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The Smarter by Design podcast explores how leading architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms are reimagining knowledge management, learning, and AI to build smarter, more adaptive practices. Hosted by Christopher Parsons, Founder and CEO of Knowledge Architecture, the show dives into the real stories behind how firms are scaling expertise, transforming culture, and creating modern learning organizations. At the heart of the show is a simple belief: AEC firms should spend as much time designing their businesses as they do designing buildings, bridges, and infrastructure. The systems we design for capturing, sharing, and distributing knowledge shape everything else we create. Through thoughtful conversations with AEC leaders, knowledge managers, and innovators, we explore how design, leadership, and technology intersect to shape the future of practice. If you’re curious about how AEC firms are learning faster, working smarter, and designing better ways to grow—this is your show.
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- Yesterday1h 27m
How KTGY’s Learning Ecosystem Accelerates Change and Builds Trust | John Robison and Donovan Helminiak of KTGY
KTGY was founded in 1991 with an ambition to build a firm that would outlast the people who built it. Six founding partners set out to create a firm which would endure from generation to generation — a firm whose culture, values, and capability would compound over time rather than walk out the door when any one person retired. What they couldn’t have anticipated is how deliberately, and how systematically, KTGY would eventually design its way toward that goal.In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by John Robison, Chief Operating Officer at KTGY, and Donovan Helminiak, Director of Knowledge Management, to trace the evolution of KTGY's learning ecosystem and examine how it has become one of the firm's most consequential strategic investments.The conversation goes behind the scenes of how KTGY built four key components of its learning ecosystem:ELEVATE Leadership — a year-long, cohort-based program built to teach emerging leaders what great leadership looks like at KTGYELEVATE Essentials — a foundational knowledge program which grew from a pandemic-era intern series into a hybrid on-demand and workshop model open to the entire firmELEVATE Talent Management — a newer program targeting first-time people managers, focused on the day-to-day nuance of leading teamsFUEL — a grassroots mentorship community driven entirely by emerging professionals, deliberately mixing offices and experience levels to build connections that wouldn't otherwise exist across seven officesThe old apprenticeship model — learning one project at a time from the people around you — served KTGY well for decades, but is no longer sufficient for a firm with over 400 employees, seven offices, a generation of retiring principals, and a profession being radically reshaped by technology.KTGY's answer has been to design something more intentional: a learning ecosystem where cohort-based programs, on-demand curricula, and grassroots community reinforce each other, and where building trust is a primary goal.As we discussed in the episode, trust is the catalyst that determines how fast AEC firms can change and evolve. To move faster, means intentionally investing in building trust and KTGY’s learning ecosystem has proven remarkably effective at doing exactly that.If you lead an AEC firm thinking seriously about what it takes to build a culture that connects distributed teams, and stays ahead of change, and endures across generations, this episode is an honest accounting of what that investment (and the returns) look like.GuestsJohn Robison, Chief Operations Officer, KTGYWith over 30 years of experience in practice, technology and operations, John Robison serves as COO for KTGY. His primary responsibility is the management of the company’s operational activities including, HR IT, facilities and internal communications. John is also involved in strategic growth activities, process improvement, key recruiting and hiring, and professional development programs, adept at communicating a vision and building effective teams to move the company forward.John practiced architecture as a designer and project manager early in his career until he transferred his talents and expertise to business management and technology. He is a creative strategist who seeks out opportunities to improve operational processes and positively affect both the top and bottom line. He has been a long-time advocate for virtual design and construction and integrated project delivery practices.He led the effort to adopt and implement Synthesis in the firm, which revolutionized project management processes and the ability for teams to collaborate effectively. He also provides corporate leadership, vision and change management efforts and has pioneered organization-wide technology transformations of production and project delivery software.Donovan Helminiak, Director of Knowledge Management, KTGYDonovan Helminiak is the Director of Knowledge Management at KTGY, where he leads the charge on helping the firm make better decisions faster. His work sits at the intersection of people, process, and technology—breaking down silos across teams, systems, and information so that knowledge actually moves to where it's needed. With over 15 years in the AEC industry and two decades of experience before that as a corporate trainer, business and systems analyst, and internal communicator across the automotive and financial services industri
