A competitive, yet unhealthy market forces us to improve work efficiency. On one hand, this requires considerable effort and moving beyond well-established paths. On the other hand, it brings development and innovation. We can already see that when we meet competing companies, we are often able to carry out design processes faster and more precisely. And still, there is so much ahead of us.
I am convinced that even if it is not said out loud, almost every design office lacks either the budget for proper salaries, or for development and specialist software — and often for both. Well, increasing design fees by 30–40% overnight is not possible. So what is possible? We can still improve work efficiency, shorten procedures, automate repetitive processes, and work with partners on small improvements in cooperation.
Last week, we discussed the second waste in our office: WAITING. Waiting itself is not “bad”. It is rather unavoidable. But failing to manage waiting is a serious mistake and a major waste of time. I am sure that every office deals with waiting. It may be a decision from another designer, a decision from the investor, updated drawings, confirmation from an expert, documentation review, or the selection of proposed technologies. There is always something. What matters is to name this waiting, define it, write it down, and inform the other party about the consequences connected with it. For example, we can add a “blockers” tab to the project board and place there a list of current blockers with a description of what we are waiting for, when we need the answer, who is responsible for it, and what the consequences are. We do not wait passively and silently. After one day, we remind the other party. After two days, the information goes to the PM. After three or four days, we escalate higher, with the option of escalating to the client. Most of the time, we do not even know how much all these blockers and the dispersion of the design team affect the final profitability of the project and the number of hours used. It is worth paying attention to this.
