working smarter, not harder

One occupational hazard of AEC Marketing is detail management. Thousands of details about about projects and staff that need to be accessible to many people. At SMWM I created a holistic system that kept our data current despite shrinking resources. In 2009 I co-wrote a plan to overhaul the Marketing infrastructure at Perkins+Will, and we've been implementing it ever since. The intuitive organization puts relevant information right at our fingertips. Our internal clients are jazzed -- they're even coming up with their own ideas for systems.

The best outcomes come from working in partnerships. With the presence of "early and often" communication, each individual -- from principal to intern -- can play to his or her strengths and minimize time struggling through ill-suited tasks. I led the charge to transform Perkins+Will's marketing department from silos-by-project to an orchestrated team. Because we work collaboratively, we're doing more in less time. Quality has never been higher, department job satisfaction is up, and our clients have products and ideas that inspire them. Not bad for a recession.

Things are tough out there -- there are fewer projects to win, and the competition for them has never been more fierce. However, some things don't change. Statistics show, overwhelmingly, that jobs are won because of relationships -- no matter what the economy looks like. At Perkins+Will I co-authored a plan to make 2011 the year of business development. It outlines processes and proposes systems through which my internal clients can reach out to their external clients -- making contact with the right people, the right way, at the right times, and using the right materials.