- 3 weeks ago1h 23m
Inside Shive-Hattery's Leadership Development Program | Jennifer Bennett
Jennifer Bennett didn't think she had what it took to be a leader. As a structural engineer coming up at Shive-Hattery, she assumed leadership required a natural charisma she didn't have. In 2007 she was invited to participate in the firm's Leadership Development Program and changed her mind. Today she's President and CEO of the 750-person, 18-office architecture and engineering firm, and she runs the program herself.In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, Jennifer takes us inside how Shive-Hattery’s Leadership Development Program actually works: the cohort structure, the Socratic teaching method, the five curriculum pillars (business acumen, negotiation, high-performance teams, culture and values, emotional and social competence), and the real strategic projects each cohort tackles over their 15-18 months together. She also shares how she builds the trust a cohort needs to succeed and how the program itself is evolving as she brings her executive team in to teach modules so the firm can double how many future leaders it reaches each year.At its core, Shive-Hattery’s Leadership Development Program isn't just about developing individual leaders — it's about teaching people to lead change in a way that's consistent with Shive-Hattery's culture and to carry that culture forward as they rise. That's part of a bigger act of stewardship. Shive-Hattery is a firm with more than 125 years of history and Jennifer sees investing in future leaders as central to how the firm sustains, evolves, and grows for decades to come. Past leaders invested in her generation; now it's her generation’s turn to pay forward.If you lead an AEC firm or are thinking about what it takes to build a leadership culture and an enduring firm, this episode is for you.GuestsJennifer Bennett, President and CEO, Shive-HatteryAs President/CEO of Shive-Hattery, Jennifer Bennett is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic planning, culture, vision and direction of current and future operations. Bennett joined the employee-owned design firm in 2003 and has 25+ years of experience of client service, talent development and market growth. She has a structural engineering background and previously served as the Vice President and Office Director of Shive-Hattery’s Quad Cities location.Episode ResourcesThe Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business — Patrick LencioniThe Leadership Pipeline: Developing Leaders in the Digital Age — Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, James L. Noel, and Kent JonasenFirst Among Equals: How to Manage a Group of Professionals — Patrick J. McKenna and David H. MaisterEmotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ — Daniel GolemanWhat to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fire and the Self-Knowledge Imperative — Jim CollinsAnother Way: Building Companies That Last — Dave Whorton with Bo BurlinghamCreditsHost: Christopher ParsonsExecutive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher ParsonsEditor: Coe HoeksemaTheme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The ParentsChapters Welcome and Episode Introduction Firm Overview and Jennifer's Path to Leadership What Good Leadership Looks Like Inside the Leadership Development Program The Socratic Method and the First Team Concept Culture, Onboarding, and Cohort Selection Business Acum
- Jun 24, 20261h 11m
Better Learning Starts With Clearer Goals | Jackie Baxley of HRP Associates
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Jackie Baxley, Principal and Practice Leader for Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability at HRP Associates. Jackie has spent years helping HRP evolve from a more organic, apprenticeship-driven learning culture into a more intentional learning organization that thinks carefully about competency, capability, incentives, mentorship, and organizational performance. Her perspective is shaped by the realities of consulting work, where the product is ultimately the people themselves.One of the central ideas Jackie returns to throughout this conversation is that not every learning experience is trying to accomplish the same thing. Organizations often get into trouble when they fail to define the actual goal upfront. Is the goal simply communication? Awareness? Skills development? Demonstrated competency? Different goals require different approaches, different investments, and different ways of evaluating success.Jackie walks through the practical frameworks HRP uses to think more intentionally about learning design, including her “inverted pyramid” model of communication, awareness, training, and competency, as well as the EDGE framework: Educate, Demonstrate, Guide, and Evaluate. We explore why awareness is not the same