Smarter by Design Newsletter
How Leading AEC Firms Manage Information, Share Knowledge, and Build Learning Organizations
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About Smarter by Design
The AEC industry is at a turning point—not just in technology, but in how firms think about learning, growth, and the role of knowledge in their work.
Published by Knowledge Architecture and written by our Founder and CEO, Christopher Parsons, Smarter by Design explores how forward-thinking firms are building cultures of learning, scaling expertise, and rethinking knowledge management for the modern era.
AI is part of the story, of course. But so are generational shifts, new business models, and a growing recognition that firms can’t just work harder—they need to learn smarter and faster.
To thrive in the decades ahead, AEC firms must become learning organizations: places where knowledge flows, expertise grows, and insights compound over time. That kind of transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by design. Smarter design.
Every other week, the newsletter shares stories, patterns, and lessons drawn from real conversations with AEC leaders, knowledge managers, and learning professionals who are quietly (and sometimes boldly) reimagining how their firms manage information, develop talent, and sustain culture.
Some issues zoom in on specific use cases—like improving onboarding, upskilling emerging professionals, or scaling expert knowledge. Others step back to examine broader trends shaping the future of knowledge, learning, and organizational design in AEC.
If you're curious about how firms are evolving into more adaptive, resilient, and knowledge-driven organizations, Smarter by Design is for you.
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