Author: Michael Donahue

How Do You Prepare for Cloud Migration?

Cloud migration is a big undertaking that requires careful planning, preparation, and execution. The process involves moving data, applications, and infrastructure from an on-premise or legacy environment to a cloud-based environment. The move to the cloud offers many benefits, including increased agility, scalability, and cost savings. If you’re not properly prepared, though, it can also lead to technical difficulties, security breaches, and other issues. That’s where cloud migration services come in.

How Do You Prepare for Cloud Migration?

Clarify Vision and Leadership

Define your organization’s vision for the future. This vision should inform and guide your overall strategy in making a migration in the first place. Ensure that everyone in your organization understands the importance of the strategy and is aligned with its goals. You must also define roles and responsibilities for your team, implement a strong security posture, and separate responsibilities effectively.

It’s important to have a leader who can steer the project to success. This person should possess general technical proficiency, a strong alignment with your goals, and excellent communication skills. The project lead will work closely with your migration service provider to ensure that all necessary resources are in place, resolve challenges, clarify things on your end, and keep everyone on your team moving in the right direction.

Go Through Your Software and Criteria for Success

Start with a thorough audit of your digital assets to determine the scope of the migration. This includes making a list of the software in use, identifying any applications that no longer bring value, and determining which apps can benefit the most from a cloud migration.

Another important factor to consider is the dependencies between your applications. Most companies use multiple applications and servers, and moving one app can potentially break dependencies and impact the performance of other systems. To prevent this, it’s crucial to thoroughly evaluate these dependencies before beginning the migration.

Just like with any business initiative, it’s important to set clear success criteria for your cloud migration. Brainstorm and then monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your business goals. Some of the KPIs you may wish to measure include availability, maintenance costs, scalability, operational load, and access speed. Be sure to measure these both before and after the migration so you know where you stand and what’s working.

By measuring these KPIs, you’ll be able to gauge the success of your migration and make any necessary adjustments to ensure optimal performance.

Set Your Migration Budget

To ensure a successful transition to the cloud, it’s important to establish a comprehensive financial plan that covers all aspects of the migration process. From cloud migration services and software tools to data integration and storage expenses, it’s crucial to allocate adequate funding to ensure that the migration project stays on track.

Factor in the cost of hiring specialized migration professionals and cloud-focused software developers. These skilled resources will play a critical role in ensuring that your cloud migration initiatives are successful, that you reach your goals, and that the other costs of migration are well worth it.

Work With Your Migration Professionals to Set a Migration Strategy

The 7Rs of cloud migration is a model that provides different options to move to the cloud based on business requirements, budget, complexity, and other factors.

Repurchase

Repurchase is a strategy where an existing application is withdrawn and replaced with a cloud-based version. Applications such as CRM, HR, finance, and ERP can be migrated using this option, which is provided by different vendors and classified according to delivery mode, pricing, and category.

Relocate

This strategy allows organizations to shift their infrastructure to the cloud without buying new hardware or changing current processes.

Rehost

Rehost is a strategy where on-premise applications are moved to the cloud environment without modification. This approach is taken when there is a need to migrate large-scale legacy apps to meet targeted business objectives but with minimal modifications. Rehosting is not as easy as repurchasing, but in some situations, it’s the right choice.

Replatform

Replatform involves replacing or rebuilding parts of the application to take advantage of the cloud environment. This approach is typically taken when applications require minimal optimization.

Refactor/Re-Architect

Refactoring or Re-architecting is the costliest method for cloud migration as it necessitates a complete revamp of the application to make it compatible with the cloud setting. This approach is selected when there is a significant business requirement to keep using an application but also key benefits in accessing cloud-based capabilities.

Retain

This strategy is simply keeping part of your existing IT portfolio intact without making any changes. This strategy is used where there are strict regulations requiring data to be stored on-premises or when cloud migration is not feasible. Identifying which applications must be retained early in the migration process is essential to ensure everything goes smoothly and to keep costs minimal.

Choose Your Cloud

The first step is to identify which cloud model – public, private, or hybrid – suits your organization’s needs best. Your technology partners can be of great help here, with the resources and experience to show you the best path forward for your financial needs and business goals. When it comes to cloud providers, you’ll often hear about the “Big Three” – Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

These providers are widely considered market leaders. All three providers offer a range of cloud models and have user-friendly cost calculators to help estimate the cost of their services. They also provide a wealth of resources, including reports from industry experts, to help you make the best decisions for your organization.

Work With Professionals to Overcome Challenges

Migration presents new security risks that need to be addressed. With experience in cloud security, migration professionals can help ensure that your data is protected throughout the migration process and in the cloud. They can provide guidance on compliance with regulations and industry standards as well as implement best practices for secure data management in the cloud.

Training Staff

While cloud applications are typically intuitive, it’s important to invest in training for your team to ensure that everyone is comfortable and competent with the new technology. Migration professionals can help assess the skills and training needs of your team and develop a customized training plan that addresses any knowledge gaps. They can also provide ongoing support and guidance to help ensure compliance with cloud standards and best practices.

Having a team of experienced migration professionals on your side can help mitigate the risks and challenges associated with cloud migration. They bring the expertise and knowledge needed to ensure a successful transition to the cloud so that you can focus on your business goals.

Spend Serious Time on a Well-Developed Backup Plan

A robust backup plan is essential when transitioning to the cloud. Unlike on-premise systems, where problems can be addressed by IT staff using backup drives, in the cloud, a backup plan must be in place to ensure data security and protection. Here are some steps to help prepare a backup system for cloud migration:

Use Native Resources

Utilize the cloud vendor’s backup solutions for a safe and efficient data backup. These solutions are well-documented and reliable and less likely to cause issues than backup solutions designed for other situations.

Establish a Data Access Policy

Many data losses occur due to human error, especially when it comes to SaaS. Define access levels for your team to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information. Think through who really needs access to what, and if you have to err, err on the side of limiting access rather than making things easier but less safe. Your migration experts can help you evaluate your team and make better decisions in this regard. It’s always easier to open up access to a person or team later as needed than to deal with a breach.

Invest in Staff Training

Educate your staff on the proper usage of cloud applications to minimize accidental data losses. Lean on your migration specialists to be sure this is done right.

Implement Anti-Deletion Measures

Protect critical data by flagging specific virtual machines and volumes as anti-deletion. This way, even if someone tries to delete the data, it remains protected and backed up.

Automate Backups

Take advantage of automated backup options offered by leading cloud providers. That way the onus is off your people to remember to back things up.

Test Your Backup Strategy

Set up a test environment to assess the effectiveness of your backup plan. Repeat this process regularly to refine and improve the backup strategy as necessary.

Work With Experienced Cloud Migration Services

Cloud migration can bring numerous benefits to businesses, including increased efficiency, cost savings, scalability, and flexibility. Moving to the cloud can also enhance security and disaster recovery capabilities. The right managed IT service provider can make the transition seamless. At Flying Buttress, we’re a reliable and experienced provider of managed IT services, including cloud migation: contact Flying Buttress today and take advantage of our expertise and technology solutions.

Filed under: Blog

How Do You Set Up a Remote Worker?

With so many businesses adopting hybrid work teams to increase flexibility for employees, having an excellent WFH employee setup is essential. Whether you want to refine your work-from-home options to keep highly skilled employees or you simply want employees to stay healthy during ongoing public health concerns, working with a managed IT firm can make your goals much easier to accomplish.