thing as competency, why repetition matters, how HRP approaches skills validation and quality audits, and why some learning experiences work best asynchronously while others must remain in person.The conversation also explores the operational and economic realities of learning inside consulting firms. Jackie discusses how HRP has worked to remove the stigma around training and development by redesigning incentives, rethinking billability, and treating learning as a strategic investment rather than overhead. We also discuss HRP’s evolving employee lifecycle programs, their growing focus on soft skills and management development, and the challenge of building deeper organizational capability without turning learning into bureaucracy.If you lead an AEC firm, manage teams, oversee operations, or are thinking about how to scale expertise more intentionally inside your organization, this episode offers a thoughtful and highly practical conversation about designing learning around real outcomes. A conversation about clearer goals, stronger capability development, and building modern learning organizations that keep getting smarter, by design.GuestJackie Baxley, EHS&S Practice Leader, HRP AssociatesJackie Baxley, a professional engineer in several states, has over 28 years of experience as an environmental engineering and risk management consultant specializing in the areas of environmental health and safety (EHS) compliance and management systems. As the EHS&S Practice Leader for HRP Associates, Inc, her responsibilities include fostering operational performance to a project and management staff of engineers and scientist. Throughout her career, Jackie has developed a strong working knowledge of the principle federal and state EHS laws and regulations, the principals of management systems and the application of sustainable practices and policies. Jackie is well known as a compliance trainer and has developed training courses delivered in person and online. She has managed or performed hundreds of site EH&S audits for a multitude of clients. CreditsHost: Christopher ParsonsExecutive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher ParsonsEditor: Coe HoeksemaTheme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The ParentsEpisode ResourcesPeople & ExpertsKent Jonasen — CEO, Leadership Pipeline Institutehttps://www.leadershippipeline.comBooksThe Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership-Powered Company — Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, James NoelThe Specialist Pipeline: Career Development for Technical and Professional Specialists — Kent Jonasen, Stephen Drotter, Aigerim EdwardsChapters Welcome and Episode Overview Introduction to Jackie Baxley, HRP, and HIKE Inverse Pyramid Framework: Communication, Awareness, Training, Competency Building Skills with the EDGE Method Reframing Training as a Strategic Investment: Time Tracking, Overtime, Stigma Defining and Measuring Competencies(
- Jun 3, 20261h 42m
Why Every AEC Firm Needs a Leadership and Specialist Pipeline | Kent Jonasen of the Leadership Pipeline Institute
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Kent Jonasen, CEO of the Leadership Pipeline Institute and co-author of the third edition of The Leadership Pipeline as well as author of The Specialist Pipeline. Kent has spent decades helping organizations rethink leadership development, succession planning, and the challenge of scaling expertise inside complex companies.His work starts from a deceptively simple premise: leadership is not leadership.Each transition—from leading yourself to leading others, leading leaders, leading functions, and eventually leading an enterprise—is fundamentally a different job that requires different skills, different priorities, and even different values.But this conversation goes far beyond leadership development.Many organizations unintentionally build systems where leadership becomes the only visible path for growth, recognition, and advancement. Specialists—deep technical experts, practitioners, strategists, and problem-solvers—often feel forced toward management roles simply to continue progressing in their careers. Over time, this creates frustration, weak leadership transitions, and the gradual loss of highly valuable expertise.Kent and I explore why organizations need both leadership pipelines and specialist pipelines working together. We discuss:Why leadership transitions so often failThe hidden importance of discovering and aligning with your “work values” in career progressionWhy many specialists feel alienated inside traditional organizationsThe difference between knowledge experts and knowledge leadersHow companies accidentally push people into management roles they never truly wantedWhy specialist career paths need more than just new titlesHow dual leadership and specialist pipelines create healthier long-term organizational designAlong the way, we connect these ideas directly to architecture, engineering, and construction firms, where specialized expertise is often the core engine of competitive advantage. From healthcare planners to sustainability experts to technical design specialists, many AEC firms are wrestling with how to scale expertise, accelerate development, and reduce