and the profession as a whole must renew our focus on the importance of leadership and collaborative skills and devote meaningful time and resources to their development. It is these skills, along with an increasing awareness of the power of design thinking, that will lead our industry forward in the future, but we cannot wait for them to happen organically. It is time for action!

Authenticity Trumps Cynicism

Jim Cramer and Denise L. Lawrence at Cal Poly Pomona's Center for Regenerative Studies.

I recently found myself on the campus of Cal Poly Pomona, and it was there I had an opportunity to visit the ambitious John T. Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies. It is an interesting unit of the College of Environmental Design, which includes architecture, urban studies, landscape architecture, and art.

Here is a picture of me with Denise L. Lawrence, Ph.D., an anthropology professor who splits her time teaching architecture and regenerative studies. It’s a curious picture, and you may be wondering what it is we are doing out in the sun. In fact, we are admiring the harvest of the elephant garlic grown on campus. Quite the specimens!

But most important, Lawrence has a fascinating read on the future of the design professions, one that is worth heeding. She says we need to have positive expectations about the future — not just avoid the negative ones. She sees hope for the future because of the interest and actions taken by the students on campus and by the professional practices employing their graduates (firms like HMC located close by in Ontario, Calif).

Lawrence is not naive. Like most American universities, Cal Poly has had its share of setbacks. But she has a vision that has the capacity to change the course of events for the better. The Center for Regenerative Studies at Cal Poly Pomona is a highlight of the College of Environmental Design. (Watch  for an announcement regarding this and other highly admired programs in the July/August issue of DesignIntelligence, which focuses on sustainable design.)

Cal Poly Pomona an imperfect model, which is an authentic example of sorts because of how they have handled adversity. Success has not come easily. And while they are small, they can measure the benefits of the school in sophisticated ways — world-class ways. And this addresses the all-too-common cynicism on our college campuses today.

How Much Better Could the AIA Convention Be?

Quite a lot it seems. Here’s my 2009 report card:

Registration process: A-
Professional development programs C
Theme presentations: B
Fellows investiture ceremony: A
Awards ceremony: D
Business sessions: C
Exhibition hall: B-
City location: A
Weather: D

Am I too harsh? Let’s take a closer look at five propositions that could put this convention into best-of-class zone.

1. While overall convention attendance was respectable, especially considering this economy, attendance at the annual awards presentation was embarrassingly low. Only a handful of people were at the late afternoon program on Friday — and those who attended were mostly there to receive awards. I felt bad for those architects who brought clients. Even modest expectations for this event were missed. There was so much talent in that Moscone Convention Center and yet so little pageantry and celebration. This is one of the big missed opportunities of the national convention.

Solution: Celebrate and present the National AIA awards in a big public ceremony — perhaps the auditorium affiliated with one of the influential museums in the city. Sell tickets. I believe it would sell out and year after year become the hottest ticket in town. And why not? Global stars and emerging design leaders convene. This could be the most soulfully important event of the convention and one of the signal events of the year for AIA. And to add the frosting on the cake: Celebrate the top 10 architectural highlights of the host city. (In the case of San Francisco, there was so much new and noteworthy architecture. Furthermore, that’s true for every city AIA will meet at in the future.) Keep this unveiling of awards a secret until the program unfolds. This would make the AIA convention the thought leading as well the news making event on design excellence in each city. Let the host city be reminded of the importance of architecture to quality of life.

2. The professional development programs were again of uneven quality, and the system itself lacks user friendliness to both session attendees and presenters. One high-profile architect told me that he would personally boycott any further AIA events because of the shabby treatment he received by convention staff who micromanaged every issue that was of lesser importance while ignoring the opportunities to create a world-class professional development experience.

Building quality content to higher levels will be the lifeblood of the future for the convention. AIA staff need not see themselves as the PowerPoint police; instead, they should facilitate quality and provide top-notch personal service to speakers. The professional development staff should model themselves around the great service provided by the VIP lounge staff. What a classy group they were in SF. Make that the standard for service everywhere at convention.

