Having spent nearly 25 years in the AEC industry helping firms manage their knowledge more strategically and effectively, I believe we’re in a moment of real change. Not just in technology, but in how architecture and engineering firms think about learning, growth, and the role of knowledge in their work.
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 have to learn smarter and faster.
To thrive in the decades ahead, I believe firms need to 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.
That’s the spirit behind this newsletter.
Every other week, I’ll share stories, patterns, and lessons from across the AEC industry drawn from my conversations with firm leaders, knowledge managers, and others who are quietly (and sometimes boldly) rethinking how their firms manage information, share knowledge, and build cultures of learning.
Sometimes I’ll zoom in on specific use cases — like improving onboarding, upskilling emerging professionals, or scaling expert knowledge. Other times I’ll step back to explore broader patterns: what’s changing in knowledge management, what remains foundational, and what new business value is being unlocked by firms embracing new technologies, practices, and cultural mindsets.
If you’re interested in how firms are scaling learning, supporting growth through intentional organizational design, and building resilience, this newsletter is for you.
And while I’ll be writing from my own experience, I hope this becomes a conversation.
As I wrote recently, I’ve found throughout my career that in times of change, community is the killer app. Community helps us navigate faster, more successfully, and with more ease, joy, and grace. None of us have all of the answers, but I believe we’ll get further, faster if we explore together.
I hope you join me on the journey.
Christopher Parsons
Founder and CEO, Knowledge Architecture