Every AEC firm has knowledge that is uniquely its own: the judgment of a senior technical expert, lessons learned across decades of projects, the instincts of a trusted advisor, or the unwritten know-how behind how the firm gets important work done.
In knowledge management, we call this critical knowledge. Critical knowledge is expertise that gives a firm an unique advantage, helps people make better decisions, and can be difficult or impossible to replace when the people who hold it retire or leave. It can also be difficult to access when those experts are busy, in the field, or simply unable to help everyone who needs what they know.
Synthesis Knowledge Agents are creating new possibilities for capturing critical knowledge and putting it to work. Instead of preserving expertise in an archive that people may never visit, firms can make it accessible through AI agents that help employees ask questions, explore past experience, uncover relevant lessons, and apply what their colleagues have learned.
In this 90-minute webinar, Andrea Moede, Knowledge Specialist at EUA; Marco Marcoccia, Manager, Knowledge Management at Turner Fleischer; and Jim Martin, Chief Information Officer at Shepley Bulfinch, will share how their firms are building Critical Knowledge Agents with Synthesis.
Their examples will include preserving decades of technical knowledge from a retiring expert; using recorded interviews to capture the stories, judgment, and strategic thinking of experienced firm leaders; and using AI to extract lessons learned, tacit knowledge, and opportunities for reusable organizational knowledge from subject matter expert conversations.
We’ll explore:
What makes knowledge “critical” and how to identify the expertise most important for your firm to preserve
How to elicit and capture tacit knowledge that may live in stories, judgment, experience, and conversations rather than formal documentation
Different approaches to knowledge capture, including existing documents, Q&A collections, interviews, video, and transcripts
How AI agents can make captured knowledge easier to discover, explore, and apply in the flow of work
How firms are using AI to turn expert conversations into lessons learned, standards, training opportunities, and other reusable knowledge
Where human review, judgment, stewardship, and ongoing maintenance remain essential
Following the presentations, Susan Strom, Chief Client Officer at Knowledge Architecture, will facilitate an open conversation with the speakers and audience about what these early experiments are teaching us, the questions firms still need to work through, and how AI may reshape critical knowledge transfer in AEC.
The webinar will take place on Thursday, October 29 at 10:30 AM Pacific and will run for 90 minutes.
We hope to see you there.
Featured Guests
Andrea Moede, Knowledge Specialist
Andrea Moede is a Knowledge Specialist at EUA, where she works at the intersection of people, process, technology and culture to strengthen how knowledge is shared across the organization. She leads initiatives that help employees find expertise, learn from one another, and capture critical knowledge before it walks out the door. Her work spans knowledge management, organizational learning, intranet strategy, AI-enabled knowledge discovery, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Andrea is particularly interested in creating practical, sustainable approaches to knowledge sharing that support both individual growth and organizational resilience.
About EUA
EUA is an integrated architecture, engineering and design firm that believes great design elevates people’s potential. With more than 260 employees in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Denver and Atlanta, the firm partners with clients to create environments that support their goals and strengthen their communities. The 119-year-old firm serves the advanced manufacturing + industrial, community, healthcare, learning, living, science + technology and workplace markets.
Jim Martin, Vice President, CIO
As Founder and CEO of Knowledge Architecture, Christopher is responsible for product design, marketing strategy, and organizational health. He is also the executive producer of KA Connect, our annual knowledge management conference for the AEC industry. Christopher is the author of Smarter by Design, a bi-weekly newsletter exploring how leading AEC firms manage information, share knowledge, and build learning organizations. He has been a technology leader in the AEC industry since 2002, including serving as Chief Information Officer for Steinberg Architects and Information Technology Director for SMWM (now Perkins+Will).
About Shepley Bulfinch
Shepley Bulfinch is a national architecture and design firm with studios in Boston, Durham, Hartford, Houston, and Phoenix. the firm has a notable legacy of challenging convention, pioneering visionary design ideas, and collaborating with clients who seek to drive measurable change. Shepley Bulfinch architects and designers are regarded for their expertise in tackling complex projects, especially in the areas of education, healthcare, urban development and science and technology.
Marco Marcoccia, Manager | Knowledge Management
As Manager of Knowledge Management at Turner Fleischer, Marco leads the Studio’s strategy for capturing, maintaining, and applying knowledge across its projects, teams, and operations. He joined the Studio 12 years ago as an architectural technologist before moving into a role focused on digital tools and information sharing. This experience led him to establish the Knowledge Management department, connecting technology with how people access and use the Studio’s collective expertise.
Marco works with studio leadership and teams across the organization to align knowledge systems with business needs. Newton, the Studio's intranet platform, supports this work by bringing shared knowledge and resources into daily operations. His focus on information structure, governance, and accessibility creates a foundation for exploring how AI can help teams find, connect, and apply knowledge. Through this work, he strengthens informed decision-making and the Studio’s capacity to learn and evolve.
About Turner Fleischer
Turner Fleischer is a multidisciplinary design Studio with over 50 years of experience delivering Architecture, Interior Design, and Experiential Graphic Design services across Canada. Led by nine Principals, our team of over 230 professionals brings together design expertise and operational leadership.
Our operational teams form the foundation of our business. Knowledge Management, Digital Practice, Marketing, People + Culture, Finance, and Learning + Development are embedded in business strategy and project delivery. Together, these teams connect knowledge, technology, and people across the Studio, supporting more consistent processes, closer collaboration across disciplines, and real-time insight into performance.