My opinion might be better than yours…

EXACTLY…… that explains it all!!!

Hi Bob, been reading your blog for a while so i’ll come in from the shadows since I’ve been meaning to write a post on this very subject. For me. this addresses the age old question I get from owners and from contractors, “why do I need an architect.” The best way i’ve been to convey it to people is to compare it to the profession of medicine.  I usually respond with, if I go pass the medical exams to  be a MD. will you let me be your Dr?  If not why not??? Here is my thinking……
    Dr’s like architects have take a rather lengthy set of exams to before they become and MD.  So If you can pass the test this makes you a Dr. right.  No, like architects the profession is not all about book knowledge(although very important).  It is learning a particular way to evaluate a set of  conditions and its variables. For MD’s this way of thinking called differential diagnosis.  Medical rounds during residency  are essentially crits(critiques) of this developing skill of differential diagnosis.In architecture school then intent is to develop critical thinking of design and be able to communicate this clearly. Our studio critiques in school like medical rounds serve as a forum to present a solution which is critically examined. Unfortunately unlike  Medicines empericism, architecture is subject to constant subjective interpretation of aesthetics. The question of being sick presents all sorts of objective symptoms to the laymen. But lack of beauty(symptoms of ugly) only present  to those who have developed the skill to understand what qualities lend to beauty in the first place, Architects(or designers in general) 

Cheers,

Keep up the great work. 

Hear, Hear! (get it?)
Great comment. It makes all the difference in the world and the experience for the client is so much better but the part that is the real kicker is that the designer will have a better experience as well.

Excellent. I tell my people, “you have to ask the right questions to get the right answers” and this ties into what you are saying here. Most people do not get “it” whatever “it” may be for that particular situation because they are not listening to the client and really “hearing” what they are saying which may not have any relationship to the “words” they actually use! That is the hallmark of a great designer…being able to “hear”between the lines!!

Thanks. Owner's representative is also an under appreciated role in the process of getting quality projects built. Two of my best friends work in that capacity and I have experienced first hand the benefit they bring to the mix. Hopefully your experience with architects includes some good times as well. If not, come work with me!

"The ability of any designer to be any good at what they do (at least in a service capacity) is their ability to listen to a client, who can't describe why they like something other than they like it, and walk them through what they are looking at and describe it for them."You know, that is a great statement. I work in the construction industry as an owner's representative and you have no idea how many "prima donna" architects I have worked with over the years that just won't listen to their clients because their egos get in the way.