How Do You Set Up a Remote Worker?

There are several tools remote workers will need to keep up with job performance and obligations. If you want your hybrid teams and remote workers to be successful, ensuring these employees have a good setup at home is crucial. To give remote workers the best setup, you may need to provide hardware and software installation, onboarding tutorials, and remote work policies.

Hardware Installation

One part of an effective WFH employee setup may be specialized hardware installation. For example, if your hybrid employees will need access to specialized desktop equipment, it may be a good idea to provide official hardware installation. Official hardware setups will ensure that employees have the correct tools to meet job obligations, such as drawing tablets, fax machines, scanners, or other computer equipment.

Software Installation

Many remote workers will also need to use specialized software to complete job tasks. This can include accounting software, payroll software, and other software that is used for team collaboration. Similarly to official hardware setups, software installation will ensure that your highly skilled employees have the best chance of maintaining high productivity at home.

Software installation can be reserved only for localized desktop computers or can be combined with cloud-based technology that assists with team collaboration. For example, part of software installation may be signing employees up for VOIP accounts to access online fax services, video meeting software, and other communication tools.

Onboarding Specialist

Whether your remote workers are new hires or flexible workers who are coming from the office environment, it’s usually necessary to hire an onboarding specialist to make the transition as easy as possible. The onboarding specialist can walk employees through how to use software, access VOIP services, and how to troubleshoot technical issues.

Furthermore, the onboarding specialist will work with HR specialists to ensure employees have met all other job training requirements, including setting up payroll accounts and signing work policy agreements.

Remote Work Policies

Finally, you will have to design remote work policies that all hybrid or flex employees will follow. Remote work policies will enforce the expectations you have for your employees and will also support the overall culture of your company. For example, your remote work policies should identify what roles qualify for remote work, outline obligations for employees, and other protocols, including troubleshooting if a remote worker runs into tech problems.

What Are the Priorities of WFH Employee Setup?

The top three priorities for an effective WFH employee setup are communication, productivity, and collaboration. You will need to ensure that achieving these goals is possible by meeting these priorities with your remote worker policies.

Communication

The benefit of a hybrid workforce is the flexibility that will improve employee satisfaction, job performance, and productivity. However, hybrid workers can only be effective if they have adequate communication resources. Although email has been the standby communication tool used by businesses for the last several decades, remote workers may find that relying on email does not enable effective communication, especially when communication must be done quickly.

Communication tools can include anything from online fax services and chat messaging to video conferencing software that will allow remote workers to collaborate with office workers. It may also be important to set up remote workers with an “office” phone number through VOIP software.

The Importance of VOIP

Whether or not your entire business has transitioned to using VOIP software for business communication, remote workers must have VOIP resources to remain productive. VOIP software is highly customizable, so you can provide remote workers with all the essential tools for communication.

When the VOIP software used by remote workers is integrated into the business communication used by the rest of your business, you will be able to enhance the efficiency of your employees across the board. Furthermore, VOIP software is scalable to the size of your business, the number of employees you have, and the preferred communication tools you want to use.

Productivity

Any work-from-home setup needs to prioritize productivity. While hardware and software installations are the roots of remote worker productivity, it’s also important to reinforce healthy productivity with effective remote worker policies.

Employees must understand their work obligations, including project deadlines and whether work hours will be logged cumulatively or tallied based on productivity. When there is a clear understanding of the expectations employees must meet, productivity and job performance skyrocket.

Is Flex Staff As Productive As Office Staff?

Many studies prove that hybrid or flex employees can be just as productive, and often even more productive, than in-office employees. Other studies show the opposite. Flexibility is key, as well as understanding that, in any WFH situation, some will thrive and others will not.

The ability to set one’s own work hours, avoid commutes, or work around other obligations can create a more beneficial work-life balance that is healthier for employees. If the situation at home isn’t good, however, or the person isn’t suited to at-home work (for example, if they can’t leave “at-home” issues and chores alone and concentrate on their work; or if they’re unable to ever unplug from work and really be present at home), the situation will be very unhealthy. ​While they may like having no commute and wearing casual clothes, they don’t actually have a healthier work-life balance.

Happy employees with a better work-life balance are more creative and have better job performance and retention rates. This will benefit your business overall by increasing profits and reducing employee turnover. For the best productivity, take time to get to know employees and evaluate their performance before committing either to a permanent work-from-home or all in-office setting. And be sure to provide remote workers with the setup they need to perform.

Collaboration

Finally, your remote workers will likely need to collaborate at some point with your office workers. Hybrid teams and flex workforces are increasingly common in today’s businesses. VOIP software is an essential tool that can be used to enhance team collaboration, which is another reason why you may want to prioritize shifting your business communication methods to cloud-based VOIP communication software.

Integrating Team Collaboration Tools

There are many software applications that can be used for team collaboration, including tools from Google, Microsoft, and other specialized applications. Regardless of the team collaboration software you are using, integrating your team collaboration tools with VOIP technology is the best way to refine the overall communication and collaboration between your hybrid workers and your office team.

How Else Can Work-From-Home Employees Create a Productive Setup?

Aside from specialized software and hardware installations employees may need for certain job tasks, there are many other things employees can do to increase focus and productivity when they are working from home. For example, designating a home office space is essential since a dedicated workspace can enhance focus, efficiency, and job performance. Keys to an effective home office include:

Ergonomic Tools

Ergonomic tools refer to desks, chairs, keyboards, mouses, and other tools that can reduce physical strain on the body. When employees are provided with ergonomic tools, this will significantly reduce the risk of developing a repetitive strain injury, which can cause wrist pain, carpal tunnel, back pain, and other injuries that are common for office workers. Some employees may want to also use blue light filtering glasses to reduce eye strain.

In addition to ergonomic tools, employees should also understand the importance of moving around, even if they are working from home. Not only does physical movement reduce strain on the body from sitting at a desk, but it also gives employees time and space to think about problems so that employees have better productivity when they return from breaks. Reinforcing healthy work behaviors at home offices should be part of your remote work policy.

Organized Desk

Clutter in any area of the home can increase negative feelings and stress, so it makes sense to prioritize keeping home offices clutter-free. With reduced clutter, employees will have better focus and better productivity. Using desk organizers or drawer space to organize a home office is just as essential for a setup as having the right software to work with.

Important Desk Materials

There are several materials WFH employees may want to have in easy reach. Whiteboards, sticky notes, analog calendars and notebooks, and many other old-school office supplies can be important for employees who will need to create outlines, designs, or other brainstorming ideas. Some studies also suggest that having a desk plant can reduce stress, filter air, and increase productivity by upwards of 15%.

Good Lighting

Good lighting is also an essential tool that employees can use to create a productive setup. Good lighting is associated with better focus and efficiency. Ideally, employees should create a home office setup that avoids fluorescent lighting and prioritizes indirect natural light. It’s very important for natural light to be indirect to avoid harming hardware and other equipment.

An effective WFH employee setup creates a home office that prioritizes communication, productivity, and team collaboration. As a business owner, you can set your remote workers up for success by providing hardware and software installation, remote work policies, and onboarding specialists. Employees can also enhance a work-from-home setup by using ergonomic tools and decluttering the workspace. To learn more about the best WFH employee setup, reach out to Flying Buttress today.

