Ken,

Residential clients confuse me, too.  The few that I have had either
knew me, or were advised to consult with me, or had problems to be
resolved that required my "special gifts".  The first two were
forewarned, the later didn't care.

One can be tactful, diplomatic, negotiate effectively and fiercely
committed to the protection and guidance of one's client, without
entertaining endless discussions of possible products and approaches.
In fact, my position is that if one were to evaluate every possible
color of undercoating and similar alternative materials, without
protest, one would not be acting in the interest of one's client,
particularly if one were billing the client for the the time to make
such evaluations, and understood that these evaluations were pointless.

Now, in my former life as a public servant, I put a lot of effort into
keeping the "client" informed, reassured, up to date, etc.  In order to
maintain one's macho image, these activities are dismissed as
"hand-holding".  But, in the privacy of this forum, or over a beer, it
may be known that this is a self interested and hard headed choice.  An
informed client, particularly a dedicated and impassioned public entity
client, is the best kind of project management canary.  There may be
some false alarms, but you won't find yourself telling a contractor to
tear off a newly installed roof because he used a material or tool
specifically prohibited in the specification.

I think Bruce went through the formal organization of the steps in the
design process.  I know them and respect them, although I can no longer
recite them.  But, design is a skill with a process.  Project
management is also a skill with a process.  Contract management is a
skill set with formal processes.  Construction administration is a
skill set with formal and informal processes.  Construction...  You
will always be left with some need to explain your work and your
choices.  But, you should be allowed to refer explanations of design
decisions to someone else.  Just as I intend to refer many explanations
of materials and methods to you.  I don't want to explain why you
needed to shim a cabinet, and I don't think you need to explain why I
placed the cabinet is on the west wall.

Others, perhaps Ilene, are better suited than I to address what is or
is not taught in Architecture Schools.  I was a difficult student.  I
did well in these matters and took advanced classes in these areas, but
that was not typical.  I have had very limited contact with young
architects over the last few years, and I have no sense of how they are
prepared.  The "young" architects I have worked with recently are in
their 30's, are historic preservation trained, and I suspect have as
little in common with their traditional architecture colleagues as I
do.  (I like them very much.  They are competent, thoughtful, well
read, well trained and pretend that they think I know what I'm doing,
in public, and keep my ego in check in private.)

So...in terms of historic preservation architects, the training in
negotiation, hand-holding, mediation, etc. probably is taught by
example in the field, rather than by the schools.  For preservation
architects, where and by whom they were trained after leaving school is
a powerful influence.  There are several firms that have produced many
preservation architects, and many of those have now established firms
that are producing more.  NPS, Parks Canada, and several states have
produced preservation architects who have gone on to breed still more.
Breeding creates preservation architects.  Its very organic.  Its very
personal.  Its not like that other kind of architecture.  One can trace
one's heritage through the people who took the time to teach and to
provide opportunities to learn and grow.

But, to try to break away from the rambling and get to something
substantive, what should be, and what it will take to get the job done
don't always work out the way we would like.  You and I and a client
will work pretty much the way you describe.  But that may not be
practical with another architect.  Or client.  Or constructor.

Heavy and long winded thoughts on a cold dark morning.

-jc

On Jan 6, 2005, at 6:03 AM, Gabriel Orgrease wrote:

> But the gist is that I take it that this very essential element of the
> design process in the built-environment, the tactful, diplomatic,
> strategic, patient, ever enduring role of the architect in providing
> guidance to a property owner, in negotiating another human through the
> process of multiple choice, is NOT taught in architectural programs. In
> which case, I would also assume that the ethics of the negotiation
> process, and the role of architect as just and skilled mediator is also
> not taught.