Smarter by Design
Knowledge Architecture
4.5from 2 ratings
- 15
- Episodes
- 2
- Ratings
- Bi-weekly
- Cadence
- 2025
- First episode
About Smarter by Design
The Smarter by Design podcast explores how leading architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms are reimagining knowledge management, learning, and AI to build smarter, more adaptive practices. Hosted by Christopher Parsons, Founder and CEO of Knowledge Architecture, the show dives into the real stories behind how firms are scaling expertise, transforming culture, and creating modern learning organizations. At the heart of the show is a simple belief: AEC firms should spend as much time designing their businesses as they do designing buildings, bridges, and infrastructure. The systems we design for capturing, sharing, and distributing knowledge shape everything else we create. Through thoughtful conversations with AEC leaders, knowledge managers, and innovators, we explore how design, leadership, and technology intersect to shape the future of practice. If you’re curious about how AEC firms are learning faster, working smarter, and designing better ways to grow—this is your show.
- Publisher
- Knowledge Architecture
- Category
- arts · business · technology
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 23 Dec 2025
- Latest episode
- 24 Sept 2026
Latest episodes
15 episodes in the feed.
24 Sept 2026
Building RDG’s Practice Innovation Program | Ron Heims of RDG
Ron Heims has spent his entire career at RDG Planning and Design, moving from architect to IT director to his current role as Director of Practice Innovation. It’s a role dedicated to a question many AEC leaders are sitting with: who is actually responsible for making the firm better at how it works? In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, Christopher Parsons talks with Ron about what a practice innovation program looks like from the inside. The conversation explores how Ron discovers and prioritizes innovation projects across a firm with too many good ideas, how he uses process mapping to diagnose undocumented workflows before any technology gets involved, and how he brings people with competing opinions together to build consensus around a better way forward. Ron also explains how RDG decides when to buy software and when to build it, and how he and his team have developed a suite of custom tools tailored specifically to RDG's workflows, including a project management platform built with agentic coding tools that connects project teams to RDG's Synthesis intranet knowledge in the flow of work. A big part of what makes the innovation program work is what happens after a tool gets built. Ron talks about his approach to change management and adoption, including how he keeps early adopters close, responds to feedback quickly, and creates the conditions for people to actually want to change how they work. Building better tools is one challenge. Getting them adopted across a multi-office firm is another problem entirely, and Ron has learned a lot about both. If you lead or manage an AEC firm and you sense that someone should be focused on innovation on a more dedicated basis, this episode is for you. Guest Ron Heims (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronheims/), Director of Practice Innovation at RDG (https://rdgusa.com) Ron Heims is a Principal and the Director of Practice Innovation at RDG Planning & Design, a multi-disciplinary design firm. With over 30 years of experience leading technology initiatives, Ron has been instrumental in shaping the firm’s forward-thinking approach to integrated design and digital transformation. His leadership bridges the gap between practice and technological advancement, driving strategies that elevate collaboration, efficiency, and innovation across disciplines. Ron’s passion lies in leveraging emerging technologies to enhance design outcomes and future-proof the firm’s operations in an ever-evolving industry. Episode Resources Heims, Ron. "Low-Code, High-Impact: Solving Real Business Problems with Custom AI Apps (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/ka-connect-talks/low-code-high-impact-solving-real-business-problems-with-custom-ai-apps)" KA Connect 2025. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Chapters (00:00) Welcome and Episode Recap (02:46) From Architect to Director of Practice Innovation (04:46) Defining Practice Innovation (07:48) Building the Receipts App (14:02) Process Mapping and Prioritization (18:53) Project Pando: Standardizing Project Management (26:19) Driving Adoption With Simple, Intuitive Tools (29:15) Adding a Project Assistant and Lessons Learned (31:05) Why Off-the-Shelf Tools Fell Short (34:17) From Tinkering with AI Tools to Building Agents (38:12) Durable Build vs Buy (42:36) Replacing Tools and Managing Risk (45:24) MCP Integrations and Project Brain (52:05) Roll-Out and Change Management (55:04) Handling Feedback and Saying No (58:17) Advice for Getting Started (1:01:13) Innovation Role and Maintenance
20 Aug 2026
How Greenprint and MBH Turn AI Experiments Into Business Transformation | Hillary Thompson and Nicole Chavas
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Nicole Chavas, President and COO of Greenprint Partners, and Hillary Thompson, Principal at MBH Architects, for a candid conversation about what they are learning as they turn AI experiments into meaningful business transformation. Both Nicole and Hillary are senior leaders who are also personally building agents and redesigning workflows, which gives them a close-up view of not only what the technology can do, but what it reveals about their firms. Again and again, they have found that building with AI exposes the same underlying questions: What does good look like? Is this actually our standard, or just what we happen to do today? Is the knowledge documented clearly enough to use? And are we redesigning the work itself, or simply bolting AI onto an existing process? One of the clearest lessons is that scalable transformation often means going smaller, slower, and together. Nicole describes initially trying to move quickly, work largely on her own, and use agents to redesign entire business processes at once. What she learned was that proposal development and project management are really collections of interconnected subprocesses, and that lasting change requires a different approach: involve the people doing the work, break the system into smaller pieces, focus on the highest-impact opportunities, define what good looks like, redesign each subprocess for an AI-enabled way of working, and then train the firm on the new process. Hillary describes a parallel journey at MBH, where rapid prototyping with firm leaders through an “agent charrette” surfaced her leadership team’s dreams for AI-driven business transformation. Rapid prototyping then exposed the undocumented processes, conflicting standards, duplicated effort, and poor data quality standing in the way of their dreams. In that sense, AI serves as an organizational mirror because when agents struggle, they often teach you something about the business. But process redesign is only part of the challenge. The other major constraint is change capacity. Nicole and Hillary are both operating in environments where the technology is improving faster than their organizations can realistically absorb change. They discuss experimenting with “good enough” solutions, following the energy of early adopters, sharing successful use cases between peers, building trust with skeptics, and giving leaders closer to day-to-day project work permission to control the pace of change. The goal is to build a trusted core of people at their firms who can experiment, interpret what is changing, and act as a kind of shock absorber for the rest of the organization. This helps the firm move fast without forcing everyone to experience the full chaos of living at the bleeding edge of the AI frontier. The throughline is that AI itself is not the point. It is an increasingly powerful catalyst for redesigning the business around the fundamentals AEC firms have always cared about: high-quality work teams are proud of, profitably run projects, happy clients, and engaged employees. Guests Nicole Chavas, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolechavas/) President & COO, Greenprint Partners (https://www.greenprintpartners.com/) Nicole is President & COO of Greenprint Partners, a Chicago-based urban planning, civil engineering and landscape architecture firm. In leading all aspects of firm operations, she brings a passion for rallying resources, talent and partnerships to scale sustainable infrastructure—a passion that has informed her approach to team leadership and company growth since 2014. Nicole's love of learning is inherent in every initiative she leads. Whether it’s spearheading a proposal, accelerating adoption of a new knowledge management system or recruiting and onboarding employees, she is committed to transparency, collaboration and continuous learning every step of the way. She is inspired by the knowledge and interests of every Greenprint team member and seeks to foster a flexible, inclusive and mission-oriented company culture that supports the personal and professional growth of all employees. Hillary Thompson (www.linkedin.com/in/hillarypthompson), (www.linkedin.com/in/hillarypthompson) Principal, MBH Architects (https://www.mbharch.com) Hillary brings together design thinking, strategic communication, and systems development to strengthen how MBH operates, learns, and tells its story. With experience leading brand, marketing, knowledge management, and business systems initiatives, she approaches organizational strategy as a design challenge, creating frameworks that connect people, processes, and information to drive better outcomes. Her work focuses on building scalable platforms, improving access to knowledge, and transforming complex data into actionable insights that support decision-making across the firm. Hillary has led initiatives spanning brand strategy, digital experience, business intelligence, AI-enabled knowledge systems, and cross-functional process improvement, helping teams work more efficiently while preserving the creativity and expertise that define MBH’s culture. She is passionate about creating alignment between technology, operations, and people to ensure the firm’s collective knowledge, innovation, and capabilities are both visible and actionable, supporting growth, quality, and long-term business performance. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Episode Resources Books Tharp, Twyla, with Mark Reiter. The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Creative-Habit/Twyla-Tharp/9780743235273). (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Creative-Habit/Twyla-Tharp/9780743235273)Simon & Schuster, 2003. Referenced for her "banker's boxes" system for tracking ideas she's not actively working on. KA Connect Talks Leonard, Dorothy. "Deep Smarts and Core Capabilities. (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/ka-connect-talks/deep-smarts-and-core-capabilities?rq=critical%20knowledge)" KA Connect 2017. Referenced for the "critical knowledge transfer" cohort project. Milton, Nick. "Lessons Learned from Lessons Learned. (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/ka-connect-talks/lessons-learned-from-lessons-learned-with-nick-milton-of-knoco)" KA Connect 2018. Referenced for the "lessons learned databases are where knowledge goes to die". Chapters (00:00) Episode Introduction (03:40) Guest Introductions: Hillary Thompson and Nicole Chavas (07:12) From Human Knowledge Management System to Real Systems (09:41) Picking Agent Use Cases: Frequency x Pain (11:30) The Light Bulb Moment: From Chatbot Helper to Agent Infrastructure (15:23) Refining the Formula: Repeatability and the Right-Sized Agent (20:38) The Human Side of Process Redesign (24:44) Skeptics, Fences, and Guardrails for AI Adoption (30:52) Uneven AI Adoption Across Roles: Engineers and Creatives (36:33) Embrace Disruption but Choose Changes Wisely to Maintain Trust (41:27) Design Charrette: AI As An Organizational Mirror (49:58) The L&D Venn Diagram: Merging Just-in-Time Learning with Training (53:01) Rebuilding Training Standards from Scratch (55:06) Project Management: Tackling Subprocesses First (56:51) Good Process Before Good Agents (1:02:11) Robot Jim and Critical Knowledge Transfer 2.0 (1:07:42) Lessons Learned Reborn (1:10:50) Nicole's Roadmap: Metrics, Practices, and Quality of Life (1:15:57) Guardrails Create Freedom (1:19:28) Idea Trackers and the Gas-and-Brake Team Structure (1:24:33) Synthesis MCP Server and Commons Command Center (1:29:10) Advice for AEC Leaders: Don't Outsource Your Understanding
29 Jul 2026
How KTGY’s Learning Ecosystem Accelerates Change and Builds Trust | John Robison and Donovan Helminiak of KTGY
KTGY was founded in 1991 with an ambition to build a firm that would outlast the people who built it. Six founding partners set out to create a firm which would endure from generation to generation — a firm whose culture, values, and capability would compound over time rather than walk out the door when any one person retired. What they couldn’t have anticipated is how deliberately, and how systematically, KTGY would eventually design its way toward that goal. In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by John Robison, Chief Operating Officer at KTGY, and Donovan Helminiak, Director of Knowledge Management, to trace the evolution of KTGY's learning ecosystem and examine how it has become one of the firm's most consequential strategic investments. The conversation goes behind the scenes of how KTGY built four key components of its learning ecosystem: ELEVATE Leadership — a year-long, cohort-based program built to teach emerging leaders what great leadership looks like at KTGY ELEVATE Essentials — a foundational knowledge program which grew from a pandemic-era intern series into a hybrid on-demand and workshop model open to the entire firm ELEVATE Talent Management — a newer program targeting first-time people managers, focused on the day-to-day nuance of leading teams FUEL — a grassroots mentorship community driven entirely by emerging professionals, deliberately mixing offices and experience levels to build connections that wouldn't otherwise exist across seven offices The old apprenticeship model — learning one project at a time from the people around you — served KTGY well for decades, but is no longer sufficient for a firm with over 400 employees, seven offices, a generation of retiring principals, and a profession being radically reshaped by technology. KTGY's answer has been to design something more intentional: a learning ecosystem where cohort-based programs, on-demand curricula, and grassroots community reinforce each other, and where building trust is a primary goal. As we discussed in the episode, trust is the catalyst that determines how fast AEC firms can change and evolve. To move faster, means intentionally investing in building trust and KTGY’s learning ecosystem has proven remarkably effective at doing exactly that. If you lead an AEC firm thinking seriously about what it takes to build a culture that connects distributed teams, and stays ahead of change, and endures across generations, this episode is an honest accounting of what that investment (and the returns) look like. Guests John Robison (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndrobison/), Chief Operations Officer, KTGY (https://ktgy.com/) With over 30 years of experience in practice, technology and operations, John Robison serves as COO for KTGY. His primary responsibility is the management of the company’s operational activities including, HR IT, facilities and internal communications. John is also involved in strategic growth activities, process improvement, key recruiting and hiring, and professional development programs, adept at communicating a vision and building effective teams to move the company forward. John practiced architecture as a designer and project manager early in his career until he transferred his talents and expertise to business management and technology. He is a creative strategist who seeks out opportunities to improve operational processes and positively affect both the top and bottom line. He has been a long-time advocate for virtual design and construction and integrated project delivery practices. He led the effort to adopt and implement Synthesis in the firm, which revolutionized project management processes and the ability for teams to collaborate effectively. He also provides corporate leadership, vision and change management efforts and has pioneered organization-wide technology transformations of production and project delivery software. Donovan Helminiak (https://www.linkedin.com/in/helminiak/), Director of Knowledge Management, KTGY (https://ktgy.com/) Donovan Helminiak is the Director of Knowledge Management at KTGY, where he leads the charge on helping the firm make better decisions faster. His work sits at the intersection of people, process, and technology—breaking down silos across teams, systems, and information so that knowledge actually moves to where it's needed. With over 15 years in the AEC industry and two decades of experience before that as a corporate trainer, business and systems analyst, and internal communicator across the automotive and financial services industries, Donovan brings a cross-industry lens to solving business challenges. He's known for digging past symptoms to find the real problem worth solving. Today, he leads KTGY's AI strategy, championing intentional and responsible adoption paired with the learning culture and knowledge foundation needed to make it stick. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents 📚 Show Notes + Resources Behind the Scenes of ELEVATE: KTGY’s Professional Development Program (https://christopher-parsons-jeah.squarespace.com/blog/LINK) — John Robison's KA Connect 2024 talk, a deeper dive into how the program started and why cohorts work. Chapters (00:00) Welcome and Episode Introduction (04:28) KTGY Overview and Origins (05:37) ELEVATE Leadership Program (14:05) Defining Leadership and Measuring Success (23:02) ELEVATE Leadership: The Participant Experience (27:04) ELEVATE Essentials Program (41:11) ELEVATE Talent Management Program (44:49) Why Cohorts Build Trust (49:21) Cohorts, Workshops, or One-to-Many (51:54) FUEL: Grassroots Mentorship and Community (55:04) Seeing KTGY as a Learning Ecosystem (01:03:01) Critical Knowledge Transfer (01:06:43) What's Changing for Practitioners (01:18:29) What Never Changes (01:24:04) AI and the Speed of Trust