dependency on a shrinking number of senior experts.If you lead an AEC firm, oversee learning and development, manage technical teams, or are thinking about succession planning and long-term capability building, this episode offers a powerful framework for rethinking how careers evolve inside organizations. More importantly, it raises a deeper question: what if building a stronger company starts not just with developing better leaders, but with designing better systems for developing expertise itself?GuestKen Jonasen, CEO, The Leadership Pipeline InstituteKent is CEO of the Leadership Pipeline Institute. He is author of the book “Specialist Pipeline – how to winning the war for specialist talent” and he is co-author of the 3rd edition of the book “Leadership Pipeline – Developing leaders in the digital age”. Before becoming CEO of Leadership Pipeline Institute, Kent Jonasen was Deputy Head of Group Human Resources in A.P. Moller – Maersk since 2003 up to 2008 responsible for talent management, leadership development, executive development and executive compensation. Previously to his deputy position, Kent was Regional HR Manager for Europe Region from 2000 to 2003. In Maersk Kent led the implementation of a companywide integrated leadership development initiative based on the Leadership Pipeline concept to impact more than 10,000 leaders in more than 100 countries. The project secured reliable executive succession plans and a 90% hit ratio on talents in the executive talent pool. During his time in A.P. Moller - Maersk he was member of the US Conference Board Council on Development, Education and Training. Since founding the Leadership Pipeline Institute Kent has led the implementation of the Leadership Pipeline and Specialist Pipeline concept with regards to development, selection, and assessment in more than 25 different large international organizations. CreditsHost: Christopher ParsonsExecutive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher ParsonsEditor: Coe HoeksemaTheme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The ParentsResourcesLeadership Pipeline Book: https://a.co/d/01HXBNCTThe Performance Pipeline: https://a.co/d/0bJgSp0qLeadership Pipeline Institute YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipPipelineInstituteChapters Welcome and Episode Intro(02
- May 20, 20261h 24m
Leading a Learning Organization: Lessons from Angela Watson | Shepley Bulfinch
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I'm joined by Angela Watson, President and CEO of Shepley Bulfinch, a nationally recognized architecture firm whose work spans healthcare, higher education, and civic design. Angela leads with a conviction she traces back to her time teaching at MIT: that real learning doesn't happen through lecture — it happens through doing, through struggle, and through the kind of exploration that only comes when people are given room to fail safely and try again. That belief didn't stay in the classroom. It became the foundation for how she thinks about leading a firm.Learning by doing is the foundation of how AEC professionals and firms develop. The problem is that great ideas stay trapped in pockets — one team figures something out, another team struggles with the same thing, and the knowledge never travels. Angela saw that dynamic playing out at Shepley Bulfinch as the firm grew into a national practice, work-sharing across five offices with project cycles too long and feedback loops too slow to rely on informal transfer alone. Becoming a learning organization became an operational necessity, but it turned out to be much harder than it looked.The conversation traces the full arc of what that effort has looked like in practice and what Angela has learned leading it. Why it's so hard for subject matter experts to codify and teach what they know. Why the traditional apprenticeship model is breaking down as plates get fuller and mentorship gets crowded out. What Shepley Bulfinch learned from building Birdfeeder, their internal peer-to-peer learning platform — what worked, what was too ambitious, and what the firm is rethinking now. And why the harder problem isn't building a course catalog — it's connecting learning to where someone actually wants to go in their career.The thread running underneath all of it is psychological safety. Angela talks about "Back to the Future," Shepley Bulfinch's reframe on lessons learned — a format designed to celebrate the imperfect and make it safe to share what went wrong. She reflects on what it took for her, as CEO, to model that vulnerability publicly, and why she believes culture is the soil in which any learning organization either takes root or doesn't.If you lead an AEC firm, manage a team, or are thinking seriously about how your organization develops its people, this episode is for you. Angela offers deep insight into what's worked, what hasn't, and what is still to be figured out on Shepley Bulfinch's journey to becoming a learning organization.GuestAngela Watson, FAIA, LEED AP, President and CEO, Shepley BulfinchAngela Watson is the second consecutive female President and CEO in the 152-year history of Shepley Bulfinch, a national architecture and design firm with studios across the United States. She is a strong advocate