The 3 Aspects

While Design is the most important aspect of architecture, it is subsidiary to the 3 Aspects in the business of architecture.

Of the 20-some thousand architectural firms in the US, over half are smaller than five people. Firms this size are like subsistence farmers - just getting by. I was ‘just getting by’ when my firm was that size. Most of the firms stuck at that size want to grow larger. My dream was always to be about two people larger than whatever size we were.

For over 30 years I tried a lot of things. I am sharing what I have learned. This idea is the best I have seen, and it comes from a book, The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber. (more)

What is it all about and is it for you...

What this is all about

The 3 Aspects of architecture are about making a living as an architect. If you plan to work for a firm, there is useful information here. If you own or plan to own a firm, this information is the key to making a financial success of your firm. This is about creating value in yourself and in your firm in a predictable way. There are other paths you can take; but, if the goal is financial success, these three things have to happen.
1st you have to deliver problem-free services to your clients.
2nd you have to have a dependable pipeline of clients.
3rd you have to have an efficient organization for delivering everything necessary for the 1st and 2nd requirements.

What does financial success look like

Financial success means that the firm you build will provide you with the extra funds to build a comfortable lifestyle and a comfortable retirement.

Who is this for

Generally speaking anyone can benefit from a focus on the 3 Aspects. Large firms have found a way to overcome the main impediment. So they are not going to find as much value here as a small firm. And the earlier you start building your expertise in the 3 Aspects the better your chance of reaching your goals. However, architects are not known to be all about the money, so this path is not for everyone. This is for someone that wants to build a valuable business or career.

What is the main impediment

Mathematics. The main impediment is the math of efficiency and complexity. In order to be efficient you need to concentrate on the work that only you can do and delegate the rest. This creates growing complexity as the amount of delegation grows. The solution to this math problem is process. Process lets you solve one issue of delegation at a time so that you can move on to the next issue. Process, protocol, procedure and standards are the ways to solve the main impediment.

How do you implement this

Slowly, over time, one foot after the other is how you implement the 3 Aspects. The mastery of the 3 Aspects should grow simultaneously or nearly so. Each of the 3 Aspects are described in more detail under the tabs below. You will find suggested issues to tackle, a rough order of attack, and (over time) examples and templates to guide you.

Explore the 3 Aspects

Architekwiki is organizes around The 3 Aspects, plus Design. You can find more about whichever aspect you want to explore by using the Categories menu in the header or the Category links in the footer.

The Three Critical Aspects