Filed under: Blog

What Does a Managed IT Service Provider Do?

What Does a Managed IT Service Provider Do?

A managed IT service provider (MSP) provides technology-related services to businesses. This can include anything from providing support for architecture, engineering, and design firms to helping companies move their data to the cloud. There are many benefits to using managed IT services, including reduced costs, improved security, and increased efficiency. However, there are also some challenges associated with MSPs. We will look closely at what managed IT services are and how they work.

What Does a Managed IT Service Provider Do?

Support for Architecture, Engineering, and Design Firms

Our company aims to support architectural, engineering, and design firms. We do this by providing a wide range of services, from managed IT support to data migration. Our goal is to help these firms increase their efficiency and productivity while also reducing their costs.

IT Consulting

We can provide advice on the best technology solutions for your business. This includes anything from choosing the right software to implementing a new network. Our IT team has a wealth of experience and can offer impartial advice on the best course of action for your company.

Data Migration

We can help you move your data to the cloud. This can be a complex process, but our team has the experience and expertise to make it as smooth and seamless as possible. We will work with you to understand your needs and requirements, and then we will develop a plan that meets your specific needs.

Managed IT Services

Our managed IT services can help you reduce your costs. We will proactively manage your IT infrastructure and systems, and we will provide support when you need it. We can also help you with the planning and implementation of new projects. Our goal is to help you minimize the risk of downtime and make sure that your systems are always running smoothly.

Technical Support

We can provide help with any technical issues you may have. This includes troubleshooting problems, providing training, and helping you to set up new systems. This support is crucial, especially in the development stages of new projects.

How Do MSPs Work?

MSPs work by providing a variety of services to businesses. These services can include everything from support and maintenance to data migration. MSPs typically work with a variety of clients, which means they need to be able to adapt their services to meet the specific needs of each client.

People are increasingly using MSPs to manage their IT needs. This is because MSPs can reduce costs, improve security, and increase efficiency.

What Are the Types of MSPs?

High-Level MSPs

MSPs provide a high level of support and services. These MSPs typically have a large team of IT experts who can offer round-the-clock support. They can also offer a wide range of services, such as managed IT support, data migration, and technical support. High-level MSPs are used by businesses that have complex IT needs.

Mid-Level MSPs

Mid-level MSPs typically have a smaller team of IT experts. They can still offer a wide range of services and support during business hours, but they may not be able to provide the same level of support as a high-level MSP. They can offer a limited range of services, such as managed IT support and technical support. Typically, mid-level MSPs are a good option for businesses that have some IT experience and are looking for more affordable managed IT services.

Low-Level MSPs

Low-level MSPs typically have a limited range of services. They may only offer managed IT support or data migration services. These MSPs typically have a smaller team of IT experts, which means they can’t provide the same level of support as a high-level or mid-level MSP. Low-level MSPs tend to be used by businesses with limited IT experience and need managed IT services but don’t require a wide range of services.

What Are the Key Benefits of Using MSPs?

Reduced Costs

MSPs can help you reduce your IT costs. This is because MSPs can provide a number of services, such as managed IT support and data migration, that would otherwise be carried out by in-house staff. MSPs can also help you to save money by providing discounts on software and hardware. This is a huge benefit for businesses, as it can help to reduce the overall cost of ownership.

Improved Security

MSPs can help to improve the security of your IT systems. This is because MSPs typically have a team of IT experts who can identify and resolve security issues. MSPs can provide managed IT services, such as managed firewall services, that would otherwise be carried out by in-house staff.

MSPs can also help to improve the security of your data by providing encryption and backup services. We aim to help you implement best security practices and then make sure that these are followed through.

Increased Efficiency

MSPs can help to increase the efficiency of your IT systems. This is because MSPs can provide managed IT services, such as managed firewall services, that would otherwise be carried out by in-house staff. MSPs can also help you to save time by providing a single point of contact for all your IT needs.

Increased Flexibility

MSPs can help to increase the flexibility of your IT systems. We provide your company with the ability to scale up or down your IT services as needed. This means that you only pay for the services you need when you need them. Our aim is to assist you so that you can focus on your core business.

Improved Disaster Recovery

MSPs can help to improve your disaster recovery plans. This is because MSPs can provide managed IT services, such as managed backup services, that would otherwise be carried out by in-house staff. MSPs can also help you to recover from a disaster such as a power outage by providing backup power and data recovery services.

Improved Service Levels

MSPs can help to improve the service levels of your systems. When we talk about service levels, we are referring to the uptime of your systems. MSPs can provide managed monitoring services and other ways to keep your uptime optimal.

What Are the Challenges of MSPs?

MSPs can pose a number of challenges for businesses. These challenges can include everything from finding a reputable MSP to working out the pricing model. You’ll need to consider the impact that MSPs can have on your business. Another challenge of MSPs is that they need to be able to adapt their services to meet the specific needs of each client. This means that MSPs need to have a good understanding of the different IT systems and how they work.

How Do I Find a Reputable MSP?

When choosing an MSP, it is important to do your research and read reviews. You should also ask for recommendations from other businesses. You can also search for MSPs online, or you can contact your local chamber of commerce.

Once you have found a few options, you should contact each MSP and ask for a proposal. Most MSPs will happily send you a proposal that will outline their services and their prices. It is important to compare the proposals so that you can find the best MSP for your needs.

How Do I Choose an MSP?

When choosing an MSP, you will need to consider a number of factors, such as the size of your business and your budget. You will also need to consider the type of services you require and the level of support you need. Another factor to think about is the geographical location of the MSP. It is helpful to choose an MSP that is located close to you so that they can easily respond to any problems you may have.

Finally, you will also need to consider the accreditations and certifications that the MSP has. This will give you an idea of the level of their service and their ability to meet your needs. It is important that you feel comfortable with the MSP you choose and that you feel confident in their ability to provide the services you need to help your company thrive.

What is the Pricing Model for Managed Service Providers?

The pricing model for managed service providers can vary. Some providers charge a monthly fee, while others charge a per-project basis. The type of services you need will also affect the price. Flying Buttress offers a variety of managed IT services, and we can tailor our services to meet your specific needs.

If you are looking for a managed IT service provider, then contact Flying Buttress today. We would be happy to discuss your specific needs and develop a plan that meets your requirements.

Filed under: Blog

How Do Architects Render Their Designs?

Renderings are an essential part of the architecture process. They help clients and architects visualize the finished product. But how do architects go from a simple sketch on a napkin to a realistic 3D rendering? In this blog post, we will discuss the process that architects use to create renderings and how architecture render software can help them speed up the process.

How Do Architects Render Their Designs?

Sell Your Idea

The first step to rendering your designs is to sell them to an interested party. This could be a client, a potential investor, or even just your boss. You need to be able to articulate your vision and explain why your design is the best solution. The better you can sell your idea, the more likely you are to get the green light to move forward with it.

Create a Sketch

Once you have the go-ahead, it’s time to start sketching out your idea. This is where you really start to bring your vision to life. You need to think about the overall layout, individual components, and how everything will come together. The better you can visualize your design at this stage, the easier it will be to create a detailed rendering later on.

Create a Model

Now that you have a sketch, it’s time to start creating a model of your design. This is where architecture rendering software can be a huge help. With the right software, you can create a detailed, realistic model of your design without spending hours or even days doing it by hand.

