There's a scene in Mad Men where Don Draper pitches Kodak's Carousel. He doesn't sell the product. He sells nostalgia—"delicate, but potent." He reframes the brief, elevating the ask. Consultants took that playbook and ran with it. Architects? We're still drawing.

We love to talk about "design thinking" but rarely turn those tools inward. Meanwhile, the AIA/Deltek Billings Index sits at 44.1 as of December 2024, marking a year of declining billings. This isn't just a slow month. It's a structural shift.

The hard truth: clients aren't paying for design. They're paying for outcomes. And consultants figured that out years ago. Recently, I ran my architecture brain through a few classic consulting frameworks. What emerged? Some provocations worth your coffee (or whiskey) break:

Capabilities Mapping – Know Why You’re Actually Indispensable

What it does: It forces you to ask what makes you truly irreplaceable—not to yourself, but to your client. Spoiler: It’s probably not "beautiful renders" or "collaborative design charrettes."

Our Find: For Perkins&Will, core capabilities weren’t just "award-winning design." Their edge was human-centered research, sustainability innovation, and deep sector expertise—think healthcare, education, science. The value wasn’t a glossy building—it was trust, risk mitigation, and resilience.

Why it matters: If you’re not clear on why clients pick you over a cheaper or AI-powered alternative, the market will make that choice for them.

Discontinuities Analysis – See the Future Coming (Before It Hits You)

What it does: Spot the big shifts (demographic, social, tech) shaping your industry—and respond proactively instead of reactively.

Our Find: We mapped some wild (but real) shifts:

• Demographics: From designing for productivity to designing for aging populations and cognitive accessibility.

• Social: From chasing aesthetics to prioritizing mental health and emotional well-being in design.

• Tech: From static buildings to AI-driven, user-adaptive environments.

  
  

Why it matters: These aren’t theoretical. Climate migration, aging boomers, and AI design tools are already here. Pretending they’re not doesn’t protect your practice; it just makes you late.

Layers and Links – Play a New Game on the Value Chain

What it does: Zooms out to ask: Where in the process are you playing, and who are you really designing for? Then, what happens if you shift?

Our Find: Three wild moves architects (yes, you) could make:

• Upstream: Co-design with end-users before schematic design—think engaging patients in hospital design or students in school planning.

• Downstream: Become long-term partners in policy adaptation, post-occupancy data, and climate resilience.

• Sideways: Empower contractors and builders with AI/AR tools that minimize site errors and rework.

  
  

Why it matters: Architecture doesn’t end at permit sets. Shifting layers/links creates new services, revenue, and relevance.

Takeaway

Resilient firms don't sell drawings. They sell certainty, vision, strategy. The first step? Know why clients really hire you—before they stop.