If Architects Had To Work Like Web Designers

LOL..

Nice comparison! It happens lots of times! :)

my first post... figures it had to be on the string that took down Dan's web server, eh?

but like a web designer and architect, this article rings true with Systems Engineers.

i try and tell my clients\boss\cfo\project-manager that there are three things you can spec for in designing your integrated system and associated server(s)...

1. built on the cheap
2. built to performance and dependability specs
3. built quickly

you can have any two, but not all three... but you can NOT get around it.

of course people's definition of cheap, performance/depandable, and quickly built differ - systems engineers definitions tend to startle the general public's.

but most people don't get into ITIL, MOF, Gartner, Forrester, et al.

Thanks Shae for posting it. It made my day when I read it back in late May. I used to work for an architectural firm and this was a common issue.

The title could also read "If QuickBooks set up experts and bookkeepers had to work like architects, web site designers, and other personal and comprehensive service industries."

I am always amazed at the number of clients who call me thinking they know how to use QuickBooks and need me to show them how to tweak it some more (translation "I really don't understand it") only when I go into their program settings I discover that they:

1) Haven't updated their accounting software program since 200X; 2) Want to do online banking but haven't filed a request with their bank to do so; 3) Want to save on time with data entry but haven't adjusted the program's preferences to do so; 4) Buy a copy of a high-end program like Premier for their business when Pro at several hundred dollars less will do (and moan about the cost) but not consulting with me before doing so; and 5) Have set up their LLC's business chart of accounts as a C corporation or if they have formed an LLC they haven't bothered to inform the IRS of their election to be treated as a S corporation.

Arrgh. I sometimes want to make a few client walk the plank but I am thankful for their mistakes so I can have full employment this month, smile.

I would like to precursor this with the fact that I do appreciate the satirical play on architecture and how it parallels web design in its most extreme case .. my roommate(web designer) sent me this though and as an architect, I feel slightly obligated to nix the assumption that we draw pretty pictures and make dream houses a reality .. .. if you just came for a giggle .. pass this right on by .. and know that I?m just saying that every job is a job .. and unless you are independently wealthy .. (and literally painting puffy clouds) .. there aren?t rainbows and puffy clouds in any of our drawings ..

And that not even mentioning the fact I work a 7:30am-5:30pm on a good day (salary .. no overtime) to my roommates 9am ? 5pm with lunch at his desk .. ?working? .. and the fact that 2 years out of school he is making $16,000 a year more then me (thanks to the dotcom craze .. vs far to many architects coming out of school to far to few jobs) .. and for 1 final kick in the balls .. I got my masters in 6 years of schooling (18-25 credit hours/sem, minimum of 5 year BA to become registered, and more all-nighters cramped in a studio/computer lab then I care to remember (I lost track sophomore year at 50(to be fair I will factor in my poor time management skills though)) to his 4 years of 12-15 credit hour/sem where he claims he never had homework and did many a group project .. ? .. sorry I blacked out there for a moment .. what were we talking about ? ahh yes architecture ?

The life of an architect ?

Your story is essentially exactly what architects deal with .. maybe a bedroom or 2 fewer then 40 but in some cases close ..

.. then, take the client .. his family (or 3000 employees all chiming in with where his/her desk should be or how you should coordinate with the mechanical engineers to ensure that they don't have a HVAC diffuser over their desk because they get cold easily) ..

.. then add the responsibility of babysitting civil/structural/electrical/mechanical/HVAC engineers .. all of which absolutely hate you (and each other) because unlike them you care how the drawings and building eventually turn out and sometimes need to remind them that though the center of every room might be ideal for coverage, that you can have a beam/light fixture/diffuser/sprinkler all in one spot (and just to boot .. make any intelligent engineer over 35 and 60-80% computer illiterate (from the drafting days) and battling CAD) ..

.. now take your design/concept, pour your heart and design loving soul into each and every presentation and cry as every time it gets ripped to shreds and your design elements fall to wonderful things like handicap accessibility and fire codes .. now bastardize it to the point that you no longer recognize it as your work, add countless hours of labor .. and whamo!! you have constructions documents .. essentially the bastardized pile of shame that is for some reason called ?your design? ..