And why not share session evaluations with all AIA members after the event? Make the improvement opportunities and the high points transparent. What were the top 20 sessions? What was the mean score for all events? How many tanked? And then address what the quality expectation metric is for the future. And then compare three years’ worth of data. And then … celebrate all the improvements!

3. Why should convention attendees walk across the street for exhibits? Splitting the exhibit hall to accommodate every company that wants a presence is organizational greed. Rather than maximizing exhibitor attendance, the AIA should optimize the exhibitor and architect experience of place. There should be dialog, a sense of community, and robust interface on trends, shifts, products, processes. The exhibitors are great resources to the profession. To treat them as second-class citizens misses the point. They are critical to the delivery team.

The exhibitors I talked with had mixed experiences of satisfaction because the convention was fragmented between north, south, and west halls, and there was second tier (second-class) space, some of it rarely visited by architects. While the exhibitors got to know each other well, many reported not having the level of traffic they thought they should get. These companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring freshly designed exhibits and technical and sales staff, rent space, provide inventive hospitality, and try integrating their value proposition into the fabric of the convention. Many were let down. AIA can do better.

The truth is that the AIA convention can be the best place for product manufacturers and service providers to mix with leading and specifying architects. With good design in mind, traffic patterns should not inhibit but instead maximize value. Furthermore, exhibitors should never be treated like second-class citizens at the convention. They should be given access to the educational programs, the design awards, and visiting (but non-voting) status at the business meetings. This industry is integrating. AIA should not just talk about it but should live these concepts in dozens of ways with the entire team. The barriers to correct this old-school system are similar to the barriers that have limited the growth of the architectural profession itself. It’s time to change the set points, the value propositions, and the delivery model of the national AIA convention.

4. There was a dark cloud over this entire meeting. Call it an emotional recession. Architects were gloomy due to the economic recession and the high expenses of the convention.

Solution: Recognize that the economy is going to get better. It will unfold in ways that will be highly beneficial to the architecture profession in the long run. The vision for the future of the profession needs to be stated and re-stated at every opportunity. The AIA is in many ways a role model for firms — or could be. And the leadership at AIA can have the clear messages that reinforce the unfolding new value propositions of the ascendant profession. The convention should not be an opportunity to cry on shoulders but to lift the spirits, our knowledge, and strategies to make things better. Hour after hour, the AIA missed this opportunity to focus on the future.

5. Without ever intending to do so, the AIA can come off like a rather defensive trade association rather than a leading and very special professional institute that holds the body of knowledge that will set the pace for this industry in the future. AIA is a national treasure, not a self-interested, self-serving trade group.

After sitting through the business meetings, I wondered about better governance and addressing empty politics. And I wondered if it wouldn’t be better to have a two-year presidency term with compensation for the architect leader rather than the current one-year revolving door. The AIA presidency is not unlike having a partner on loan from professional practice. Governance could easily be streamlined — 49 board members is not the perfect governance design for this role model organization.

What was the biggest missed opportunity of the convention? Well-designed complimentary umbrellas for every delegate. Too bad one of the exhibitors couldn’t give out those umbrellas. It would have made a lasting impression and put smiles on architects’ faces during what was otherwise a somewhat gloomy experience.

Ranking Architecture Schools: Is There a Better Way?

For the past 10 years, DesignIntelligence has published its rankings of schools in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and industrial/product design.

For the first time this year, DI also determined the top 60 schools based on its decade’s worth of experience using an expanded slate of criteria. This ranking, called The Cramer Report: America’s World-Class Schools of Architecture, uses a multidimensional rankings that are based on five criteria:

1. Current rankings by professional practices based on the question: “From your recruiting experience in the past five years, what schools do you believe are best preparing students for professional practice?” (More than 200 leading firms employing tens of thousands of professionals participated in this year’s research.)

2. Historic 10-year rankings by professional practices, with greater weight place on more recent years’ rankings.

3. Rankings by academic department deans and chairs. (More than 100 academic programs participated in this year’s research.)

4. Overall campus environment and students evaluations. DI staff have visited all accredited campuses, and more than 900 students participated in the evaluations this year.