for communication as the foundation of understanding clients, communities, and stakeholders, and she integrates research and practice to create spaces that positively impact people and their environments. Angela's post-occupancy research and co-authored studies on the impact of light on occupant well-being reflect her dedication to understanding the relationship between space and behavior. Her design process bridges teaching and practice through a collaborative design process that inspires innovation adaptable to a changing world. Beyond Shepley Bulfinch, Angela serves on the University of Arizona’s CAPLA Futures Council and the Texas A&M College of Architecture Dean’s Advisory Board. She also serves on the Board of the Design Futures Council, and as Chair of the Board for Shepley Bulfinch. Born in Germany, she studied at Universität Karlsruhe and earned an MArch from MIT, where she later taught Design.CreditsHost: Christopher ParsonsExecutive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher ParsonsEditor: Coe HoeksemaTheme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The ParentsEpisode ResourcesWhy Your New Engineers Look Lost for Six Months: LinkedIn article by Nick HeimAmy Edmondson: A Harvard Business School professor and author whose research on psychological safety demonstrates how creating environments where people feel safe to take interpersonal risks—admitting mistakes, asking questions, and challenging ideas—is foundational to organizational learning and innovation.Desirable Difficulty: Robert Bjork's learning framework showing that challenges that slow initial performance—like spacing
- May 6, 20261h 41m
Designing Learning That Actually Improves Performance | Clark Quinn of Quinnovation
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Clark Quinn, a cognitive scientist who has spent his career translating decades of learning research into practical guidance for organizations. He is the founder of Quinnovation and co-director of the L&D Accelerator. His work is grounded in a simple conviction: most organizations are leaving enormous potential on the table — not for lack of effort or care, but because the science of how people actually learn has rarely made it into the room where learning decisions get made.In most AEC firms, learning and development didn’t start with a formal strategy. It emerged organically. Executives responsible for talent came up through practice. L&D leaders stepped into their roles because they wanted to make their firms better, not because they were trained in the discipline. Subject matter experts shared what they know without ever having been taught how to teach.As a result, most learning organizations in the AEC industry were largely built by accident rather than by design. And in that gap lies a significant opportunity: to create learning that doesn’t just inform, but actually improves capability and performance.That is what this conversation is about.Clark walks us through the science that most accidental L&D leaders never had access to. He explains why training so often stops at information transfer, what it really takes to design for performance rather than content delivery, and what the research says about learning design that actually moves the needle. We explore the shift from content-heavy training to practice-led learning, how to identify the root causes behind critical performance gaps before reaching for a training solution, and how to determine whether learning is even the right intervention.We also step back and look at what a true learning ecosystem requires: not just courses, but performance support, job aids, communities of practice, mentoring, and the cultural conditions where learning compounds over time. Where knowledge is shared openly. Where failure is discussed. And where leadership sets the tone.Finally, we go deep on one of the most important dynamics in any AEC firm: how to effectively work with busy and highly billable subject matter experts by drawing out what they know, pairing them with skilled learning designers, and building a coaching culture that makes expertise transferable at scale.If you lead an AEC firm, build learning programs, or teach others what you know—and you’ve largely been figuring it out as you go—this conversation offers a foundation for doing it smarter. By design.GuestClark Quinn, Executive Director of QuinnovationClark Quinn, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Quinnovation, learning science advisor to Elevator 9, and Co-Director of the Learning Development Accelerator. With more than four decades of experience at the cutting edge of learning, Dr. Quinn is an internationally known speaker, consultant, and author of seven books. He combines a deep knowledge of cognitive science and broad experience with technology into strategic design solutions that achieve innovative yet practical outcomes for corporations, higher-education, not-for-profit, and government organizations.CreditsHost: Christopher ParsonsExecutive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher ParsonsEditor: Coe HoeksemaTheme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The ParentsResourcesFor a full list of episode references and resources, see:https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/blog/designing-learning-that-actually-improves-performance-clark-quinnChapters Introduction Clark Quinn's Journey into Learning Science The Biggest Surprise About How People Learn Why School Is a Bad Model for Organizational Learning People Don't Know How to Learn or Teach How Effective Self-Directed Learners Operate The Performance Ecosystem: Courses, Job Aids, and Community Building a Learning Culture L&D's Role in Facilitating Innovation Accidental vs Intentional Learning Organizations Diagnosing Performance Gaps Before Reaching for Training Why L&D Still Gets Course Design Wrong What Good Course Design Actually Looks Like What Experts Need in Order to Teach Well Working Effectively with Subject Matter Experts Partneri
