More Thoughts about Signs and Design-Build

We have spent considerable time over the last several months investigating how architectural sign programs are designed and implemented, and it has become increasingly clear that the Design-Build model has a significant role to play in this process. That part of the big picture is in pretty sharp focus, but it’s so easy to get caught up in the nitty-gritty details, you can lose track of exactly why this is a good thing for architectural sign companies. Here are the 3 most important reasons we think you ought to be excited about Design-Build, and why it should be in the mix as you plan for the future.

Conversion rates. I'm not talking about dollars to euros here. I am talking about the number of proposals that are converted into real revenue generating projects. For our small firm in the Boston area, we have converted more than 70% of the Design-Build proposals we submitted over the last 2 years into actual jobs. This compares with a success rate of less than 20% on traditional "Design-Bid-Build" projects that we have pursued. It is true that writing a successful proposal is time-consuming, but the return is nothing short of remarkable. I will go out on a limb here and predict that this model will be adopted by more and more architectural signage companies, and I would not be at all surprised to see EGD firms sticking their toes into the water as well.

Design-Build Article

Last month, Travis delivered a seminar about the design-build process at the ISA International Sign Expo. His article based on that seminar appears in the current issue of "Sign Media Canada".

» Click here to read the article.

Identia Online & Project Information Management

Project Information Management (PIM) is critical for the successful delivery of architectural sign projects, and there is a lot of project information to manage: sign message schedules, sign location plans, sign type specifications, construction documents, conceptual drawings, client communications, etc.

The biggest problems with architectural sign projects generally tend to be with product quality and information management. While much attention is paid by sign companies towards addressing the product quality issues, too often PIM is not given the attention it merits. Part of the reason for this is that until now any solution to the PIM problem has been unavailable or too costly. Identia Online is the first purpose-built cost-effective PIM tool for architectural sign projects.

In order to grow your company effectively, correct and efficient PIM will be more important than ever. You cannot afford to have projects slowed or derailed by the inability to manage the important details of each sign. A robust, easy to use, and globally accessible information platform will be necessary in order to accomplish your business growth goals.