Create a Rendering

Once you have a model of your design, it’s time to create a rendering. This is where you take the model and add lighting, textures, and other effects to make it look realistic. Architecture rendering software can help you with this as well. With the right software, you can create high-quality renderings quickly and easily.

When you create your rendering, make sure that you take the time to create a few different versions. This way, you can show your client or boss different options and get their feedback. Once you have their approval, you can move forward with your design.

Reduce Design Flaws

Once you have a finalized design, it’s time to start thinking about construction. This is where architecture rendering software can really help. With the right software, you can catch potential problems with your design before they become expensive mistakes.

By catching these problems early, you save yourself time and money in the long run. Many design tools can also calculate how a building would stand up in the event of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or hurricane.

Create a Schedule

After you have finalized your design and caught any potential problems, it’s time to create a construction schedule. This is where you need to think about the timeline for your project and how you can get everything done on time and within budget.

Architecture rendering software can help with this as well. With the right software, you can create a detailed construction schedule that takes into account all of the different variables involved in your project.

Construct Your Design

After you have created a schedule and finalized your design, it’s time to start construction. This is where all of your hard work finally pays off. By following the steps above, you can be sure that your design will come to life exactly as you envisioned it. And with architecture render software, you can make the process a whole lot easier.

As you can see, architecture rendering software is a valuable tool for architects. It can help you sell your designs, create detailed models, create high-quality renderings, and catch potential problems before they become expensive mistakes. If you’re not using rendering software, now is the time to start, and Flying Buttress can help.

Three Types of Architectural Renderings

Exterior Rendering

An exterior rendering is a type of architectural rendering that focuses on the outside of the building. This type of rendering is usually used to give potential buyers or investors an idea of what the finished product will look like. Exterior renderings are especially helpful for real estate marketing purposes because they can give potential buyers a realistic idea of the property they are interested in.

Possible views for exterior rendering are:

  • Elevations
  • Aerial Views (Bird’s Eye)
  • Street Scenes (Worm’s Eye)
  • Close-ups

Residential Exterior Rendering

A residential exterior rendering is a type of architectural rendering that focuses on houses and apartments. From gorgeous family homes and cute cottages to urban complex buildings and swanky vacation lodges, rendering software can help you to tell your client a story. Help them to see how their living quarters will look under a starry sky, in a thunderstorm, or bathed in the golden hues of a sunset.

Non-Residential Exterior Rendering

This kind of rendering displays buildings like businesses, industrial plants, educational institutions, and religious structures or places of worship. This type of rendering is fun because you can use it to show your clients not only the building but the community that will be making use of it.

You can see yoga moms having brunch at the cafe on a sunny morning, students walking home from the library across campus at night, or worshippers turning up for morning mass.

Interior Rendering

An interior rendering is a type of architectural rendering that focuses on the inside of the building, showing colors, light, and shadow. This type of rendering is usually used to give potential buyers or investors an idea of what the finished product will look like. Some software even allows clients to take a 3D tour of the inside of the building. Interior renderings can be used by interior designers to market their ideas.

Residential Interior Rendering

A residential interior rendering is a type of architectural rendering that focuses on houses and apartments. This type of rendering is used to show potential buyers or investors what their houses will feel like once they move in.

Show them their potential home filled with some of their favorite things, their preferred aesthetic and color scheme, and some familiar furniture pieces. Team up with the client’s interior designer to show them exactly what their place could look like.

Non-Residential Interior Rendering

3D rendering of the inside of a building can help the clients get a feel for what they are creating and how people will use it. You can appeal to their emotions by showing the building in warm, cozy lighting with people happily making use of its facilities and features.

Perspective Rendering

A perspective rendering is a type of architectural rendering that shows the building from a specific point of view, like from above. This type of rendering is usually used to give potential buyers or investors an idea of what the finished product will look like. Perspective renderings are especially helpful for real estate marketing purposes because they can give potential buyers an idea of what the house will look like in context.

Benefits of 3D Using Architecture Render Software

Building Eco-friendly and Sustainable Buildings

As the architecture, engineering, and construction industry becomes more focused on sustainable design, rendering software is becoming more important. With rendering software, architects can visualize how their buildings will perform in different climates and under different conditions. This information is critical for designing buildings that are eco-friendly and sustainable.

Renderings can be tweaked easily, so you can ensure that you are catering to your clients’ needs and desires. If they don’t like something, you can work together to bring their vision to life and create an eco-friendly home or office.

Improving Communication Between Architects and Clients

Another benefit of architecture rendering software is that it can improve communication between architects and their clients. In the past, architects would create drawings by hand, which could be difficult for clients to understand.

But with rendering software, architects can create detailed, realistic images that show exactly what the finished product will look like. This helps to ensure that there are no surprises when the project is completed.

Reducing Work and Wait Time

Architecture rendering software can help to reduce work and wait time. In the past, architects would have to wait for their drawings to be completed before they could start working on the next project. But with rendering software, architects can work on multiple projects at the same time.

This helps to improve efficiency and productivity in the architecture firm. A shorter timeline also saves the client money.

Reducing the Risk of Errors and Mistakes

Finally, architecture rendering software can help reduce the risk of errors and mistakes. With rendering software, you can catch potential problems before they become expensive errors. This is because you can create a detailed model of the building and catch errors early on.

There you have it! That’s the process that architects use to render their designs. Rendering software can help you speed up the process and create high-quality renderings. Do you want to learn more about architecture render software? Check out our services and stay tuned for more great content! Contact us at Flying Buttress today for more information about what we can do for you.

Filed under: Blog

What Is A Virtual CIO And Why You Need One?

virtual cio vcio Chief Information Officer

As companies grow, the technologies they use become more complex. At the beginning, it might be easy for you to handle your software, customer data, and cybersecurity needs on your own. However, once you pass a certain number of employees, this task becomes more challenging. At that point, you could consider hiring a virtual CIO, or Chief Information Officer. A good vCIO can perform all the tasks of an in-person employee, but at a much lower cost.

For example, they might assess and improve your technology, improve cyber security, implement complex IT solutions, and handle any issues related to compliance. Most of the firms we work with at Flying Buttress are SMBs that need to set up a tech department but don’t have the means to hire their own full-time CIO. With our help, they can receive the support they need while remaining flexible and allowing for future growth.

What Is a Virtual CIO?

A chief information officer is a person or entity that handles and coordinates the technology, suppliers, and teams of a company. The CIO isn’t involved in the day-to-day operations as much as the strategy and long-term implementation of new ideas. Because they are overseeing the entire business’s IT solutions, they have to be agile, flexible, and experienced.

Traditionally, the CIO is an employee of the company. However, it can be hard for many SMBs to hire a full-time information officer, who requires a high salary. Therefore, many businesses choose to employ a virtual officer. This allows the business to save money without sacrificing quality.

Assessing the Company’s Current Technology

When you first get in touch with your vCIO, they will analyze your company’s current technology strategy to find out where you’re doing well and what improvements might be necessary. Some of the aspects they might investigate include your productivity software, your methods for keeping track of inventory, your accounting system, your customer relationship management systems, and your business intelligence tools.

They will also check whether your company has implemented enough cyber security measures and how your customers’ sensitive data is stored. If there are any problems, your officer will let you know and help you come up with a better plan. Over the next weeks or months, they will implement advanced solutions and improve the way you integrate technology into your business.

