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IT Tuneups
 

We’ll inventory your existing skills and assets and create a “technology makeover” appropriate to your practice. Following is an example of an IT tuneup provided to a well established land planning and landscape architecture firm:

Phase 1: Assessment:

Study the firm's operations and consult with principals and staff with respect to the appropriate use of information technology to support the firm's design and business objectives.

  • Are appropriate hardware and software tools being used to support projects?
  • Could IT be more widely implemented within the firm, i.e. by principals and designers, not just "technical" personnel?
  • What barriers have prevented this and how can they be overcome?
  • Are the technology skills that employees bring to the firm being recognized and used?
Knowledge management within the firm:
  • Are staff able to find project information quickly and effectively?
  • Are the firm's capabilities well understood within the firm itself?
  • Are assets such as photographs, standard details, materials information readily available?
  • Are the systems and procedures of administrative functions supporting the firm's design objectives?
  • Are project managers able to access time and cost information in a timely and effective manner?
  • Is historical project data readily available to support proposal writing and project planning?
  • Is basic HR information (employment manual, vacation/sick leave, retirement plan) conveniently available to employees when they need it?
Communication with clients:
  • Are clients able to inform themselves about projects to the extent they would like?
  • Can client satisfaction and loyalty be enhanced through the use of project extranets?
Communication with partners:
  • Are prime and subconsultants able to access the information they need without imposing burdens on design staff?
  • Is an appropriate level of security in place to protect the firm's intellectual property?
Phase 2: Implementation
  • Intranet: Web-based internal communication channel to connect branch offices and support overseas projects.
  • CAD standards, guidelines, and procedures, coordinated with the requirements of clients, consultants and partners.
  • Archiving of details and media assets such as photographs
  • Project extranets: Buy? Rent? Build?
New services:
  • What is the potential to add digital and Web-based communications to the services that the firm offers clients?
  • Can the firm's expertise in visualization and design communication be leveraged to support participatory design, public consultation, the entitlements process, marketing?
Phase 3: Training and education

Make technology training an integral part of the firm's operations. Support employees who want to develop and enhance skills. Demystify technology and let it empower the firm's creativity.

Classes we can present to your staff

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Page updated: April 6, 2004
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