- Apr 14, 20261h 26m
Modernizing Learning to Scale Quality at Lionakis | Laura Knauss and Kristina Williams
In this episode of Smarter by Design, I’m joined by Laura Knauss, President and Chief Practice Officer at Lionakis, and Kristina Williams, Director of Design Technology at Lionakis, for a conversation about how their firm is modernizing learning to scale quality and consistency across their practice.At the heart of that shift is a deep respect for the apprenticeship model. For generations, one-on-one mentorship has been the foundation of how architects and engineers learned their craft—and it remains essential today. But as firms grow, diversify, and take on increasingly complex work, Lionakis has recognized that apprenticeship alone isn’t enough to provide the consistent, firmwide foundation that today’s environment demands.In response, Lionakis is repositioning apprenticeship by building a more intentional and scalable learning system that ensures every team member starts from a shared baseline, while still allowing mentorship to do what it does best: helping people apply that knowledge in the context of real projects.We explore two major shifts behind that transformation.First, the evolution of Lionakis’s Design Technology Boot Camp. What began as long, lecture-heavy training sessions has been reimagined into a more modular, learner-centered experience built around short, focused video lessons, hands-on exercises, and live, collaborative sessions. Along the way, Kristina shares what they’ve learned about attention, retention, and how to design learning that actually sticks.Second, we look at how those same principles are being applied beyond Boot Camp to reshape how the firm teaches practice itself. From specifications and building envelope design to programming and coordination, Lionakis is moving away from ad hoc training toward a more strategic learning roadmap that captures core project knowledge, standardizes how it’s taught, and makes it accessible across the entire firm.The goal is both simple and ambitious: to create a shared foundation that allows any team member, in any office, to step into any project and contribute with confidence, consistency, and clarity.What emerges is a picture of a firm learning how to operate as a modern learning organization—where knowledge, learning, and practice are tightly connected, and where investment in learning is directly tied to the quality of the work.If you’re thinking about how to scale expertise, support the next generation of talent, or move beyond training as a one-time event, this conversation offers a clear and compelling path forward.GuestsLaura Knauss, President and Chief Practice Officer, LionakisLaura Knauss, AIA has been a member of Lionakis since 1990 where she has built a career designing educational facilities throughout California. As President, she is responsible for developing the firm’s position for its five California offices, leading strategy and directing practice initiatives. Currently, Laura is the Vice-President of Government Relations for AIA California where she facilitates advocacy position on behalf of the profession. Additionally, she serves as a member of the Board of Regents for the California Architectural Foundation (CAF).Kristina Williams, Director of Design Technology, LionakisKristina Williams is the Director of Design Technology at Lionakis, where she focuses on integrating design technology and knowledge management to better connect people, ideas, and information. She began her career at Lionakis as a Revit Specialist and brings 17 years of experience in design technology. Over that time, she has continuously refined how she teaches and supports teams, shaping her approach to how knowledge is shared, adopted, and applied across the firm.She has carried this perspective into her current role leading knowledge management efforts, where she works to improve how information flows and how teams learn from one another. Her work centers on helping teams simplify complexity, strengthen operational clarity, and create the conditions for stronger collaboration.CreditsHost: Christopher ParsonsExecutive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher ParsonsEditor: Coe HoeksemaTheme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The ParentsChapters Welcome and Episode Recap Adapting Learning to the Speed of Change The Lionakis Way: A Consistent Approach What Was Broken in Previous Training Models Le
- Apr 1, 20261h 15m