Improving Cyber Security

Cyber security is one of the most important aspects of technology management because it can have such an impact on your operations. A breach in security or a data leak can not only cost you thousands, but it can also put your reputation at risk, since your customers might no longer trust you with their sensitive information. Your vCIO will check that you are doing all you can to protect your data.

Some of the strategies they might use include implementing authentication factors like two-factor authentication, improving your infrastructure so it can handle enhanced security options, conducting phishing simulations with your employees, and organizing training courses for everyone in your company. Your CIO will also focus on remaining agile, since the tactics used by cybercriminals change rapidly.

Implementing Complex Solutions

Sometimes, complex solutions are necessary to optimize the use of technology within a firm. For example, you might need bespoke software if you’re providing a unique service, or you might want to use a customized ERP system. Your CIO will coordinate large-scale projects and help you manage each stage, from the initial planning to the execution and maintenance.

At Flying Buttress, our managed It services business we have over 80 combined years of experience, and we have built up a lot of expertise during that time. What’s more, we have the necessary contacts to complete projects and we can recommend excellent designers. In the long run, letting an expert plan your complex technology solutions is cheaper and easier than attempting to do it yourself.

Handling Issues Related to Compliance

As technology has taken over many areas of our lives, it has become more difficult for governments and companies to handle. For this reason, more and more guidelines and specifications have been developed. A good example of this is data protection legislation. In the US, there isn’t a single law that governs data protection, but instead, there are hundreds of regulations, both at the state and at the federal level, that are meant to protect people’s data.

In other countries, the rules might be different. Managing customers’ data can quickly become overwhelming for businesses, especially those that operate in several states or multiple countries. By hiring a CIO, you can hand over the responsibility to someone who has been trained to handle it, and you can therefore reduce your risk of making a mistake.

Do You Need a VCIO?

Now you understand what a virtual CIO does, you might wonder whether your company could benefit from hiring one. While it depends on your individual situation, most SMBs with more than a handful of employees could increase their revenue and reduce their risk by planning their technology solutions more carefully.

A good virtual information officer is an invaluable asset that allows your business to get the help you need and save money at the same time. Additionally, hiring an IT service company allows you to take a flexible approach, so you can adapt to changes in your industry and the wider business environment.

You Need the Help

Most small businesses handle their own data at the start, and they don’t need any help. However, this changes once they hire several employees and increase the complexity of their technological solutions. If you have a small company with a few employees, you could benefit from the top-down approach a CIO provides. As your company becomes more well-known, the officer can make sure that you don’t run into compliance or cybersecurity issues.

You Want to Save Money

Unfortunately, hiring a full-time CIO can be extremely expensive. In the US, the average salary for this position is $170k, and the most experienced officers can earn over $250k per year. For many SMBs, spending that kind of money on a single employee is impossible. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from a great CIO. There are virtual solutions available for almost every budget.

An online CIO doesn’t have to be a person. Instead, it can be a company offering top-down technology solutions. For SMBs, this can be a great solution because they can benefit from the same services offered by an information officer but at the fraction of the price. A managed IT service provider works with many companies at once, so the costs can be split.

You Want to Remain Flexible

At the moment, market conditions are changing rapidly, and there is no guarantee that your company will still be providing the same services in a few years’ time. If you want to survive in the long term, you have to be flexible and open to change. Hiring a virtual information officer can be a great first step because they will look at your company’s technology solutions from a long-term perspective.

The plan they come up with will span many months or even years, and it can be adapted to your company’s changing needs. What’s more, when you work with a virtual service company, you can change your plan whenever you need to. If your company grows, you can switch to a more comprehensive service, and if you change your specialty, you can request different solutions. This is a much more flexible approach than hiring an in-person CIO.

How to Find the Best Chief Information Officer for Your Company

Once you’ve decided that hiring a CIO is the right move for your company, you’ll have to find one that suits you. Because this position is remote, you don’t necessarily have to hire someone from your own geographical area. Instead, you can browse CIOs from all over the country and select the one that suits you the best. Start by looking at the website of candidates to figure out whether they could be a good fit.

Most CIOs specialize in a certain industry, and you want to make sure the person or entity you’re hiring has worked with clients in your field before. For instance, we at Flying Buttress mainly serve the Architecture, Engineering, and Design community.

Hiring a CIO

Before you hire a CIO, you should get in touch with the company, either by email or by phone to find out whether they are a good fit. During this initial contact phase, you can assess their communication style, and you can also ask them questions about their previous experience, their other clients, and their process. If necessary, you can ask for references.

For many successful or rapidly growing companies, a virtual CIO is an excellent solution because this professional can perform a range of advanced technological tasks. The Chief Information Officer might assess and improve the business’s current technology, improve cyber security, and handle compliance issues. Contact us to find out more about our vCIO services and to book a strategy call with us.

Filed under: Blog, Network

What Computer Technology Do Architects Use?

best architecture software

Architecture is a career that has attracted creative, design-oriented minds for centuries, and in that time the profession has undergone countless changes as it adapts to the technology available to the architects of the day. In an age in which computer technology has revolutionized the ways in which every profession works, this means architects are always on the hunt for the best architecture software to help them get the job done.

Indeed, something that has not changed in architecture is that the end goal is for the architect to be able to design and share their ideas, and eventually to see them come to life out in the world when they are built. This is why, in this article, we will explore how modern architects use computer technology and then take a look at some of the most popular architecture software available to architects working today. Read on to find out more!

Notes on the Best Architecture Software: What Computer Technology Do Architects Use?

What Do Modern Architects Do?

Many people have an archetypal image of an architect as a professional hunched over a large blueprint on a drafting table, designing buildings both cutting-edge and functional to populate the skylines of our cities and towns. While there may be some truth to this, there is a lot more to being an architect in the present-day job market than many people probably know about, and changes in technology have more or less removed the need for that big drafting table.

For example, modern architects can now choose from a wealth of computer programs and different technologies to help them design buildings and work on projects. Nowadays, more often than not, architects use computer technology to create highly detailed, accurate, and easy to understand plans and specifications for the buildings they are working on, which will then help the rest of their team (engineers, designers, etc.) to actualize those plans.

How Do Architects Make Use of Computer Technology in Their Day-to-Day Jobs?

In many ways, computer technology has streamlined many aspects of the work that architects do, creating more opportunities for their unique abilities and ideas to shine through and inform the work of other members of their team. For example, computer technology can be used by architects to run simulations to better understand the complex structures that they design and work on, and to create presentations with which to share their findings.

More specifically, though, computer technology can be used by architects to quickly and accurately create 2-dimensional construction documents and to render detailed 3-dimensional models of their plans. Where these kinds of documents used to require a lot of time and effort to draw out by hand, architects can now render detailed models of entire buildings, or sections of them, to accurately demonstrate the use of lighting, texture, and design in that building.

What Computer Technology Do Architects Use?

As mentioned above, there are a huge variety of tasks that architects can use computer technology to assist with. They can use 3D printers to create prototypes of their designs, or different programs that can run calculations on building specifications or that quickly pull up existing information on things like environmental regulations and zoning rules in areas that they are designing for.

Homing in on the creation and modeling of their designs, however, one of the most commonly used and useful computer technologies available to architects is a technology known as CAD, which is short for Computer-Aided Design. This is a powerful technology, and one which allows architects to avoid (if they wish to) the often-arduous task of designing buildings by hand, as they used to have to do!