8 Jul 2026
Inside Shive-Hattery's Leadership Development Program | Jennifer Bennett
Jennifer Bennett didn't think she had what it took to be a leader. As a structural engineer coming up at Shive-Hattery, she assumed leadership required a natural charisma she didn't have. In 2007 she was invited to participate in the firm's Leadership Development Program and changed her mind. Today she's President and CEO of the 750-person, 18-office architecture and engineering firm, and she runs the program herself. In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, Jennifer takes us inside how Shive-Hattery’s Leadership Development Program actually works: the cohort structure, the Socratic teaching method, the five curriculum pillars (business acumen, negotiation, high-performance teams, culture and values, emotional and social competence), and the real strategic projects each cohort tackles over their 15-18 months together. She also shares how she builds the trust a cohort needs to succeed and how the program itself is evolving as she brings her executive team in to teach modules so the firm can double how many future leaders it reaches each year. At its core, Shive-Hattery’s Leadership Development Program isn't just about developing individual leaders — it's about teaching people to lead change in a way that's consistent with Shive-Hattery's culture and to carry that culture forward as they rise. That's part of a bigger act of stewardship. Shive-Hattery is a firm with more than 125 years of history and Jennifer sees investing in future leaders as central to how the firm sustains, evolves, and grows for decades to come. Past leaders invested in her generation; now it's her generation’s turn to pay forward. If you lead an AEC firm or are thinking about what it takes to build a leadership culture and an enduring firm, this episode is for you. Guests Jennifer Bennett (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-bennett-shivehattery/), President and CEO, Shive-Hattery (https://www.shive-hattery.com/) As President/CEO of Shive-Hattery, Jennifer Bennett is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic planning, culture, vision and direction of current and future operations. Bennett joined the employee-owned design firm in 2003 and has 25+ years of experience of client service, talent development and market growth. She has a structural engineering background and previously served as the Vice President and Office Director of Shive-Hattery’s Quad Cities location. Episode Resources The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business (https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-advantage-why-organizational-health-trumps-everything-else-in-business-patrick-m-lencioni/1df6fa2690e9c25a?ean=9780470941522) — Patrick Lencioni The Leadership Pipeline: Developing Leaders in the Digital Age (https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-leadership-pipeline-developing-leaders-in-the-digital-age-james-l-noel/72b9d5aa31967357?ean=9781394160976) — Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, James L. Noel, and Kent Jonasen First Among Equals: How to Manage a Group of Professionals (https://bookshop.org/p/books/first-among-equals-patrick-j-mckenna-c-p/fefafe2277a6f436?ean=9780743267588) — Patrick J. McKenna and David H. Maister Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (https://bookshop.org/p/books/emotional-intelligence-why-it-can-matter-more-than-iq-daniel-goleman/0333854cdc524d13?ean=9780553383713) — Daniel Goleman What to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fire and the Self-Knowledge Imperative (https://bookshop.org/p/books/what-to-make-of-a-life-cliffs-fog-fire-and-the-self-knowledge-imperative-jim-collins/c2329b16f1d37e16?ean=9780063488809) — Jim Collins Another Way: Building Companies That Last (https://www.tugboatinstitute.com/anotherway/) — Dave Whorton with Bo Burlingham Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Chapters (00:00) Welcome and Episode Introduction (02:46) Firm Overview and Jennifer's Path to Leadership (09:10) What Good Leadership Looks Like (12:00) Inside the Leadership Development Program (15:58) The Socratic Method and the First Team Concept (20:55) Culture, Onboarding, and Cohort Selection (28:22) Business Acumen, Financials, and Negotiation (37:05) Building High-Performance Teams (41:13) Culture, Values, and Mentorship (56:22) The ESCI 360 Assessment (01:08:03) What's Next: Scaling the Program (01:15:52) Building a Long-Term Sustainable Company and Culture
24 Jun 2026
Better Learning Starts With Clearer Goals | Jackie Baxley of HRP Associates
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Jackie Baxley, Principal and Practice Leader for Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability at HRP Associates. Jackie has spent years helping HRP evolve from a more organic, apprenticeship-driven learning culture into a more intentional learning organization that thinks carefully about competency, capability, incentives, mentorship, and organizational performance. Her perspective is shaped by the realities of consulting work, where the product is ultimately the people themselves. One of the central ideas Jackie returns to throughout this conversation is that not every learning experience is trying to accomplish the same thing. Organizations often get into trouble when they fail to define the actual goal upfront. Is the goal simply communication? Awareness? Skills development? Demonstrated competency? Different goals require different approaches, different investments, and different ways of evaluating success. Jackie walks through the practical frameworks HRP uses to think more intentionally about learning design, including her “inverted pyramid” model of communication, awareness, training, and competency, as well as the EDGE framework: Educate, Demonstrate, Guide, and Evaluate. We explore why awareness is not the same thing as competency, why repetition matters, how HRP approaches skills validation and quality audits, and why some learning experiences work best asynchronously while others must remain in person. The conversation also explores the operational and economic realities of learning inside consulting firms. Jackie discusses how HRP has worked to remove the stigma around training and development by redesigning incentives, rethinking billability, and treating learning as a strategic investment rather than overhead. We also discuss HRP’s evolving employee lifecycle programs, their growing focus on soft skills and management development, and the challenge of building deeper organizational capability without turning learning into bureaucracy. If you lead an AEC firm, manage teams, oversee operations, or are thinking about how to scale expertise more intentionally inside your organization, this episode offers a thoughtful and highly practical conversation about designing learning around real outcomes. A conversation about clearer goals, stronger capability development, and building modern learning organizations that keep getting smarter, by design. Guest Jackie Baxley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-baxley-76954422/), EHS&S Practice Leader, HRP Associates (www.hrpassociates.com) Jackie Baxley, a professional engineer in several states, has over 28 years of experience as an environmental engineering and risk management consultant specializing in the areas of environmental health and safety (EHS) compliance and management systems. As the EHS&S Practice Leader for HRP Associates, Inc, her responsibilities include fostering operational performance to a project and management staff of engineers and scientist. Throughout her career, Jackie has developed a strong working knowledge of the principle federal and state EHS laws and regulations, the principals of management systems and the application of sustainable practices and policies. Jackie is well known as a compliance trainer and has developed training courses delivered in person and online. She has managed or performed hundreds of site EH&S audits for a multitude of clients. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Episode Resources People & Experts Kent Jonasen — CEO, Leadership Pipeline Institute https://www.leadershippipeline.com (https://www.leadershippipeline.com/) Books The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership-Powered Company — Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, James Noel The Specialist Pipeline: Career Development for Technical and Professional Specialists — Kent Jonasen, Stephen Drotter, Aigerim Edwards Chapters (00:00) Welcome and Episode Overview (02:49) Introduction to Jackie Baxley, HRP, and HIKE (10:16) Inverse Pyramid Framework: Communication, Awareness, Training, Competency (24:06) Building Skills with the EDGE Method (34:07) Reframing Training as a Strategic Investment: Time Tracking, Overtime, Stigma (43:54) Defining and Measuring Competencies (49:15) The HRP Employee Life Cycle Program (01:00:03) Balancing Internal and External Role: Serving Clients and Developing People (01:04:48) Future Goals: Skills Development Matrix
3 Jun 2026
Why Every AEC Firm Needs a Leadership and Specialist Pipeline | Kent Jonasen of the Leadership Pipeline Institute
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Kent Jonasen, CEO of the Leadership Pipeline Institute and co-author of the third edition of The Leadership Pipeline as well as author of The Specialist Pipeline. Kent has spent decades helping organizations rethink leadership development, succession planning, and the challenge of scaling expertise inside complex companies. His work starts from a deceptively simple premise: leadership is not leadership. Each transition—from leading yourself to leading others, leading leaders, leading functions, and eventually leading an enterprise—is fundamentally a different job that requires different skills, different priorities, and even different values. But this conversation goes far beyond leadership development. Many organizations unintentionally build systems where leadership becomes the only visible path for growth, recognition, and advancement. Specialists—deep technical experts, practitioners, strategists, and problem-solvers—often feel forced toward management roles simply to continue progressing in their careers. Over time, this creates frustration, weak leadership transitions, and the gradual loss of highly valuable expertise. Kent and I explore why organizations need both leadership pipelines and specialist pipelines working together. We discuss: Why leadership transitions so often fail The hidden importance of discovering and aligning with your “work values” in career progression Why many specialists feel alienated inside traditional organizations The difference between knowledge experts and knowledge leaders How companies accidentally push people into management roles they never truly wanted Why specialist career paths need more than just new titles How dual leadership and specialist pipelines create healthier long-term organizational design Along the way, we connect these ideas directly to architecture, engineering, and construction firms, where specialized expertise is often the core engine of competitive advantage. From healthcare planners to sustainability experts to technical design specialists, many AEC firms are wrestling with how to scale expertise, accelerate development, and reduce dependency on a shrinking number of senior experts. If you lead an AEC firm, oversee learning and development, manage technical teams, or are thinking about succession planning and long-term capability building, this episode offers a powerful framework for rethinking how careers evolve inside organizations. More importantly, it raises a deeper question: what if building a stronger company starts not just with developing better leaders, but with designing better systems for developing expertise itself? Guest Ken Jonasen, CEO (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kent-jonasen-0167221/), The Leadership Pipeline Institute (https://leadershippipelineinstitute.com/) Kent is CEO of the Leadership Pipeline Institute. He is author of the book “Specialist Pipeline – how to winning the war for specialist talent” and he is co-author of the 3rd edition of the book “Leadership Pipeline – Developing leaders in the digital age”. Before becoming CEO of Leadership Pipeline Institute, Kent Jonasen was Deputy Head of Group Human Resources in A.P. Moller – Maersk since 2003 up to 2008 responsible for talent management, leadership development, executive development and executive compensation. Previously to his deputy position, Kent was Regional HR Manager for Europe Region from 2000 to 2003. In Maersk Kent led the implementation of a companywide integrated leadership development initiative based on the Leadership Pipeline concept to impact more than 10,000 leaders in more than 100 countries. The project secured reliable executive succession plans and a 90% hit ratio on talents in the executive talent pool. During his time in A.P. Moller - Maersk he was member of the US Conference Board Council on Development, Education and Training. Since founding the Leadership Pipeline Institute Kent has led the implementation of the Leadership Pipeline and Specialist Pipeline concept with regards to development, selection, and assessment in more than 25 different large international organizations. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Resources Leadership Pipeline Book: https://a.co/d/01HXBNCT The Performance Pipeline: https://a.co/d/0bJgSp0q Leadership Pipeline Institute YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipPipelineInstitute Chapters (00:00) Welcome and Episode Intro (02:47) Origins of the Leadership Pipeline (12:12) Development of the Specialist Pipeline (37:36) Why Specialists Leave and How to Keep Them (46:23) The Three Steps Up the Specialist Pipeline (01:11:11) Applying the Pipelines in AEC and Professional Services (01:21:44) Strategic Implementation and Looking Ahead
20 May 2026
Leading a Learning Organization: Lessons from Angela Watson | Shepley Bulfinch
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I'm joined by Angela Watson, President and CEO of Shepley Bulfinch, a nationally recognized architecture firm whose work spans healthcare, higher education, and civic design. Angela leads with a conviction she traces back to her time teaching at MIT: that real learning doesn't happen through lecture — it happens through doing, through struggle, and through the kind of exploration that only comes when people are given room to fail safely and try again. That belief didn't stay in the classroom. It became the foundation for how she thinks about leading a firm. Learning by doing is the foundation of how AEC professionals and firms develop. The problem is that great ideas stay trapped in pockets — one team figures something out, another team struggles with the same thing, and the knowledge never travels. Angela saw that dynamic playing out at Shepley Bulfinch as the firm grew into a national practice, work-sharing across five offices with project cycles too long and feedback loops too slow to rely on informal transfer alone. Becoming a learning organization became an operational necessity, but it turned out to be much harder than it looked. The conversation traces the full arc of what that effort has looked like in practice and what Angela has learned leading it. Why it's so hard for subject matter experts to codify and teach what they know. Why the traditional apprenticeship model is breaking down as plates get fuller and mentorship gets crowded out. What Shepley Bulfinch learned from building Birdfeeder, their internal peer-to-peer learning platform — what worked, what was too ambitious, and what the firm is rethinking now. And why the harder problem isn't building a course catalog — it's connecting learning to where someone actually wants to go in their career. The thread running underneath all of it is psychological safety. Angela talks about "Back to the Future," Shepley Bulfinch's reframe on lessons learned — a format designed to celebrate the imperfect and make it safe to share what went wrong. She reflects on what it took for her, as CEO, to model that vulnerability publicly, and why she believes culture is the soil in which any learning organization either takes root or doesn't. If you lead an AEC firm, manage a team, or are thinking seriously about how your organization develops its people, this episode is for you. Angela offers deep insight into what's worked, what hasn't, and what is still to be figured out on Shepley Bulfinch's journey to becoming a learning organization. Guest Angela Watson, FAIA, LEED AP, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawatson/) President and CEO, Shepley Bulfinch (https://shepleybulfinch.com/) Angela Watson is the second consecutive female President and CEO in the 152-year history of Shepley Bulfinch, a national architecture and design firm with studios across the United States. She is a strong advocate for communication as the foundation of understanding clients, communities, and stakeholders, and she integrates research and practice to create spaces that positively impact people and their environments. Angela's post-occupancy research and co-authored studies on the impact of light on occupant well-being reflect her dedication to understanding the relationship between space and behavior. Her design process bridges teaching and practice through a collaborative design process that inspires innovation adaptable to a changing world. Beyond Shepley Bulfinch, Angela serves on the University of Arizona’s CAPLA Futures Council and the Texas A&M College of Architecture Dean’s Advisory Board. She also serves on the Board of the Design Futures Council, and as Chair of the Board for Shepley Bulfinch. Born in Germany, she studied at Universität Karlsruhe and earned an MArch from MIT, where she later taught Design. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Episode Resources Why Your New Engineers Look Lost for Six Months (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-your-new-engineers-look-lost-six-months-nick-heim-pe-df4bc/): LinkedIn article by Nick Heim Amy Edmondson: A Harvard Business School professor and author whose research on psychological safety demonstrates how creating environments where people feel safe to take interpersonal risks—admitting mistakes, asking questions, and challenging ideas—is foundational to organizational learning and innovation. Desirable Difficulty: Robert Bjork's learning framework showing that challenges that slow initial performance—like spacing practice over time, mixing related concepts together, and retrieving information from memory through testing—produce superior long-term retention and transfer compared to easier, more familiar learning methods. Chapters (0:00:00) Welcome and Guest Introduction (0:02:41) Why Focus on Learning Now (0:04:23) Learning to Teach at MIT (0:08:09) Delegating and Letting Go (0:10:05) Why Pockets of Learning Aren't Enough (0:12:32) Balancing Standardization and Flexibility (0:17:03) National Practice and Work Sharing (0:19:11) Codifying Knowledge to Scale Learning (0:25:19) Helping Experts Learn to Teach (0:26:51) Just-in-Time Learning and AI (0:28:11) Core Curriculum vs. Enrichment (0:32:53) Apprenticeship Is Evolving (0:38:07) Stop or Slow: Rethinking Capacity (0:45:26) Strategic Plan and Birdfeeder Origins (0:52:58) Connecting Learning to Career Goals (0:57:40) Communication as a Foundational Skill (1:00:35) Birdfeeder 2.0: What Changes? (1:06:08) Learner Motivation and Fulfillment (1:14:06) Psychological Safety and Back to the Future (1:17:43) Modeling Vulnerability
6 May 2026
Designing Learning That Actually Improves Performance | Clark Quinn of Quinnovation
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Clark Quinn, a cognitive scientist who has spent his career translating decades of learning research into practical guidance for organizations. He is the founder of Quinnovation and co-director of the L&D Accelerator. His work is grounded in a simple conviction: most organizations are leaving enormous potential on the table — not for lack of effort or care, but because the science of how people actually learn has rarely made it into the room where learning decisions get made. In most AEC firms, learning and development didn’t start with a formal strategy. It emerged organically. Executives responsible for talent came up through practice. L&D leaders stepped into their roles because they wanted to make their firms better, not because they were trained in the discipline. Subject matter experts shared what they know without ever having been taught how to teach. As a result, most learning organizations in the AEC industry were largely built by accident rather than by design. And in that gap lies a significant opportunity: to create learning that doesn’t just inform, but actually improves capability and performance. That is what this conversation is about. Clark walks us through the science that most accidental L&D leaders never had access to. He explains why training so often stops at information transfer, what it really takes to design for performance rather than content delivery, and what the research says about learning design that actually moves the needle. We explore the shift from content-heavy training to practice-led learning, how to identify the root causes behind critical performance gaps before reaching for a training solution, and how to determine whether learning is even the right intervention. We also step back and look at what a true learning ecosystem requires: not just courses, but performance support, job aids, communities of practice, mentoring, and the cultural conditions where learning compounds over time. Where knowledge is shared openly. Where failure is discussed. And where leadership sets the tone. Finally, we go deep on one of the most important dynamics in any AEC firm: how to effectively work with busy and highly billable subject matter experts by drawing out what they know, pairing them with skilled learning designers, and building a coaching culture that makes expertise transferable at scale. If you lead an AEC firm, build learning programs, or teach others what you know—and you’ve largely been figuring it out as you go—this conversation offers a foundation for doing it smarter. By design. Guest Clark Quinn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinnovator/), Executive Director of Quinnovation (https://quinnovation.com/) Clark Quinn, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Quinnovation, learning science advisor to Elevator 9, and Co-Director of the Learning Development Accelerator. With more than four decades of experience at the cutting edge of learning, Dr. Quinn is an internationally known speaker, consultant, and author of seven books. He combines a deep knowledge of cognitive science and broad experience with technology into strategic design solutions that achieve innovative yet practical outcomes for corporations, higher-education, not-for-profit, and government organizations. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Resources For a full list of episode references and resources, see: https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/blog/designing-learning-that-actually-improves-performance-clark-quinn (www.knowledge-architecture.com/blog/designing-learning-that-actually-improves-performance-clark-quinn) Chapters (00:00) Introduction (03:26) Clark Quinn's Journey into Learning Science (06:00) The Biggest Surprise About How People Learn (09:21) Why School Is a Bad Model for Organizational Learning (13:41) People Don't Know How to Learn or Teach (17:15) How Effective Self-Directed Learners Operate (22:03) The Performance Ecosystem: Courses, Job Aids, and Community (28:23) Building a Learning Culture (33:50) L&D's Role in Facilitating Innovation (39:51) Accidental vs Intentional Learning Organizations (47:13) Diagnosing Performance Gaps Before Reaching for Training (53:04) Why L&D Still Gets Course Design Wrong (55:10) What Good Course Design Actually Looks Like (01:01:32) What Experts Need in Order to Teach Well (01:08:29) Working Effectively with Subject Matter Experts (01:19:34) Partnering Experts with Learning Designers (01:27:17) Resources for Becoming a Better L&D Professional (01:29:19) The Learning Development Accelerator (LDA) (01:33:05) Bridging the Gap Between Training and the Workplace (01:38:33) Closing and Where to Find Clark Quinn
14 Apr 2026
Modernizing Learning to Scale Quality at Lionakis | Laura Knauss and Kristina Williams
In this episode of Smarter by Design, I’m joined by Laura Knauss, President and Chief Practice Officer at Lionakis, and Kristina Williams, Director of Design Technology at Lionakis, for a conversation about how their firm is modernizing learning to scale quality and consistency across their practice. At the heart of that shift is a deep respect for the apprenticeship model. For generations, one-on-one mentorship has been the foundation of how architects and engineers learned their craft—and it remains essential today. But as firms grow, diversify, and take on increasingly complex work, Lionakis has recognized that apprenticeship alone isn’t enough to provide the consistent, firmwide foundation that today’s environment demands. In response, Lionakis is repositioning apprenticeship by building a more intentional and scalable learning system that ensures every team member starts from a shared baseline, while still allowing mentorship to do what it does best: helping people apply that knowledge in the context of real projects. We explore two major shifts behind that transformation. First, the evolution of Lionakis’s Design Technology Boot Camp. What began as long, lecture-heavy training sessions has been reimagined into a more modular, learner-centered experience built around short, focused video lessons, hands-on exercises, and live, collaborative sessions. Along the way, Kristina shares what they’ve learned about attention, retention, and how to design learning that actually sticks. Second, we look at how those same principles are being applied beyond Boot Camp to reshape how the firm teaches practice itself. From specifications and building envelope design to programming and coordination, Lionakis is moving away from ad hoc training toward a more strategic learning roadmap that captures core project knowledge, standardizes how it’s taught, and makes it accessible across the entire firm. The goal is both simple and ambitious: to create a shared foundation that allows any team member, in any office, to step into any project and contribute with confidence, consistency, and clarity. What emerges is a picture of a firm learning how to operate as a modern learning organization—where knowledge, learning, and practice are tightly connected, and where investment in learning is directly tied to the quality of the work. If you’re thinking about how to scale expertise, support the next generation of talent, or move beyond training as a one-time event, this conversation offers a clear and compelling path forward. Guests Laura Knauss (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-knauss-70b52715/), President and Chief Practice Officer, Lionakis (https://www.lionakis.com/) Laura Knauss, AIA has been a member of Lionakis since 1990 where she has built a career designing educational facilities throughout California. As President, she is responsible for developing the firm’s position for its five California offices, leading strategy and directing practice initiatives. Currently, Laura is the Vice-President of Government Relations for AIA California where she facilitates advocacy position on behalf of the profession. Additionally, she serves as a member of the Board of Regents for the California Architectural Foundation (CAF). Kristina Williams (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinawilliams22/), Director of Design Technology, Lionakis (https://www.lionakis.com/) Kristina Williams is the Director of Design Technology at Lionakis, where she focuses on integrating design technology and knowledge management to better connect people, ideas, and information. She began her career at Lionakis as a Revit Specialist and brings 17 years of experience in design technology. Over that time, she has continuously refined how she teaches and supports teams, shaping her approach to how knowledge is shared, adopted, and applied across the firm. She has carried this perspective into her current role leading knowledge management efforts, where she works to improve how information flows and how teams learn from one another. Her work centers on helping teams simplify complexity, strengthen operational clarity, and create the conditions for stronger collaboration. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Chapters (00:00) Welcome and Episode Recap (03:44) Adapting Learning to the Speed of Change (05:46) The Lionakis Way: A Consistent Approach (10:15) What Was Broken in Previous Training Models (12:27) Lessons from 14 Years of Teaching Revit (17:54) Bootcamp Evolution: From Lectures to Exercises (24:34 )Empowering Emerging Professionals (26:55) Bootcamp Redesign Watch Party (31:38) Practice Bootcamp Rollout (37:25) Making Videos Easier (42:44) Breakout Rooms Build Culture and Confidence (45:10) Emphasizing the Importance of Video + Live Trainings (47:38) "Reboarding" for Consistency (49:08) Cascading Opportunities for Reinforcement (51:33) Foundational vs Just in Time Learning (53:32) Onboarding and Ubiquitous Resources (57:28) Repurposing Long Recordings (59:26) Designing for Retrieval (01:02:49) Short Videos vs Context (01:05:53) From Ad Hoc to Curriculum (01:08:50) Investing in KM and L&D Teams (01:16:06) Adding a Learning Coordinator (01:21:24) The Power of a Supportive Executive Sponsor (01:23:05) Theme Song Backstory
1 Apr 2026
Maximizing the Value of Learning & Development Investments | Chris and Susan of Knowledge Architecture
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, Susan Strom and I discuss The Modern Learning Organization Pipeline (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/blog/the-modern-learning-organization-pipeline-for-aec-firms)—a framework for helping AEC firms prioritize and maximize the return on their learning and development investments. For decades, most AEC learning programs have relied on familiar formats: lunch-and-learns, live training sessions, and recorded presentations. But a new generation of tools—AI search, modern intranets, modular learning systems, and knowledge agents—is dramatically increasing the potential ROI of learning assets. When knowledge can be searched instantly, accessed on demand, and revisited whenever someone needs it, learning assets become far more valuable than they used to be. That shift creates a new challenge: how do firms decide where to invest their time and energy? You can’t manage all the knowledge in your firm. So the real question becomes: which knowledge and learning investments produce the greatest return? In this conversation, Susan and I walk through how to identify, prioritize, and design high-impact learning experiences in AEC firms using the Modern Learning Organization Pipeline. Along the way, we explore: Why AEC firms need to evolve into modern learning organizations How firms can maximize the value of learning and development investments The DESIRE framework, a practical tool for prioritizing learning opportunities Why learning experiences should increasingly be treated like products How firms are modernizing learning experiences for the AI era How learning content can become searchable organizational knowledge Why learner involvement and piloting are essential to good learning design The rise of dedicated knowledge and learning roles inside AEC firms Underlying the discussion is a broader idea: the industry is entering a platform shift in how knowledge, learning, and expertise are developed and distributed. As AI-powered knowledge and learning platforms like Synthesis make knowledge more accessible and reusable, the potential return on learning investments is rising dramatically. The challenge for firms is where to invest their time and energy to create the greatest impact. If you’re leading an AEC firm and wondering where to invest in learning, knowledge, and capability building, this episode introduces a practical framework for prioritizing the opportunities that will matter most. Episode Resources The Modern Learning Organization Pipeline: https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/blog/the-modern-learning-organization-pipeline-for-aec-firms Guests Christopher Parsons (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherjparsons/), Founder & CEO, Knowledge Architecture (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/) As Founder and CEO of Knowledge Architecture, Christopher is responsible for product design, marketing strategy, and organizational health. He is the host of the Smarter by Design podcast and the author of Smarter by Design, a bi-weekly newsletter exploring how leading AEC firms manage information, share knowledge, and build learning organizations. He is also the executive producer of KA Connect, Knowledge Architecture’s annual knowledge and learning management conference for the AEC industry. Christopher has been a technology leader in the AEC industry since 2002, including serving as Chief Information Officer for Steinberg Architects and as Information Technology Director for SMWM (now Perkins+Will). Susan Strom (https://www.linkedin.com/in/susankstrom/), Chief Client Officer, Knowledge Architecture (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/) As our Chief Client Officer, Susan ensures our clients have the resources they need to be successful. Those resources include best practices, training, documentation, and a team of Knowledge Architecture experts who guide our clients every step of the way. During her time at Knowledge Architecture, Susan has led nearly 200 AEC intranet implementations, produced dozens of intranet case studies, and been instrumental in building our client community and client success program. Her previous roles in human resources, construction management, and engineering systems at Mazzetti and Gilbane Building Company allow her to draw upon a broad range of industry experiences to help our clients succeed. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Chapters (00:00) Episode Introduction (03:00) Why Become a Modern Learning Organization (07:17) Where Marketing and Learning Strategies Converge (09:38) The Modern Learning Organization Pipeline (15:25) DESIRE: A Framework for Prioritizing Learning Investments (21:02) Why Demand and Enthusiasm Matter (24:36) Slow Down to Go Fast: Plan First (28:55) Defining Quality in Learning Design (33:28) How Hybrid Learning Compounds Value (37:42) Design for Retrieval, Not Just Delivery (40:04) From Linear to Just-in-Time Learning (43:29) Why Firms Invest in Learning Roles (50:12) Build a Solid Knowledge Foundation for People + AI (55:39) Involve Learners in the Design Process (01:01:25) Treat Learning Like a Product (01:07:02) Measure Activity, Experience, and Outcomes (01:11:51) Balance Strategy with Progress (01:13:36) Closing
4 Mar 2026
What Will It Mean to Be An Expert in 2030? | Chris Myers of Johns Hopkins University
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Christopher Myers, Peetz Family Professor of Leadership and Faculty Director of the Center for Innovative Leadership at Johns Hopkins University, for a wide-ranging conversation about expertise, learning, and how AI is reshaping knowledge-intensive organizations like healthcare providers and AEC firms. Christopher studies how professionals learn from experience and from one another. Together, we explore what happens when AI becomes extraordinarily good at synthesizing information but still struggles with judgment, context, and tacit nuance. In fields like healthcare, architecture, and engineering—where decisions carry real liability and long feedback loops—the distinction between synthesis and judgment matters deeply. We examine a growing paradox: In the near future AI may be able to perform much of the “junior work” that once served as the apprenticeship path to becoming an expert. If AI creates the slide decks, drafts the notes, checks the drawings, and summarizes the literature, how do emerging professionals gain the reps, exposure, and judgment that traditionally came from doing those tasks? And if organizations eliminate junior roles in pursuit of efficiency, what happens to the future pipeline of senior expertise? The conversation also explores how expertise actually forms. Christopher shares his research on vicarious learning—how professionals learn from stories, informal conversations, and communities of practice—and why hybrid work may be compressing or eroding some of those learning opportunities. We discuss why informal knowledge sharing sometimes outperforms formal systems, and how simulation and AI-powered scenarios may offer new ways to scale apprenticeship in the future. At the center of the episode is a deeper question: What will it mean to be an expert in 2030? As AI raises the “standard of care” across industries, leaders must rethink not only how work gets done, but how judgment, responsibility, and organizational intelligence are developed over time. If you’re leading an AEC firm and wondering how AI will affect your talent pipeline, apprenticeship model, or long-term expertise, this conversation offers a thoughtful and research-backed perspective on what may lie ahead. Guest Christopher Myers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophergmyers-phd/), Peetz Family Professor of Leadership and Faculty Director of the Center for Innovative Leadership at Johns Hopkins University (https://cil.carey.jhu.edu) Christopher G. Myers, PhD is the inaugural Peetz Family Professor of Leadership, Professor of Management and (jointly) of Medicine and Public Health, and the founding Faculty Director of the Center for Innovative Leadership at the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School. His research and teaching focus on individual learning, leadership development, and innovation, with particular attention to how people learn vicariously and share knowledge in health care organizations and other knowledge-intensive work environments. Chris’s research has been published in premier academic journals in the fields of management and medicine and he has received a variety of awards and honors for his work, including being named by Poets & Quants as one of the top 40 business school professors under 40 world-wide. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins University, Chris was on the faculty of the Harvard Business School and received his PhD from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Episode Resources Research and Publications by Christopher Myers (https://christophergmyers.phd/publications ) Informal Peer Interaction and Practice Type as Predictors of Physician Performance on Maintenance of Certification Examinations (https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=46481 ), Valentine et al. (JAMA Surgery, 2014) Chapters (00:00) Introduction (02:42) Predictions for Knowledge & Learning Organizations in 2030 (05:45) AI’s Strength in Synthesis and Limits in Creativity (10:11) Human Judgement, Context, and the Missing AI Feedback Loop (14:23) Beyond Synthesis: When You Still Need Dialogue and Pushback (17:12) How AI Changes Standard of Care Expectations in Healthcare (22:33) Why Medical Education Still Tests “Old” Expertise (26:03) How Clinicians Actually Learn: ChatGPT, Google, and YouTube (28:07) Why “Regular YouTube” Sometimes Beats Internal KM Systems (31:52) Thought Leadership Incentives: Why Experts Share Publicly (34:09) Facebook Community of Practice for Robotic Surgeons (39:07) The Power of Informal + Formal Learning (40:44) The Power of Vicarious Learning (44:21) Serendipity vs Orchestration in Learning Design (45:41) The Role of AI in Vicarious Learning (50:13) Developing Experts Through Simulation (56:15) The Negative Impact of Hybrid Work on Workplace Relationships (01:01:39) The Broken Deal: Juniors, Menial Work, and Developing Experts (01:05:34) The AI–Expertise Paradox and the Weakening Pipeline (01:10:57) Retention as a Knowledge Management Strategy (01:13:55) When Apprenticeship Breaks: Shifting the Training Models (01:19:59) Why Leaders Embrace AI Despite the Risks (01:23:04) Perspectives on Learning in a Remote Work Environment (01:25:41) The Normalization of Remote Work (01:30:35) Matching the Modality: On-Demand vs In-Person Learning (01:33:06) Closing
18 Feb 2026
What the Best Synthesis Teams Do Differently | Susan Strom of Knowledge Architecture
In this episode of Smarter by Design, I talk with Susan Strom, Chief Client Officer at Knowledge Architecture, about the patterns she’s seen across the most successful Synthesis teams. Drawing on years of implementation experience, Susan explains how great teams build momentum, lead change intentionally, and bring people into the process one person at a time. We explore the human side of intranet, LMS, and AI Search rollouts—what strong project champions do, how they prepare their organizations, and the leadership behaviors that consistently set teams up for long-term success. Whether you're evaluating Synthesis, preparing for a new implementation, or trying to take Synthesis to the next level at your firm, this conversation offers practical insight into what the best teams do differently. Guests Susan Strom (https://www.linkedin.com/in/susankstrom/), Chief Client Officer, Knowledge Architecture (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/) As our Chief Client Officer, Susan ensures our clients have the resources they need to be successful. Those resources include best practices, training, documentation, and a team of Knowledge Architecture experts who guide our clients every step of the way. During her time at Knowledge Architecture, Susan has led nearly 200 AEC intranet implementations, produced dozens of intranet case studies, and been instrumental in building our client community and client success program. Her previous roles in human resources, construction management, and engineering systems at Mazzetti and Gilbane Building Company allow her to draw upon a broad range of industry experiences to help our clients succeed. Episode Resources 📗 "What I’ve Learned from Our Best Synthesis Intranet Implementation Project Managers (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-ive-learned-from-our-best-synthesis-intranet-project-susan-strom-vnpwc/)" article on Linkedin ✅ Streamline Your Operations with the Essential Content Checklist (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/blog/essential-content-for-aec-intranets) Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Chapters (00:00) Introduction (02:48) What Does a Chief Client Officer Do? (05:45) Inspiration for the Article (08:27) 1: They Understand How Your Firm Ticks (13:25) 2: They're Strong Change Leaders (20:11) Implementation as a Professional Growth Opportunity (22:08) 5: They Have the Time and Space to Lead (24:20) 4: They Represent Both Practice and Operations (29:16) 3: They Influence With or Without Authority (31:33) When do firms struggle with implementation? (33:26) Intranet Success Mindset Post-Launch (36:51) Who is Best to Sustain and Grow the Intranet Post Launch? (39:32) It's About Change Management (43:40) The Role of the Executive Sponsor (49:24) Just Start: The Right People Will Emerge (50:57) The KA Community Factor (53:10) Future Goals: Codifying Ongoing Strategy (56:54) Closing
4 Feb 2026
Why AEC Firms Are Leveling Up as Learning Organizations Now | Turner Fleischer and Greenprint Partners
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Ellen Bensky, CEO of Turner Fleischer, and Nicole Chavas, President and COO of Greenprint Partners, for a wide-ranging conversation about what it takes to level up as a learning organization in the AEC industry. As both firms evolve beyond primarily live and synchronous training models, Ellen and Nicole share how they’re building systems to deliver the right knowledge, to the right people, at the right time—while reducing overload and lifting the burden from learning leaders to serve as “air traffic controllers.” We explore how integrating their learning management systems with their intranets and AI Search is helping their teams access critical information in the flow of work, as well as how that shift is also encouraging more subject matter experts to contribute knowledge, knowing it will reach the right audience at the right moment. We also dive into the mindset shifts required to scale learning effectively. From navigating the balance between live and on-demand learning, to designing hybrid programs that combine asynchronous content with meaningful human interaction, Ellen and Nicole show how their teams are rethinking training as a design problem—one centered on empathy, access, and adaptability. This episode is a candid, behind-the-scenes look at how two growing firms are building learning organizations that reflect the pace of modern practice, the needs of emerging professionals, and the realities of day-to-day AEC work. If you’re grappling with learning at scale, looking to reduce information overload, or wondering how to balance video, in-person, and AI-powered tools, this conversation offers fresh insight and practical ideas. Guests Ellen Bensky (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-bensky-75bb5b10/) | Principal, CEO, CFO, Turner Fleischer (https://www.turnerfleischer.com/) Ellen Bensky is a transformative leader at Turner Fleischer, guiding the Toronto-based firm’s growth into a dynamic Studio specializing in Architecture, Interior Design, and Experiential Graphic Design. Her unique 35-year journey as a non-architect to becoming Principal, CEO, and CFO is a testament to her exceptional leadership and vision. Her innovative approach has redefined the traditional business model of the industry, emphasizing that operational teams are the foundation of a successful AEC practice rather than an overhead burden, allowing designers to focus on design. She has strengthened the Studio’s technological capabilities by developing a Digital Practice team with deep expertise, integrating advanced tools and systems to digitize both the practice and their projects. She is dedicated to driving social change, embedding a culture of community engagement within the studio. Weaving social impact into the fabric of the studio’s culture, she empowers Studio members to give back to the communities they live and build in, in meaningful ways. Ellen is deeply passionate about education and lifelong learning. She established TF Academy to support continuous growth and development for all studio members. Her unwavering dedication to sharing knowledge and lessons learned inspires her to speak globally and challenge the industry’s status quo. Nicole Chavas (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolechavas/) | President and COO, Greenprint Partners (https://www.greenprintpartners.com) Nicole is President & COO of Greenprint Partners, a Chicago-based urban planning, civil engineering and landscape architecture firm. In leading all aspects of firm operations, she brings a passion for rallying resources, talent and partnerships to scale sustainable infrastructure—a passion that has informed her approach to team leadership and company growth since 2014. Nicole's love of learning is inherent in every initiative she leads. Whether it’s spearheading a proposal, accelerating adoption of a new knowledge management system or recruiting and onboarding employees, she is committed to transparency, collaboration and continuous learning every step of the way. She is inspired by the knowledge and interests of every Greenprint team member and seeks to foster a flexible, inclusive and mission-oriented company culture that supports the personal and professional growth of all employees. Episode Resources 📗 The Living Company by Arie De Geus (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1286352.The_Living_Company) 📺 The Hidden Benefits of Developing a Teaching Organization (Ellen Bensky | KA Connect 2019) (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/ka-connect-talks/the-hidden-benefits-of-developing-a-teaching-organization) Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents Chapters (00:00) Introduction (03:18) Synthesis LMS Beta Insights (05:30) Drivers for Implementing an LMS (06:46) Building Intentional Learning Paths: Onboarding (09:05) Creating Quality Training Content (10:45) Reducing Information Overload (13:06) Air Traffic Control vs Broadcasting (14:28) Synthesis Implementation at Greenprint (17:45) L&D + KM are Core Business Strategies at Turner Fleischer (23:24) The Value of SOPs + AI Search + Agents (28:26) Combining Asynchronous Content + Synchronous Connection (35:24) Navigating Organizational and Technological Change (38:49) Developing Learning Organizations by Design (42:58) KA Community: Developing LMS Best Practices Together (44:53) Leveling Up While Teaching
6 Jan 2026
Redesigning Learning for the Next Generation of AEC Talent | Dan Hottinger and Kari Shonblom of BWBR
In this episode of the Smarter by Design podcast, I’m joined by Dan Hottinger, Principal and Director of Professional Services at BWBR, and Kari Shonblom, Knowledge Manager at BWBR, for a deep conversation about how their firm is redesigning learning to meet the realities of today’s AEC industry and the expectations of the next generation of talent. Dan and Kari take us inside BWBR’s Landmark Learning program, a decade-long effort to help emerging professionals build judgment, confidence, and technical fluency faster than experience alone would allow. We explore how BWBR uses quality assurance (QA) and construction administration (CA) feedback loops to identify recurring gaps in practice, translate real project issues into targeted learning, and continuously evolve what and how the firm teaches technical skills to emerging professionals. Along the way, we talk about how learning itself is changing. As the next generation of AEC professionals has grown up searching first, watching short-form videos, and expecting knowledge on demand, BWBR is rethinking traditional training models. Dan and Kari share how the firm is experimenting with shorter, more focused content while preserving the value of longer, story-driven sessions where context, judgment, and tacit knowledge can be shared. The conversation also explores a hybrid approach to learning: pairing on-demand resources with live discussion, designing learning paths that evolve across career stages, and connecting technical instruction with the softer skills—such as communication, leadership, and decision-making—that become critical over time. At the center of it all is a simple but demanding idea: learning only matters if it shows up as improvement in the work. This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how learning, QA, and career development can be woven into a single system that allows BWBR to develop talent from within, adapt to changing expectations, and build resilient expertise over time. If you’re thinking about how your AEC firm can redesign learning for a new generation, connect knowledge management to real project outcomes, or move beyond training as a one-off event, this conversation is for you. Guests Dan Hottinger (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-hottinger-814a612b/) | Principal, Director of Professional Services, BWBR (https://www.bwbr.com/) Dan’s attention to detail has served him well throughout nearly three decades at BWBR. He specializes in projects that have highly technical requirements and logistical challenges, providing hands-on management on total project design and documentation, effectively orchestrating collaboration between the in-house design team, engineering/specialty consultants, and contracting partners. Dan brings his passion for teaching into the development of BWBR's learning initiatives such as the Landmark Learning Sessions. Kari Shonblom (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kari-shonblom/) | Knowledge Manager, BWBR (https://www.bwbr.com/) Kari Shonblom is a Knowledge Manager at BWBR, where she leads intranet development and advances knowledge-sharing and learning initiatives across the firm. A systems thinker with a passion for data and process improvement, she bridges big-picture strategy with thoughtful, practical execution – connecting people to the resources they need to work better, faster, and smarter. Resources 📺 Teach Them How to Fish: Enhancing Technical Learning with KM Strategies (https://www.knowledge-architecture.com/ka-connect-talks/teach-them-how-to-fish-enhancing-technical-learning-with-km-strategies ) (KA Connect2017 Talk) 📕 The Leadership Pipeline (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1254.The_Leadership_Pipeline) by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, and James Noel 📕 The Specialist Pipeline (https://leadershippipelineinstitute.com/new-sp-book) by Kent Jonasen Credits Host: Christopher Parsons Executive Producers: Denise Parsons, Christopher Parsons Editor: Coe Hoeksema Theme Song: “We Took the BART” — Written and Performed by The Parents (https://theparents.org/) Chapters (00:00) Introduction (04:04) Landmark Learning Program Structure and Evolution (12:20) Soft Skills for Emerging and Established Professionals (14:56) Curriculum Development and Content Curation (20:27) Using QA and CA Feedback to Identify Key Training Topics (26:57) The Right Knowledge at the Right Time (28:07) Reimagining AEC Learning for the Google Generation (37:38) Hybrid Approach: Pairing On-Demand Content with Story-Driven Sessions (40:45) Content Curation and Findability (44:37) Designing Learning Paths for Every Stage of an AEC Career (48:50) The Challenge of Knowledge Transfer (52:03) Draft and Develop: Building AEC Talent from Within (59:22) Reimagining AEC Career Development for a New Generation (01:12:32) Future Goals for Landmark Learning Learning at BWBR (01:16:16) How Has Your Perspective on the Program Changed? (01:19:49) Lessons Learned (01:25:38) Closing
23 Dec 2025
Welcome to the Smarter by Design Podcast!
The Smarter by Design podcast explores how leading architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms are reimagining knowledge management, learning, and AI to build smarter, more adaptive practices. Hosted by Christopher Parsons, Founder and CEO of Knowledge Architecture, the show dives into the real stories behind how firms are scaling expertise, transforming culture, and creating modern learning organizations. At the heart of the show is a simple belief: AEC firms should spend as much time designing their businesses as they do designing buildings, bridges, and infrastructure. The systems we design for capturing, sharing, and distributing knowledge shape everything else we create. Through thoughtful conversations with AEC leaders, knowledge managers, and innovators, we explore how design, leadership, and technology intersect to shape the future of practice. If you’re curious about how AEC firms are learning faster, working smarter, and designing better ways to grow—this is your show.
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