Operational Drag

The number one cost in an A/E firm is the people. It’s also the biggest investment when done correctly. The question then becomes, how do you maximize the value of the people??

The goal here is to produce the most sets of drawings in the least amount of time. Minimizing the work and rework of each individual is crucial to the success of the project. Because when each person is doing the most valuable task they can possibly do, the firm benefits the most.

Each person is going to have a skill and task they are most valuable. It could be a specific system they design. It could be reviewing the project. It could be making sure the details match and are perfect. Whatever the skill, we want to employ it at the right place at the right time for the project.?

Maximum productivity in my mind does not equate to 60+ hour weeks. It equates to doing the right things at the right time with the right tools to get projects done where the team is working a normal 40 hours and not burning out.?

The goal here is to reduce?operational?drag. The more?drag?that can be reduced in a project and workflow, the better off everyone on the team is going to be. Plain and simple.

So the more we think through the process. The more we use tools like automation to do the grunt work for us and the more we streamline each piece of the activity the better off we will be to get better results.?

Because having highly paid people doing low-wage work is not a good business model and it’s not the best use of their time. Having high-wage people on high-wage tasks is a good use of their time and will keep them with your firm longer.

Take a look at all the points in your firm and see where you can improve the most. Fix that one first, move to the next, then the next.