What Is Computer-Aided Design (CAD)?

Computer-Aided Design, or CAD, is a revolutionary technology in the field of architecture. Not only does it more or less eliminate the need for hand-drawn designs, but it also provides architects with a suite of additional features that can make their designs more effective and more easily understood and analyzed by other members of their team and by their clients. This allows for a new transparency in their designs that did not exist to this extent. before

Some of the powerful functions of Computer-Aided Design programs include architects being able to create and present different variations and design layers to their work, and to create renderings so realistic that they can demonstrate everything down to the way the lighting interacts with the design elements in individual rooms. And this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of CAD programs’ functionality for modern architects!

What Other Functions Does CAD Have?

Once a design is built in a CAD program, architects can create animated walk-throughs (or fly-throughs) to help present their designs to clients, providing a new level of immersion and visualization to the design process. Additionally, the architect can edit or add new elements to the design even once it has been built, and the program will update the design automatically, allowing for real-time changes to be made according to the client’s wants and needs.

CAD programs can also help architects to keep track of all of the different layers of design and data that go into creating a functional building plan, but which a client may not necessarily be looking to see on their virtual walk-through. This includes digital models of the building’s underlying structure, ductwork, plumbing, and more. There are a wide variety of CAD programs available to meet the needs of any architect, including the following programs.

SketchUp: Easy-to-Use and Functional

One of the first widely available 3D modeling programs, SketchUp (formerly known as Google SketchUp) puts an emphasis on being user-friendly, while still maintaining an impressive range of design features. The program operates via a patented, easy-to-use “Push and Pull” method, which allows users to easily create 3D shapes and designs out of flat surfaces simply clicking and dragging an item until it looks how you want it to look.

SketchUp’s easy learning curve makes it a great program for architects looking to create quick, effective 3D models of their designs, allowing for the creation of buildings, rooms, and even the population of those rooms with furniture. SketchUp is available in a freeware version (SketchUp Free) but can be upgraded to a premium version (SketchUp Pro) that comes with more of the functions that many architects find useful in their professional lives.

AutoCAD: The Most Recognized CAD Program

AutoCAD, like SketchUp, is a Computer-Aided Design program that allows users to create 2D and 3D models of their designs, with myriad possibilities for what you can develop and present. AutoCAD was created by one of the biggest names in architecture software, AutoDesk, and has since become one of the most recognized and widely-used CAD programs in the industry.

Part of the reason AutoCAD has become a standard in the industry is the wealth of features that make designing and creating models easier and more accurate. These features include automatically centering lines, offering multiple views of 3D models, photorealistic lighting in models, and more. AutoCAD is a perfect choice for architects looking to bring their ideas to life without sacrificing any of their plan’s dimensional specifications or accuracy at all.

Revit: Augmenting Designs with Building Information Management

While Revit is similar to CAD programs like SketchUp and AutoCAD in some respects, it is technically classified as a Building Information Modeling (BIM) program. BIM programs focus more on the creation and management of data around design, construction, and management of buildings, so it can be used by the multi-disciplinary teams that collaborate to design and create buildings.

For architects, then, Revit has the benefit of being a program which can support their plans throughout all the phases involved in the design and construction of a building. Revit was created by AutoDesk, the same company which created AutoCAD, and is often used together alongside programs like AutoCAD to design, create, and actualize architects’ plans and ideas.

Newforma Project Center: Managing and Sharing Designs and Projects

Newforma is a web-based program which allows architects (and the rest of their team on construction projects) to share designs, information, and data with one another in an easy-to-use and accessible interface. It allows team members to review and mark up designs from different locations, and to request approval for updates and changes. This feature is especially helpful for architects working in the age of work-from-home and remote offices!

While this program is not a Computer-Aided Design program per se, many architects find it an invaluable companion to the designs they create in CAD programs, as it allows their team to manage the immense amount of data and specifications that is required for architectural designs and construction projects.

These are just a few examples of some of the best architecture software available to architects today. In a rapidly changing industry, the options and possibilities for professionals are endless and ever-evolving. For help finding the perfect technology solutions for you or your business, and for IT and technology support that you can count on day or night, If you are considering a manager it support provider, we hop you consider Flying Buttress.

Filed under: Blog, Network

Work From Home 2: Electric Boogaloo

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Microsoft recently released a set of reports regarding “remote work and collaboration”. The cool, easy-to-digest version can be found here and the underlying data can be found here. I highly recommend, especially if you’re in a leadership role, perusing the former link.

The problem is that Microsoft can’t really speak to the *quality* of collaboration, or indeed the direct impact of remote work on collaboration due to the subjective nature of the subject. What they can, and tried – to do was to metric out the patterns and behaviors that encourage collaboration.

My own takeaway is that there are far more negatives inherited from WfH *from a firm leadership perspective*. There are also significant negatives for the workers as well, but their situation is strongly influenced by leadership actions and attitude.

From a purely collaborative aspect, Microsoft found that while digital comms increased between tightly-knit teams, communications outside the team dropped dramatically.

This makes sense. If you can’t lean over and ask the person next to you a question, you need to IM/email/call them. What used to be instantaneous and personal has transformed.

Additionally, the “external” outreach decline also seems to make sense. When I think back (oh so long ago) to my office days, a very large percentage of my external contact came from organic connections. Wandering around the office. Hanging by the water cooler. Seeing someone I knew well talking to someone I didn’t know well, and being able to join the conversation. And of course, the post-meeting hangaround. The walk and talk. The “oh hey, can I ask you…”.

Nowadays, I feel guilty IMing or emailing people I think are swamped busy. Casual / minor items don’t make the cut. When you can visibly see if someone is engaged or not, seems stressed or not, or even just asking “hey, got a sec?” those are all performed much easier in person than in IM or email. Even for the most digerati of us.

Keep in mind the distinct difference between Productivity and Collaboration. Yes, they may influence each other, but each require different soil in which they thrive.

Many of our clients say productivity is as good or even better than before. According to Microsoft, that’s true, but only because people are working far more hours and absolutely exhausting themselves. Remember being worried about the line between work and home life? They’re both now in the same wok.

Ultimately, your Senior Leadership will be the ones to determine if the firm, as a whole, is maintaining whatever design/creativity/collaborative production as it did pre-covid. Are you as innovative? Do the sparks still happen? Is your work product that relies on collaboration and creativity still winning projects?

But regardless of that, Microsoft makes some strong claims about the worker force and productivity. Let me intertwine them with some of my own observations.

  1. WfH is here to stay. Mike says: maybe. I wouldn’t assume it as a forgone conclusion. In a low-unemployment economy, yes, WfH can be a talent attraction/retention component. When firms have the upper hand, they’ll default to whatever their middle management is demanding, which leads to:
  2. Leaders are out of touch with employees and need a wake-up call. Hey, Microsoft said it, not me. But yes, yes they are. 61% of managers say they are “thriving” as opposed to 38% of staff.
  3. Gen Z is at risk and will need to be re-energized. Some of our clients have the full range – Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Zoomers. Generational gaps have a huge impact in terms of varying culture, not to mention technology adoption and usage. 60% of Gen Z polled said they were either “merely surviving” or “flat-out struggling”.
  4. Talent is everywhere in a hybrid work world. If you truly believe in a full remote option, you can now source from anywhere in the nation, anywhere in the world. Time Zones now matter more than distance from the office.