.. now instead of accepting defeating and running to the next project (though you need to be working on 4-5 to stay in business) .. you are forced into stacks and stacks of meaningless paper called submittals .. this is where the general contractor tries to trick you into agreeing to let him substitute .. although you told us to use this faucet/glass/light fixture (which you picked with care to exact specification) .. we found this one for cheaper (while having already gone to your client and convinced him that they can save a dime even though they spec?ed a moped to your sensible sturdy Harley Davidson) and then try to convince the client that you are not just ?throwing away his money? and that there are reasons not use pieces from his ?erector set? in a complex motor.

Assuming you get through submittals with half of what you want ... you are now forced onto the next job .. but that?s not even close to where it ends .. then the phone calls begin (not that they hadn?t already) but now construction begins and you spend 4-8 hours of every day of the next weeks to months juggling and solving problems for contractors/electricians/masons/data/telephone plumbers/etc/etc/etc/etc? all while pleasing town officials/building inspectors (because they can make your life hell with a thought) .. and the big perk is on-site work where you get the lucky chance to get out of the office for one day twice weekly to drive to your job sites.. and see what they did wrong and in the end reprimand them ad tell them that since it was right in the drawings and they didn?t catch it that they are not going to get paid for the time it takes them to make it right (that?s how you inspire craftsmanship/and work ethic) .. and in the end after one final 20-100 page book of every miss-set ceiling tile and knick in the trim .. you get to attend the opening where you point to the built in counter in the corner which is the one piece they agreed to without compromise and marvel at all you?ve accomplished in the last year plus ?

? and that is the life of an architect ?

? don?t get me wrong ? I love my job (I would like the extra 16k a year) ? you get good at it though ? you just need to move from juggling 3 balls to about 73 ? and the fun comes in seeing how clean you can get your design through and how good you get at influencing the way people think ? but yea ? no puffy clouds

Can i translate in spanish ? is very interesting and happen all the time, more features, changes, all stuff is 100 % .

LOL, funny stuff!

"Now... after you finish the travel trailer.. Do you know anything about raising chickens?"

-Andrey

All creative fields seem to suffer from ignorant people who think they are perfectly capable of understanding -- and putting a much lower dollar sign on -- what we do and how we do it, even though they've never been exposed to any behind the scenes knowledge or have any experience that would entitle them that liberty.

American mentality perhaps? With all the outsourcing, we've been trained to be cheap and expect more for less -- even though we want top quality! In essence, gold for the cost of tin foil.

This is just another reminder of why I need to retire sooner rather than later.

I just posted a new article on personal/professional growth -- its waiting in the que for approval -- please see tip #3!!

Great article, Shae! =)

LOL... People....

I have a solution for people like this. I look them squarely in the eye and say "Of course we can do that, and it will cost you this...." after they gulp I follow up with "or we can do it this way and it will cost you half of that." Leaving in of course a substantial PITA fee.

This tread reminded me of this interesting story:

A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost. He reduces height and spots a man down below. He lowers the balloon further and shouts: "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?"

The man below says, "Yes, you're in a hot air balloon, hovering 30 feet above this field."

"You must work in information technology" says the balloonist.

"I do," replies the man. "How did you know."

"Well," says the balloonist, "everything you have told me is technically correct, but it's no use to anyone."

The man below says, "You must be a corporate manager."

"I am," replies the balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well", says the man, "you don't know where you are, or where you're going, but you expect me to be able to help. You're in the same position you were before we met, but now it's my fault."

BTW: I took this from a post on my personal blog from 1998.

Awesome, Howard!! =D

I have read that a few times before, but it never gets old!

Okay so I'm going to chime in here for those who aren't web designers but have read and enjoyed your post. I think as small business owners we all feel the same pain.

Whether we are in the restaurant business, consulting, or web design, we struggle with trying to serve our clients/customers while trying to financially maintain our businesses.

I'm going to save this post and use it as a reminder when I'm working with a new client just to make sure I'm grounded.

Thanks again!