5. Program accreditation. Accreditation includes 141 programs in the United States. All have been visited by DI staff.

The maximum possible score for 2009 was found to be 485, and the top 60 programs scored within a range of 435 to 477. Four schools tied for first at a 477 level. They are:

• Columbia University
• Harvard University
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Yale University

(Read more about our methodology.)

For the upcoming 2010 world-class rankings, we will bring together an expert jury to advise editors on the above criteria and to develop further analysis that objectifies the subjective and subjectifies the objective. We will also be asking for possible new layers of analysis. For instance, should Architect Registration Exam pass rates be a criterion in the Cramer Report rankings? How about graduate or alumni evaluations?

DesignIntelligence is committed to continuous improvements in our rankings. We enjoy dialog on this issue from students, faculty, and administration, so please feel free to comment publically here or to e-mail your comments to our staff.

Opportunity Knocks: Advice to New Graduates

A new class of architecture graduates is about to enter the profession, and the timing couldn’t be worse. The economic crisis has affected nearly all industries and markets, and design is hardly immune. Firms across the country are reporting rapidly diminishing backlogs, scarce prospects for new work, and significant staff cuts, even at the senior levels. Those firms that are weathering the storm, at least so far, are not hiring. The next generation of designers has a lot to offer: They are tech-savvy and full of ideas; they care deeply about the environment and are convinced that design can make a difference. Unfortunately, many of them also carry a heavy load of debt. There’s a real risk that this next cohort of talent could fall victim to the bad economy and leave the profession altogether. What’s a young graduate to do in these troubled times?

Start by recognizing that while things are tough, the sun still comes up every morning. Stay calm. The economy is down but not dead. Much of your success will be dictated not by circumstance but by attitude, and this is something over which you have a great deal of control:

1. Know that your education is a long-term investment and that nobody can repossess it, no matter how much money you owe.

2. Remember that when you start at the very bottom, the only way to go is up. From this, you will gain great resilience and self-confidence.

3. Understand that design school is as much about a way of thinking as it is about making objects called buildings. Use this to broaden your perspective.

4. Recognize that lots of things get designed — both products and processes. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about bricks and mortar to matter.

5. Investigate programs such as the Peace Corps, Habitat for Humanity, or the U.S. Agency for International Development. There’s a need for your skill set out there somewhere.

6. No matter what, don’t waste your downtime. Consider travel, which is always enlightening.

7. Get a job on a construction site … any job will do. This will open your eyes in ways you cannot begin to imagine.

8. Build a house on an abandoned lot with recycled materials. Show the world that good design can be had at any price.

9. Maintain your sense of humor and stay optimistic. Nobody likes a whiner.

10. Realize that this may be the first but it’s certainly not the last recession you’ll ever encounter, so maintain perspective.

11. Poverty is not fatal if you do it right. Stay alert … you might actually learn something.

12. Study history: What great buildings were created during severe economic times? (Hint: the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center are two examples.) Emulate.

13. Consider extending your education into law, business, environmental science, public health, etc. Concerned about cost? See Item 1.

14. Assume that you’re immune to the bad economy. Decide to get a job, and one will appear. Good intentions are very powerful, and luck does play a role.

15. Be humble and grateful. Remember that there are lots of people in the world who are much worse off than you are.

16. Keep dreaming and sketching. Maintain a diary or a journal, then convert this into a best seller (a novel, movie script, pop song, or opera will do!). Remember that J.K. Rowling was a welfare mom when she wrote the first Harry Potter book, and now she’s richer than the Queen of England — literally.

In other words, don’t let yourself be defined by a job. Keep thinking like a designer. Designers are problem solvers. They are open to new ideas. They understand systems. They appreciate how the big picture depends on the smallest details. And they know that what they do makes a difference … at any age.

Design Demographics in a New Profession

In the most recent issue of DesignIntelligence, the Greenway Group and the Design Futures Council identified the 25 Trends Transforming Architecture and Design Practice (http://www.di.net/news/archive/2977/). While some topics such as economic instability and sustainability clearly rose to the forefront, other pieces of equal importance to the future vitality of the profession also became increasingly clear. Of particular interest to my research and work is the trend “Design demographics shake out.”  This trend stresses, “The cyclical economy of the design and construction business will stall the careers of Generation Y and threaten the entrepreneurial spirit of Generation X.”  As I met with firms across the country in 2007 and early 2008, quite often time was spent focusing on the talent shortage they faced.