My own gut feeling is that the Senior Leaders I’ve spoken to are split roughly down the middle. A large percentage feel like this is a Good Thing, better for the staff, and hence, better for the firm. The other half view it as a necessary evil, but with some potential (financial) benefit. The latter tend to be the types where a vocal set of project or studio leaders really, really want their staff back onsite and in the office. Whether for communication, collaborate, or even ease of management, who knows.

If you are one of those in charge of plotting the course for your company, I would make the following suggestions:

  1. Hoteling really doesn’t work. Desk sharing *really* doesn’t work. Hotels are great if someone is coming in for a meeting and wants to stay an hour or two before or after, but in general, why work at a hotel station if you can work from home? And desk sharing? Even with two people? Fugghedaboutit.
  2. Understand the massive inequality of meeting experience between people in the room and people joining remotely. It’s nowhere near the same, and significant effort should be taken to attempt to equalize the field.
  3. Don’t half-ass the home work environment. If you’re really going to do this, make sure that work done from home is as close to a replica as being in the office is. That means good equipment, multiple monitors, etc., etc. No personal devices. It needs to be factored in to WfH budgeting, and doing it sloppily will hurt a lot in the long run.

Happy to hear from those who think I’m wrong / an idiot / a luddite / a Browns fan. The fun part is, time will tell.

Filed under: Uncategorized, WFH

Gen 2 AED IT Leadership

managed it services los angeles

As troublesome as it is to write this – I’m entering my third decade of IT in the AED space – it does allow me some sense of perspective.  There is a change underway in our IT leadership, and it is an opportunity for firms to step up their game, tech-wise.

For as long as I’ve known CIOs in design firms, they’ve always “fallen” into the CIO role.  They were Architects with some level of technical expertise or interest, one thing led to another, and boom – CIO.  Larry Rocha at WATG.  Ken Young at HOK.  Even Joseph Joseph of Gensler, with a deep IT background, started as an Architect.

If you consider the timelines involved, it makes sense.  While our industry didn’t accept the shift to digital as quickly as some others, once the ball started rolling, it started rolling quickly.  In a rush to catch up/get current, firms first looked internally for whoever had even a basic understanding of pcs, servers, and networking.  I’ve heard stories of people being tapped on the shoulder just due to their knowledge of WordPerfect.

It worked for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, these trailblazers were already familiar with the unique culture of design firms. Second, their knowledge of the business allowed for close alignment of technology with firm leadership. Maybe not all spending was optimal, maybe there were skinned knees from the learning process, but it was an effective, practical solution.  This differs significantly from other support groups such as HR or Accounting.

The downside – if there was one – is that people were needing to learn a new career from scratch.  They had gone to school to be Architects, and now a significantly different path lay before them.  For many instances where technology was truly someone’s passion, I’m sure there were those who accepted the role because it was a safe landing space for continued employment.  For some, with a decent-sized pay raise.

These leaders – predominantly white and male – just a side note – started entering into their 50s and 60s in the 2010s.  As they transition into (happy!) retirement, firms now have a wider range of choices for their replacements.

The good news is that we are now seeing the first wave of “pure” technical professionals.  Those who always intended to have a career in technology.  Those who have an existing knowledge base accompanied with a passion for the work.  And in many cases, they can still come from within AED firms.  If we consider the Larry Rochas of the world as Gen 1 CIOs, the time is now for Gen 2.  IT from the ground up.

The pluses are that there will be a deep understanding of technology, the ability to discern cutting edge from bleeding edge, the ability to implement and manage with a lessened reliance on external contractors.  And if they’ve spent their career supporting designers, they’ll understand the culture and the business.

However, even with a common culture, firms have their individual quirks.  One of these is the perception of support groups vs. the designers.  I’ve worked with firms that considered support groups to be monolithic, faceless automatons that just get replaced as needed.  Only the voices of designers held any weight whatsoever.  If this is your firm, a “pure” IT CIO will struggle to achieve that which a “hybrid” CIO can do – even if the hybrid CIO is demonstrably worse – due to the oversized emphasis on a design background.

I’m not passing judgement on that per se; as one of the Morlocks, it’s easier to see that stratification.  Every firm is different.  But I would contend that firms that can promote that pure IT leader – the Gen 2 – will benefit from it.  As much as Gen 1 was critical for the evolution, Gen 2 will be as the Internet Age matures.

 

Filed under: Network, Uncategorized

WfH in AED – fun while it lasted?

monitor work from home employees

TEN months ago, I did a web panel with four AED leaders from various-sized firms about their approach to Covid and the work-from-home ramifications. The video can still be found here.

The takeaways from that call – and from what we’ve heard in the months since – is that firms expect the WfH / Flex split to continue on, post-covid. The primary reasons given are:

  1. Talent Attraction/Retention. Quite often, especially in major markets, finding high-end, experienced staff can be a challenge. The ability to offer WfH can both attract potential recruits, and to keep existing staff happy.
  2. Productivity. Productivity – at least that which can be measured – didn’t seem to suffer much. I think the jury is still out in terms of individual’s productivity levels, but especially from a production standpoint, it was same-as if not better.
  3. Office Space. The only thing firms spend more on more than IT are staff and space. With WfH, there’s a current of “can we shrink our floorplan” and “if we do a every-other rotation, can we use hotel stations at half the existing number?”.

A very small number of our clients have defined plans in terms of who comes back, when, and in what manner. We have achieved a technical equilibrium, for the most part, for home users. It really is now about people and process.

THAT’S where everything falls apart. In the panel conversation, I’m pretty clear that I don’t think WfH works in a collaborative environment. For Architects and Designers (and yes, you too Engineers), that is essentially the work product. The requirement for effective collaboration to produce excellent work isn’t uncommon in professional services, but the A/E/D space relies on it *much* more heavily than say, insurance, legal, or other service types.

I’ve found over the years that AED firms aren’t much on “soft costs” – natural, given their constant adherence to project budgets. But that collaboration requirement goes beyond an undefinable metric. A firm’s ability to execute collaboration well can be a make-or-break component.

There’s a reason why studios are clustered physically in offices. There’s a reason why clients pay for first-class tickets to get everyone into a charrette. There’s a reason why the predominant seating layout is a U-shape with an A0 or A1 sized flat-top cabinet in the middle. Because we know, at some instinctive level, that close teams create better work. That the “magic spark” of great design can not only sprout from a single talented designer, but from a team all standing around a set of plans.

But with understanding that, and missing that, it may not be the biggest obstacle to a long-term WfH flex.

THE biggest deciding factor may be the unwillingness of leadership and project managers to take on the headache of managing remote teams.

Let’s be honest – it is just harder. I’ve been doing it for a long time and I’m still Very Bad at it (though last year, I was Terrible, so improvement!). Harder to communicate. Harder to review. Harder to engage. Harder to gauge productivity.

Architects and Engineers are extremely conservative in terms of approaching change in the industry – see “years to adopt CAD” and “years to adopt Revit”. This is the classic case of we know what works vs. what we’re still unsure of. Don’t underestimate that rip curl of thought in the company.

BUT Mike, you protest, what about tech? What about A/R V/R X/R drones and 3d printers and all the other twenty-first century tech? Why can’t we recreate the office virtually?

