Updating
We ensure that we keep a record of companies and clients that we have been in contact with and regularly inform them of projects and changes that we make as a company in order to keep a close relationships with them. This is important for future progress as we believe that it can be achieved through expanding into new and different fields of architectural design. In order to progress the IT manager is responsible for keeping up to date with new software and programs that allow our company to collaborate with larger organisations and distribute work between other architectural practices. New software ensures that the company are aware of opportunities to enhance and improve the design and presentation of the work that we produce. Furthermore, The IT manager is responsible for booking and enrolling the team members on courses that update them on new software and programs that will be introduced to the working environment. This ensures that TDC are constantly expanding their knowledge and skills at a personal level. This also ensures that the company works more efficiently and that with improved knowledge and skills that people are kept up to date with the progressive design approach and improved relationship with both clients and associated companies.
As the design collective expands and more funding becomes available it is important to improve the hardware, this ensures that the company is capable of hosting current software and ensures that communication is improved and more reliable; this is essential to an expanding relationships within the company and a more personal relationship with the clients. Technology and Software is causing companies to become more separated, encouraging people to work from home. We want to offer the best technology and software available however we want to keep a close and personal working environment between the Collective and the customers; this emphasises our ethos and ensures that the multi-disciplined design talents learn from each other’s and develop strong social skills.
The weblog is updated regularly to reflect a series of weekly meetings which recorded the decisions made, issues raised and individual actions applied with associated deadlines; this shows how the company has progressed and what has been assigned to each of the 6 members. The blog is made accessible to all members of the design collective and is updated regularly to ensure that all members are aware of decisions made.
Quality Assurance
Quality assurance is important to the Design Collective,;we strive to provide a consistent, competent and professional service focused on satisfying the requirements and expectations of our clients and end users. We focus on staff as well as clients, striving to create and maintain a humane working environment where staff are encouraged and given opportunities to continuously improve their skills.
Backing up company data is essential, especially as the company progresses. We have an electronic cloud backup which automatically reserved all data as well as a hardware storage which is updated at the end of each working day and stored in a different located to the studio. Also, commercial awareness involves maintaining communications such as compensating for colleagues occasional or frequent absences which will be recorded electronically in the form of a personal record. We insure that files are proof read by appropriate associate member before being added to the website or sending them to a client, the close working relationship and collaboration insures that minor mistakes are kept to a minimum.
The Design Collective ensures that it meets Section 13 of the Architects Act 1997. This requires the Architects Registration Board to issue a Code laying down the standards of professional conduct and practice expected of persons registered as architects under the Act. Through the introduction of technology and constantly educating the Collective members it ensures that these standards are maintained. We apply an Information Security policy (BS EN ISO 27000) to ensure that data is not lost when critical issues arise. This avoids issues that could lead to irreparable financial loss, not to mention damage to the company's reputation. Protecting confidential information is a business requirement and in many cases also an ethical and legal requirement.
TDC ensures that it applies to RIBA codes of professional conduct, CIAT codes of conduct and a quality assurance system that is registered to BS EN ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems). This is a quality assurance system that architectural practices are obliged to maintain. This system insures that all work is checked by senior member of staff before being issued, this is a thorough process and is completed through 2 processes:
- Verification – checking that the work has consistency throughout and that it is clear and accurate
- Validation – insuring that he information is relevant to the project and conforms to all the necessary regulations
SWOT Analysis
IT Management
Communication
The design collective keeps in contact with potentially clients through various social media and the company website, these also help to promote the company and create connections with similar companies and organisations. The website allows people to understand our design approach and ethos as well as a unique page that highlights some of the work and projects that are displayed in our gallery. The variety of different communication systems such as Facebook and email not only creates a broader client base but it allows for private or social discussions and the opportunity for feedback as people can comment and distribute the work and images that we display. The idea of the social media is also to portray our company ethos and demonstrate how we perform. Through electronically establishing a relationship with people associated with the gallery in Nottingham it improves the Collective outlook and image and generates new connections by allowing people to use the gallery space such as the Nottingham Trent University.