More recently, as the economy put increasing strain on many firms, the conversation has changed from talent shortage to staff reductions. In some cases, this has caused firms to be forced to part with potential future leaders of their firms. As the economy begins to rebound, I believe firms will find the shortage of talent has grown deeper. While there will certainly be professionals in the marketplace who have lost their jobs, firms will also have found an increasing number of recent graduates and young professionals will have continued to pursue alternative career paths.

Perhaps most important, as the editors of DI point out, there is danger on the horizon: “Too few potential leaders are being mentored to meet the demands of the design professions in the next 10 years.” For firms and their leaders who use the slow economy as a time to reinvent themselves, the future is bright.  Firms that believe the status quo will allow continued growth and success in the profession of tomorrow face uncertainly and risk becoming increasingly marganilized.

Students and young professionals will continue to seek firms offering mentorship and opportunities for growth in ways that recognize growing generational differences. They will push firms to innovate and grow in ways we can only begin to imagine. While times are currently challenging, the horizon looks increasingly bright for innovation and attracting top talent!

Design: A Multiplier of Opportunities

Here’s the real deal: While the economy for architects and designers will be down about $7 billion over the next 12 months, there will still be nearly $30 billion spent on professional services in 2009, with an expected uptick in 2010.

You don’t need to be one of this year’s victims. You can lead and participate in the shift from private to publically funded projects, and you can lead the shift to relevancy in a changing market context. You can lead success.

Yes, there is plenty of strategic optimism if you want to find it.

5th annual Leadership Conference on Design Strategy, Innovation, and Change

For instance, I’ve just completed the Design Futures Council’s 5th annual Leadership Conference on Design Strategy, Innovation, and Change held in La Jolla, Calif., at La Valencia Hotel. This was a small and powerful conference. We had a full veranda room of 45 leaders perfectly fitted at round tables overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Participating firms constituted a real Who’s Who of successful leaders in our industry. And they are gearing up for even more success this year. Leaders came from HKS, Autodesk, OWP/P, DLR Group, Cannon Design, NBBJ, Mortenson Construction, Staffelbach, MulvannyG2, Chamberlain of Canada, CEDIM of Mexico, Hanbury Evans, Rice University Facilities, Carnegie Mellon, HMC, HDR, Sasaki, Devenney Group, Hettema, and 25 more. What a great diversity of leadership angles this group possesses and is willing to share!

In fact, it was one of the most dynamic, high-energy, and passion-filled rooms of people I’ve been inside in a long time. Each session provided a candid and comprehensive look at how to succeed in architecture and design – ranging from small creative firms to large institutions. Speakers were not only solid but scored an average evaluation of 9 out of 10 as they presented step-by-step real-life examples and tell-it-like-it-is information in context with today’s challenges.

Renee Cheng

I would especially like to thank psychologist Richard Farson, educators Laura Lee and Renée Cheng, architects Markku Allison, Phil Bernstein, and Scott Simpson. Our intern and associate Jonathan Bahe along with author Scott Simpson co-presented a session on growing practices (even in today’s economy) and establishing goals and turning ideas to actions. Their research is fresh and compelling. We also had a wonderful case study by architect Randy Peterson, the CEO from HMC.

I’ve learned that networks really do work to the degree that you’re in a strong one. At the risk of sounding promotional, the network of leaders at the conference proved to be exceptional. I was encouraged by their voices. Theirs was a sober – yet never dark – story.

Now, we’ll be looking at the markets through a changed economic lens. Moreover, we’ll be appreciating the reasons why design will win in the future. It’s not just an asset but will also be a multiplier of opportunities.

Best Schools logo

A couple of schools inquired about using the DesignIntelliegnce logo or cover in their press releases about making it in the America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools rankings. Austin did a really nice job creating a logo specifically for this purpose, which we sent out to ranking schools yesterday. It was already posted on the RISD blog this morning and looks great. Congratulations to all the ranking schools, by the way!