Handbook for the Architectural Manager

Stephen Emmitt, Mohammed A. Alharbi

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781119225522
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

The essential resource for becoming more effective in the highly competitive architectural marketplace

Handbook for the Architectural Manager offers architects a comprehensive resource that brings together critical information on four interlinked areas: managing the architectural office, projects, stakeholders, and learning. Unlike other books on the topic that only stress management of the business or the management of projects, this book offers a guiding framework that encompasses the architectural manager's role in developing the practice's competitive strategies and overseeing the project portfolio.

Written by noted experts in the field, Handbook for the Architectural Manager is grounded in current research in which, for the first time, the components of architectural management have been analyzed systematically, tested, and developed for practical application. Designed to explore typical architectural management issues, the book provides clear and concise direction with practical step-by-step guidance as well as helpful checklists, templates and scenarios, and case studies to illustrate best practice. This essential resource:

• Offers a groundbreaking handbook that contains a comprehensive management framework for architectural practice
• Contains new insights and guidance based on solid research on managing the architectural practice
• Brings together in one book the best management techniques of the office, projects, stakeholders, and learning
• Includes a well-grounded critical review of the existing literature on the topic
• Designed for professionals in the field but written in accessible language suitable for students

Handbook for the Architectural Manager offers a practical guide for overseeing the development of architectural designs and associated activities and ensuring all work is consistent (i.e. adheres to current standards, legislation, client specifications, and office protocols) and completed on time as well as information on staff development and learning.

1
Introduction

Architectural practices are constantly juggling resources to balance many complementary, yet competing, demands. These include the demands of stakeholders and individual projects, the need to continually learn and apply knowledge, and the fundamental requirement to run a profitable business. The business provides the opportunity to create and deliver great architecture. Architectural practices that are able to manage the demands placed on them will make a profit and stay in business. Those that fail to effectively manage all of these aspects will struggle and are likely to fail. In this chapter we introduce the background to the book and set out the rationale for the chapters that follow. Our argument, supported by research, is that architectural practices require a guiding management framework in order to stay in business and return a profit on the resources invested.

1.1 An Argument for a Management Framework

Why do we need a (management) framework in which to practise architecture? Surely architecture is a highly creative, intuitive and often spontaneous response to a particular site and client; something that flourishes outside the world of management? It may be an image promulgated in the rarefied world of architectural education, but as practising architects would readily attest, the effective engagement with others in the co‐creation of architecture requires protocols to guide the design team to a successful solution. But somewhat contrary to this, we also know that restrictive managerial tools and onerous management procedures are not conducive to supporting our creative endeavours. Architects and fellow designers require an appropriate framework in which to pursue creative solutions to complex challenges; management that supports rather than hinders the creative process. We need simple, straightforward and pragmatic guidance to help us deliver wonderful buildings and return a profit for our efforts. What we need is better management, not more management.

These are not new concerns. In the 1960s, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) published The Architect and his Office (RIBA, 1962). The report criticised architects for the way in which they managed their business affairs and in doing so formed the stimulus for early work on architectural management. The first book to use the term ‘architectural management’ was written by three architects in direct response to the RIBA report (Brunton et al., 1964). In addition to defining architectural management as the interrelationship between the management of projects and the architectural business (see Chapter 3) they also claimed that we knew enough about the management of individual projects, and therefore concentrated on the management of the office. Since this time there has been an explosion in the literature relating to the management of construction projects (project management, construction management and more recently design management), somewhat contradicting Brunton et al.'s claim that we knew how to do it. In contrast to the project management literature, there is still a comparatively small body of literature on the management of the architect's office. This is known as practice (or office) management and tends to be concerned with the effective administration of the business, which one could argue is not really about ‘managing’ the business. In many respects, Brunton et al.'s call for better management of the architect's business has largely gone unheeded in the literature. Although both streams offer a valuable knowledge source, by concentrating on only one aspect (project or office) we fail to acknowledge the inter‐relationship between the two; and hence fail to address the unique environment in which architects work (see Figure 1.1). It is the dynamic interaction between the creative office and the temporal, creative and pragmatic projects that makes the creation and realisation of architecture so exciting.

Figure 1.1 The components of architectural management. Adapted from Brunton et al. (1964) and Emmitt (1999a).

Early interest in management by architects tended to wane with the dawn of the 1970s, and it was not until the 1990s that interest once more turned to the need for better management by architects, an idea once again promoted by the RIBA. By this time Brunton et al.'s (1964) work on architectural management was largely forgotten. Their work was, however, rediscovered and further developed by Emmitt, some 35 years after the publication of their book. Building directly on the seminal work of Brunton et al., Emmitt's (1999a) work was instrumental in expanding and further developing our understanding of architectural management as the inter‐relationship between business management and project management. Underlying Emmitt's work is the argument that significant value can be derived from the strategic management of the office and the project portfolio (see Emmitt 1999a,b, 2014, 2017).

These two fundamental components of architectural management (management of office and projects) remained unchallenged until relatively recently. Extensive research by Alharbi (2013) resulted in the extension and development of the ‘basic’ understanding of architectural management. This included a new definition of architectural management and publication of a new architectural management framework (Alharbi 2013; Alharbi et al. 2015a,b) on which this book is based. Alharbi's definition is more inclusive than the original, and better reflects the need to deliver value to all stakeholders. This is particularly pertinent to a collaborative and integrated approach to the delivery of projects within a highly competitive marketplace for services. The definition is (Alharbi, 2013):

Architectural management (AM) is the strategic management of the architectural firm that assures the effective integration between managing the business aspects of the office with its individual projects in order to design and deliver the best value to all stakeholders.

Alharbi's architectural management framework introduced two new, additional components: ‘managing stakeholders’ and ‘managing learning’ (see Figure 1.2). Although one could argue that the management of stakeholders and the management of learning are implicit in the earlier work, this has now become explicit. And in making the management of stakeholders and the management of learning explicit, it has further emphasised the value of people. Managing stakeholders reflects the collaborative and co‐dependent nature of design in the digital age. It also reflects the need for architects to satisfy the needs of many stakeholders, ranging from, for example, the client and investors, through the design and delivery teams to the building users and building managers, through to society in general. To manage these complex and constantly evolving relationships requires an understanding and application of stakeholder management (see Chapter 7). Managing learning relates to the need for professionals such as architects to continually update their knowledge and skills, which can be challenging when dealing with a diverse project portfolio and constantly changing technologies. It includes the development and application of knowledge to office and projects, as well as the need to better ‘educate’ clients and stakeholders of the value of good design (see Chapter 8). Neither of these additional components had been addressed in an integrated manner in previous work on architectural management.

Figure 1.2 Components of architectural management (source: Alharbi 2013).

The four components of the architectural management framework are explained further in this book, providing a comprehensive and unique framework that supports architects in our daily pursuit of excellence.

The need for a guiding framework is also evidenced in typical job descriptions, where the architectural manager's role includes the management and supervision of the office staff (for example architects, architectural engineers and technologists, and BIM technicians), overseeing the entire project portfolio and interfacing with clients to attract and retain business. The role also includes responsibility for staff development and learning, recruitment and retention. The role of the architectural manager is explained more fully in Chapter 3.

1.2 Agenda

The aim of the book is to help readers to better manage their archite...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Architecture and Management
• Chapter 3: Architectural Management
• Chapter 4: Architectural Management Framework
• Chapter 5: Managing the Business
• Chapter 6: Managing Projects
• Chapter 7: Managing Stakeholders
• Chapter 8: Managing Learning
• Chapter 9: Practical Application
• Further Reading
• References
• Index
• End User License Agreement