Background

Our client was a well established commercial architectural practice that was performing well and had in place systems and structures for management and systematic marketing.

Nonetheless, it saw scope for improvement: especially in its internal management processes, in how it went about marketing, and in the quality of its service.

Our remit was to carry out a strategic review that would identify and prioritise the key issues now facing the firm, determine an agreed future direction and set of objectives, and establish how best to achieve those goals.

Process

Our analysis involved a mix of interviews with staff, clients and external audiences, a detailed financial analysis to identify where the practice made and lost money, a review of how the practice was structured, and an audit of the firm’s literature, proposals and communications.

Results

One immediate effect of the consultancy exercise was to encourage more open communications amongst the partners. This enabled them to address critical issues that before had been fudged or by-passed.

Through a series of workshops with the partners we were also able to develop a consensus regarding the firm’s future direction, and generate a set of objectives covering the key aspects of the business.

Our recommendations - both long term strategy and ‘quick fixes‘ - were then coordinated in a broad, costed action plan consistent with the partners‘ preferred timescale and budget.

Implementation

We then helped with the implementation - managing the process to ensure that the momentum was maintained in the face of day to day project pressures.

Our activities ranged from communicating the plans to the whole firm to working with individuals and teams at various levels to engender the vision and facilitate the changes.

We also made sure that the agreed strategies were reflected in how the practice was structured and in its actions.

We addressed the measures by which performance was monitored and we encouraged placing the best individuals in key positions.

Marketing was made more systematic and refocused to both maintain existing clients and win brand new; graphics, social media and PR activities were geared to clear objectives.

We looked at how staff were appointed, supported and their progress monitored. And we addressed the succession issue to ensure that glass ceilings were seen to have been effectively removed.

Summary

Ultimately, the process helped the firm develop a new sense of direction and energy.

With internal management, design, service delivery and marketing activities all significantly improved, the practice was left re-energised and equipped to achieve its goals.

Over the period that we worked with the practice, not only did it double in size but it fundamentally transformed itself in the eyes of many of its peers, staff and clients.

CASE STUDY 2

Transformation - Major Change

in a Large Architectural Practice