Two reasons. First – the tech isn’t there yet, and honestly, not even close. There’s few offerings now – The Wild is one of the few that look promising- but as much as a leader it can be, we’re still below achieving 50% of that in-person experience.

Second – and this is a hard truth – I apologize in advance – but leadership in A/E/D *loves* shiny things. Where that comes from – and I suspect it may be in part due to the Keeping Up with the Joneses effect – contrasts a bit with their normal conservatism. If I had a dollar for every dusty laser cutter, 3D printer, VR station, VR goggles, I’d have… a lot of dollars. Which is not to say the tech can’t be effectual. It’s just that the shiny-shiny aspect of a tool isn’t always matched by the necessary level of effort, support and training to *make* it effectual.

BOTTOM line – We will ease back into normal work conditions in much the same way we eased out of them. All it takes is a few key firms making the decision to bring everyone back, and the rest will follow suit. Hotel stations are a horrible idea that sounds great but never works in practice. Managers (and staff) don’t want the continual exhaustion of Teams meetings. And if the decrease in collaboration capability hasn’t shown itself yet, it certainly will in time.

Once leadership feels they won’t lose staff due to the Great Come-Back, they’ll accelerate. Then pressure (of various sorts) will be placed on those not coming into the office, even if “technically” allowed. Or people will be offered a choice to accept a remote/flex position, but at a significant pay cut.

And I’m not criticizing this in any way. It is what the industry is. But 10 months from today, the 50/50 worker will be the exception, not the norm.

Tell me why I’m wrong. I probably am. 🙂

Filed under: Uncategorized, WFH

Security in the AED industry

I’ve been doing IT for a long time – a healthy chunk of that within the AED industry. There’s a bunch of variances that set apart the AED world, both within IT and without.

One of my favorites is how open most firms are. They’re open internally – “we want all staff to be able to see all projects” and they’re open externally – “sure, yes, let’s share what worked or didn’t work with them”.

A deeply cynical person might say that these are due to the desire to easily shift labor resources around, and to maintain the “keeping-up-with-the-Joneses” culture that’s fairly prevalent.

But as cynical as I am (I make Diogenes look like an optimist), I don’t buy those reasons. Leadership I’ve dealt with do want to make project information widely available, for all sorts of reasons. They do want staff seeing different approaches, different methodologies. Hell, many firms spend thousands every year sending people to Knowledge Management conferences, which, to be honest, I *am* deeply cynical about.

They do enjoy sharing information with other firms. The associations I’ve been part of – AECIT, LFRT, etc., have been a great resource due in large part to the willingness of firms to be open about things other industries would jealously guard.

I am going to make some general statements here. They’re all worthy of commentary in and of themselves, but here, they’re just laying the context for the security vs ease of access conversation.

  1. Most firms follow a traditional career ladder system, where leadership is comprised of older (50+) staff.
  2. Those who were born prior to the Internet, in general, have a harder time adjusting to new/different technology.
  3. C-suite individuals, whether in AED or other verticals, have a bottom-line approach and don’t like to be mired down or impeded when trying to do their job.
  4. AED firms tend to govern by consensus rather than mandate. (Engineering firms are a *bit* more ok with mandates than Architects/Designers, but not by much.)

Just putting those out there. There is no judgement attached, but if you disagree with me, please let me know – I’m always keen to hear other takes.

For the first 10-15 years I spent in AED IT, nobody really cared about security. Let’s be honest. Do we have the basics covered? Yup? Ok. Moving on. Any security discussions were had post-event, never before. And if they did, they were brought up by IT, not leadership. The problem was, that proactive conversation was always had a cost component (we need better A/V-Backups-Firewalls-etc). And explaining how big a risk there is between using Defender ATP vs. Webroot is *really* hard to explain, let alone explaining that doubling your expense is worth it.

So firms would be lax on anti-virus, and then there’d be a virus, and then the anti-virus would be an important expense. And then there’d be a virus from email, so anti-spam/email anti-virus became a big deal. But in general, when IT expenses result in *soft cost* savings rather than *bottom line* savings, it is hard to get AED leadership on board. Which I don’t think is purely unique to AED, but when you’re dealing with people who *always* think about the bottom line, project budgets, profitability, resource planning – the concept of soft costs is even a bit more ethereal.

But that has changed in the last five years, just a bit, and *really* has changed in the last two years.

Obviously, the anonymity Bitcoin provides is part of it, but really the explosion came with the massive increase of Office 365 migrations. When email is hosted with Microsoft, it is very easy to just attempt to log in as a user. *Everyone* gets their webmail by going to outlook.office.com.

So if your work email is floating around out there – be it one scraped off the company website, or one used on a different site that was breached – the attackers now have 2 of the three items necessary to get into your mailbox. 1) “where” it is on the internet. 2) your username. The last third comes down to your password. As you might expect, this is not as hard as you might expect. The need for dozens of accounts for various websites means people keep passwords simple, keep passwords for a long time, and use the same passwords on a bunch of different sites.

This is why MFA (multi-factor authentication) is an *absolute* must have. No discussion. No “but this, but that”. No. Shoosh. But across our industry, IT continues to run into roadblocks concerning MFA and security in general.

There is a one-to-one correlation between security and ease of access. A great example of this is MFA. Before it was, go to website, punch in username/password, hit go. Now it is go to website, punch in userinfo/password, get an MFA prompt, get your phone out, get a code, punch the code into the site, and go. There’s a dozen variations on that, but it can be a hassle.

This goes into all aspects of internal security as well. Restrictive permissions on a project? “Why can’t I go there?” Requiring passwords on file links sent via email? “Why can’t they just click it?” As security increases, access decreases. To increase ease of access, you lower security.

The true trick, the true slight of hand for IT, is to attempt to increase security to a decent level with the minimum of headache for end users. Because there isn’t a lot of buy-in, especially at the leadership level. Yes, you can implement MFA, but not for the C-suite. Well – they’re the ones who need it most. I can cite a dozen instances over the last two years where firms have lost money due to impersonation via email.

So if you are in leadership, please take these suggestions onboard.

  1. Set the example. It is hard enough to enforce security measures of any stripe if others know you’ve decided to ignore it.
  2. Understand that email impersonation fraud is the #1 risk right now. If hackers encrypt your files, you can go get backups (or pay them off). There is *no* backup of your bank account.
  3. Many of the frauds that occur happen because there is no secondary verification. Almost all of the frauds are “this is urgent, I need this asap!” requests. Train your staff that when any email is received with a nonstandard request regarding money in any way, especially if it is urgent, to have them *call* the originator. It takes ten seconds. If it is a legitimate request, it shouldn’t bother the requestor. Another step? Yes. Important? Very.

For the AED IT folks:

  1. Don’t give up when security is concerned. Your obligation is to the best interests of the firm, and if that means sounding like a broken record, so be it.
  2. Try to right-size your security stance with what your firm does. Firms with DoD contracts, for instance, will require a unique posture.
  3. Don’t stop with MFA. There are many items you can take to increase your O365 security, not the least of which are Conditional Access rules and some other fairly straightforward policies which don’t necessarily impact end users directly.

 

In summary – I think everyone gets it. We work in a culture that strongly values openness and sharing of information. But we need to figure out together how to accomplish that while still protecting the firms we work for. If that means another 10 seconds out of your day, or a small fractional increase of the IT spend, so be it.

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