Maximizing the Value of Learning & Development Investments | Chris and Susan of Knowledge Architecture
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, Susan Strom and I discuss The Modern Learning Organization Pipeline—a framework for helping AEC firms prioritize and maximize the return on their learning and development investments.For decades, most AEC learning programs have relied on familiar formats: lunch-and-learns, live training sessions, and recorded presentations. But a new generation of tools—AI search, modern intranets, modular learning systems, and knowledge agents—is dramatically increasing the potential ROI of learning assets. When knowledge can be searched instantly, accessed on demand, and revisited whenever someone needs it, learning assets become far more valuable than they used to be.That shift creates a new challenge: how do firms decide where to invest their time and energy? You can’t manage all the knowledge in your firm. So the real question becomes: which knowledge and learning investments produce the greatest return?In this conversation, Susan and I walk through how to identify, prioritize, and design high-impact learning experiences in AEC firms using the Modern Learning Organization Pipeline.Along the way, we explore:Why AEC firms need to evolve into modern learning organizationsHow firms can maximize the value of learning and development investmentsThe DESIRE framework, a practical tool for prioritizing learning opportunitiesWhy learning experiences should increasingly be treated like productsHow firms are modernizing learning experiences for the AI eraHow learning content can become searchable organizational knowledgeWhy learner involvement and piloting are essential to good learning designThe rise of dedicated knowledge and learning roles inside AEC firmsUnderlying the discussion is a broader idea: the industry is entering a platform shift in how knowledge, learning, and expertise are developed and distributed. As AI-powered knowledge and learning platforms like Synthesis make knowledge more accessible and reusable, the potential return on learning investments is rising dramatically. The challenge for firms is where to invest their time and energy to create the greatest impact.If you’re leading an AEC firm and wondering where to invest in learning, knowledge, and capability building, this episode introduces a practical framework for prioritizing the opportunities that will matter most.Episode ResourcesThe Modern Learning Organization Pipeline: https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/blog/the-modern-learning-organization-pipeline-for-aec-firmsGuestsChristopher Parsons, Founder & CEO, Knowledge ArchitectureAs Founder and CEO of Knowledge Architecture, Christopher is responsible for product design, marketing strategy, and organizational health. He is the host of the Smarter by Design podcast and the author of Smarter by Design, a bi-weekly newsletter exploring how leading AEC firms manage information, share knowledge, and build learning organizations. He is also the executive producer of KA Connect, Knowledge Architecture’s annual knowledge and learning management conference for the AEC industry.Christopher has been a technology leader in the AEC industry since 2002, including serving as Chief Information Officer for Steinberg Architects and as Information Technology Director for SMWM (now Perkins+Will).Susan Strom, Chief Client Officer, Knowledge ArchitectureAs our Chief Client Officer, Susan ensures our clients have the resources they need to be successful. Those resources include best practices, training, documentation, and a team of Knowledge Architecture experts who guide our clients every step of the way.During her time at Knowledge Architecture, Susan has led nearly 200 AEC intranet implementations, produced dozens of intranet case studies, and been instrumental in building our client community and client success program. Her previous roles in human resources, construction management, and engineering systems at Mazzetti and Gilbane Building Company allow her to draw upon a broad range of industry experiences to help our clients succeed.CreditsHost: Christopher ParsonsExecutive Producers
About Smarter by Design
The Smarter by Design podcast explores how leading architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms are reimagining knowledge management, learning, and AI to build smarter, more adaptive practices. Hosted by Christopher Parsons, Founder and CEO of Knowledge Architecture, the show dives into the real stories behind how firms are scaling expertise, transforming culture, and creating modern learning organizations. At the heart of the show is a simple belief: AEC firms should spend as much time designing their businesses as they do designing buildings, bridges, and infrastructure. The systems we design for capturing, sharing, and distributing knowledge shape everything else we create. Through thoughtful conversations with AEC leaders, knowledge managers, and innovators, we explore how design, leadership, and technology intersect to shape the future of practice. If you’re curious about how AEC firms are learning faster, working smarter, and designing better ways to grow—this is your show.
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