PcM Flashcards
What are some staffing benefits of a firm working on similar project types?
-Staffing Plans are easy as the staff is familiar with the work type
-Determining fees are easy as a review of the accounting System and actual hours spent will be similar to what is needed for the project type
-Tracking how much time was spent or is needed will be easier
How should a staffing plan be approached for a new project type?
-Hire new staff experienced in that type of building design
-Consult with colleagues or peers for assistance
-Set an hourly fee instead of a fixed fee
When is an hourly fee more beneficial than a fixed fee?
-When the project is an unfamiliar type
-When there are challenges to the project the staff may not have worked on before
What characteristics should a project team have?
-Excellent communication skills
-Ability to stay focused and on track
-Talent for overcoming challenges and obstacles as they arise
-Experience in the project type
How is a project manager different from a staff member on a given project?
-Staff member might not have every skill necessary to get the job done
-A great project manager is not just bossing the team around, they will mentor and inspire the team to do their best work
Why wouldn’t a project manager have every staff member working on the same project all at once?
-The project fee might not be able to afford all of the staff working on that project at once
-Might sacrifice profit, although this would increase the quality of the project
-This is an unnecessary burden to the Project Manager, when they should be focused on providing quality service
What is “Billing Back to the Client “?
Hours billed directly to the client. This billing rate is usually 3x higher than an employee’s hourly rate
What is a typical multiplier used when determining the billing rate of a staff person?
Multiply their hourly rate by 3 for small firms or by 5 for large firms
Why is a staff person’s hourly rate different from a billable rate?
The billable rate accounts for office overhead expenses including equipment and insurance as well as covering the billable rate of the employee
Employee’s Utilization Rate
% = (Billable hrs / Total hrs) • 100
Who would have the highest utilization rate is an office?
Junior staff, as higher level staff are expected to spend (unbillable) time handling firm operations
What are some factors to consider when comparing a project’s design budget to the staff’s salaries?
-The cost of consultants needed for the project
-The multiplier for the billing rate
-How much time the principal will spend on this project as their rate is usually the highest
-What the staff’s utilization ratio for this project should be
What role does HR play in a small architecture firm?
Typically the role of HR will be performed by the managing principal or outside recruiter
Onboarding
-The process of integrating a new employee into the firm, sometimes using an employee’s manual
-At a small firm, the managing principal will take this on or the office manager
-At a medium sized firm, an Individual Manager would take responsibility of onboarding through a formal process
-At a large firm, it is the HR or department manager’s responsibility to handle this
Other than salary, firms might offer what to attract talented employees?
Culture: a fun atmosphere and group activities
Flexibility: employees can set their own hours or work from home at times
Design: the firm’s reputation in quality design through recognition or awards
Responsibility: firms may offer the opportunity to take on more responsibility or manage staff
Benefits: other than pay, like vacation or other tangible benefits
Title: such as senior associate
Ownership Track: offers to join with ownership stake either upon joining or after a certain about of time
