Ways You can Optimize Collaboration for Your Architectural Projects

Improving architectural collaboration is one of the most beneficial and important strategies to having a successful and on-time completed project. With these type of large projects there are always multiple experts involved that have different disciplines and responsibilities that have usually never worked together before. With the heavy amount of coordination amongst each other required to complete all of the complex procedures and systems it is a must that everyone stays on the same page.

Getting agreed upon collaborative practices and basic communication principles established early in the project planning can greatly enhance efficiency even if some of the specific details for the project are not yet finalized. The client of the project should be the one deciding the architectural collaboration requirements during the onset of the project so all appropriate procedures are followed and included in appointment documents and contracts.

Ways You can Optimize Architectural Collaboration for Your Projects

  • Project Management Software. This is the foundation of collaboration for architectural projects since it assists everyone involved from employees to entire design teams in managing their goals and coordinating individual tasks. Project management software comes with a wide-range of tools that help manage workloads, allocate resources and most importantly monitor productivity. The software gives users the ability to break huge projects down into small individual tasks along with creating timelines and due dates for project completion. Documenting effectiveness, managing large teams of diverse individuals and balancing projects becomes a lot less stressful when using a project management software.
  • Cloud-Computing. Most architectural projects will require collaboration between multiple people and teams that are located in a number of different locations. Using cloud technology these individuals can access and make changes to valuable information simultaneously anytime and anywhere with the confidence that everyone is up to date with the progress that has been made. Not only does cloud-computing optimize collaboration for projects but it also saves costs on storage space since all files are saved on the internet rather than individually owned computers and servers.
  • Organization. Having clear lines of communication and authority are instrumental in having the best possible collaboration on projects. Protocols should be put in place that define the preparation and dissemination of updates and information to the predetermined chain of command to sustain a strong organizational environment. Being careful not to interfere with the normal lines of communication, financial incentives can be offered across different departments that have a common a target to strengthen the collaboration efforts amongst the different teams. In addition, regular team meetings and workshops should be scheduled throughout the duration of the project to give all members a chance to voice their ideas.
  • Company Culture. This is not about making sure everyone gets along or is having a great time during their work hours, it is about creating a healthy environment of how people work together and constantly propel the project forward. It is important to set that collaborative setting that influences individuals to work collectively toward completing the project. This is done by ensuring that no individual works extremely fast and jumps out ahead of the current project stage since it is not about exchanging resources and information but everyone about sharing to guarantee the success of all. Using this strategy will definitely get members to start bouncing ideas back and forth and collectively find the most effective way to reach their shared goal.

Collaboration is extremely important when working on any type of architectural project and significant attention and consideration must be made on deciding which types and methods of communication are going to be used so that everyone involved can communicate with each other. While traditional methods of collaboration will always have their place in architecture nowadays teams are using the more modern innovative forms like software programs and cloud-computing to take advantage of the latest technology and become more efficient.

Communication is always imperative to a projects success and the large audience of different professionals that work in construction all have their own essential skills and knowledge that must be shared to others in order to reach that shared goal of completing the project.

Please leave comments about additional ways to optimize collaboration with architectural projects: