The 3 Mistakes Your Firm is Making...

Is your team spending more time chasing information than working on creative pursuits?

When vital data is hard to find, unreliable—or worse, unavailable—it consumes your team’s time and focus. For architecture and engineering firms, inefficient information management doesn’t just slow you down; it risks your projects, client relationships, and profitability.

We’ve seen it happen, teams hunting for relevant project facts, working in silos, or wasting hours verifying what should be trusted information. And the cause? It often comes down to three avoidable mistakes that could be holding your firm back.

MISTAKE #2 - TOO MANY TEAMS, TOO MANY SYSTEMS

Are your internal departments stuck in silos? Rather than adopting a unified approach to data management, each department operates independently of one another and relies on its preferred system. As a result, employees struggle to determine the accuracy and reliability of vital information across systems. This fragmented approach breeds inefficiencies and duplicated efforts that cost substantial time and money. 

The root cause of siloed systems lies in the absence of a foundational unified system designed with the entire firm in mind. Consolidating disparate systems into a cohesive, unified platform allows firms to mitigate many of their data risks. 

MISTAKE #3 - THINKING QUICK WINS WILL SOLVE THE BIG PROBLEM

A common yet concerning trend within A/E firms is the delay of firm-wide foundational builds. Firms opt for a staggered approach instead of prioritizing a comprehensive system from the start, viewing small solutions as quick wins that are easier to manage internally. However, this strategy often leads to compounded challenges over time, as the initial problems persist, and individual departments resort to creating ad-hoc organizational processes to circumvent roadblocks. Additionally, delays in implementation only serve to fan existing problems, increasing operational costs and elevating the risk of data loss over time. Lastly, the lack of synergy between systems exacerbates user frustration, resulting in clunky, disjointed processes with low adoption rates among employees. 

In contrast, a proactive approach that prioritizes a comprehensive system shift allows firms to address underlying challenges in one swift motion, facilitating seamless adoption and integration across the organization. 

THE SOLUTION - A SINGLE SOURCE OF TRUTH (KMS)

If these issues sound familiar, the solution is a Single Source of Truth, or Knowledge Management System (KMS). This comprehensive approach to information management is key to streamlining processes, enhancing collaboration, and ensuring that your firm's vital information is easily accessible when and where you need it most.  

According to McKinsey Global, a robust KMS can reduce the time lost in searching for information by up to 35%, and even boost organization-wide productivity by 20-25%. Whether your firm seeks to improve its current operational system or embark on a new one, the Enarche Knowledge Management System Scorecard provides a comprehensive checklist designed to identify the specific areas of your KMS that cause problems.  

Don't let operational challenges hold your firm back — Download our Knowledge Management System scorecard below and empower yourself with the tools and insights needed to thrive in today's competitive landscape.