Communication is also important within the Collective and our working environment, we have established a company email and notification system that create a strong and efficient working system. This also helps to minimise the amount of printing and how efficiently we distribute work between ourselves. Members of TDC are updated and informed weekly through the company blog, this includes weekly minutes made by the administrative manager that inform individuals of their duties and decisions made, it follows the same design as the website which was established through a close working relationship with the image manager.
Development Process
In terms of software, the progression of the company will generate a wider budget and allow for more training and licences. During the early stages it is important to establish and introduce consistent and reliable programs that are compatible between all members of staff as well as associated businesses and made understandable and presentable to clients. Furthermore, hardware will initially be represented by establishing each member with a personal computer to improve productivity in the working environment. We plan to introduce environmentally friendly transport in the near future but for the meantime we encourage government incentive schemes such as 'cycle to work' that benefit not the individual but also the Collective. This also sets an example to the clients that we consider our impact within the working environment as much as we highly consider each design.
Our development and approach to the community has been recognised and listed by ‘The Law Society’ which shows how the Information Technology of TDC has promoted the public interest and developed the business and the people associated.
TDC have established a blog and then progressing towards website to reach a wider market, we have researched and recognised modern communication approaches such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to target out selected clients and portrayed a family atmosphere by regularly uploading images with a collective atmosphere, encouraging a family working environment. As these develop it will create a larger and most informing source of information.
Accessiblity
We ensure that client base is widened through continuously contacting and updating our past, current and future clients through electronic and physical advertising and information. We want to ensure that we reach out to all. The gallery is situated in Nottingham and we plan to regularly update and emphasise the gallery page on our website to allow people to view the work displayed, this makes the exhibition accessible to those who cannot come to Nottingham.
The website makes it easy for the user by containing numerous cross referencing between one page and another; it also connects directly with the social media through tabs and email making them easier to access. The website and social media will be made available to company members that allow people to add individual’s interests and comments, this represents our multi disciplined design approach. The website home page ensures that it is simple to see at first glance what information is provided and where to find it. There are 8 equally sized buttons on the home page directing to each of the 6 directors pages as well as the gallery page and the collective strategy. There are also directory tabs across the header of the website which appears on all pages including a site map which directs people to specific information. All of the pages are characterised by a consistent design quality through using the selected colour scheme, fonts, images and format which the image manager has also applied to the graphics.
The IT Manager has established a working programme which was also established through a private Facebook group used by the team members for suggesting ideas and commenting on ideas as well as informing of absences and meeting times, this helps to establish a close working relationship both inside and outside of the office environment.
Evidence in Design
Information technology is vital to the development of our company, through marketing and productivity within the studio, we encourage the use of new technology to ensure that we are competing with other practices, BIM and Revit are now becoming key to architectural businesses. BIM is essential to architectural design and continues to grow, we encourage training of the collective members in order to expand and connect with new companies; aiming to improve the overall design approach. Introducing BIM and passing on personal experience and knowledge ensures that the communication and productivity within the company is improved which provides a more reliable provision from a clients point of view. The system also encourages TDC to use fewer materials and be more efficient which will ultimately reduce costs. Encouraging and introducing Revit will improve the Collective design process and ensure that ideas from the concept stage are following through to construction with a co-ordinated and consistent model-based approach. Revit is a single application that includes features for architectural design, MEP and structural engineering and construction and will increase the productivity.
Consistency between the all of the pages and social media is vital, before designing the IT manager Charles and image manager Miles worked closely to develop a colour code and image criteria system which are to be used fluently between all of the media, this ensures that a consistent appearance and theme runs throughout. The website has a dedicated ‘Collective strategy’ page which establishes a clear relationship between the positioning statement, director’s strategies and proposed actions and costing. The blog and website are well illustrated with eye catching images and diagrams, this was due to a close working relationship with the image manager who carefully selected and designed the images to ensure the design was consistent throughout. The blog is a way of recording and informing of roles and decisions made within the company and establishes an organised method distributing and stating vital information that can be accessed and stored electronically.
