How To Select An Architect

These are my ideas on how an architect should be selected. I am not a fan of the usual competitions, RFQs, RFPs, and presentations that are used most of the time. I think these methods distract from what is important - the criteria for quality, schedule, and budget.

You might find a use for this article in your work. Feel free to copy and modify it to suit your needs.
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Any architect can design a building for you, but not every architect can give you the building that you need and that you can afford.

These are the recommended steps for finding the right architect for your project. 


Building Committee 
Decide if you will have a Building Committee. The committee should consist of five to ten people. No Contractors. No Lawyers. No Architects. All executive types used to running things. One third to all of the members should be staff of your organization. 


Set The Goals For The Project 
Setting the goals for your project tells you what the architect will need to do. Establishing goals after you hire the architect reduces the success of your project by at least 30%.
The areas in which you need goals are:
Space Needs - What kind of spaces do you need? How many of each? How large?
Context / Site Needs - What does the location of your project need to respect and/or resolve? 
Constraints - What hurdles do you foresee? Special approvals, zoning, deadline, etc.
Budget - What is the total amount of money available for everything - construction, design, and other soft costs.
Schedule - When does the project need to be complete? What processes need to be accommodated, e.g. raising money? 


Selection Committee 
Form your selection committee, which could be just one person or a small group of two to three (the fewer the better). The selection committee should be key members of the building committee that was involved in setting the goals for the project. Once you form your selection committee, the selection process has four steps. 


Selection Process
A) RESEARCH

1. Select buildings you admire and talk to the owners about their architects.
2. Ask acquaintances who have used an architect for their suggestions and their level of satisfaction.
3. Check Google for listings of Architects in your city, state, or zip code. E.g. “Architects in Cincinnati”.
4. Visit the websites of the firms whose names keep coming up. Determine how similar their completed projects are to what you intend to do. 
5. Weed out the firms who haven't much experience in your type of building or with your type of organization. These are two critical qualifications. Also consider if the size of the firms is too big or too small. No matter the size of the firm, there will only be two to six people working on your project. The smallest firm you are comfortable with is a good measure to keep in mind.
6. Email the firms you have settled on and ask for references, especially for buildings that are most similar to your project. Observe how each firm responds. You will already be getting a feel for which firms are appropriate. Contact as many as you wish, but three to six is plenty.
7. Visit two or three buildings of each architect you are still considering, and talk to the owners. Ask whether they are happy with their building; what works, what doesn't, would they hire the architect again. This should be two to four firms. This could be delegated to staff or a committee member.
8. Allow about two months for this research.

B) INITIAL INTERVIEW

1. Make appointments with two or three firms you are feeling the best about. Go to their office for the interview. Specify that you want this to be an informal meeting.
2. Informally interview them. Ask all the questions that are important to you [see samples]. Ask why you should consider their firm. Ask what they would like to tell you that you haven’t asked about, and listen for compatibility between what is important to you and what they want you to know about them.
3. This will take two to three weeks.

C) FOLLOW UP INTERVIEW

1. Select the one or two firms that you really like. If you can't say this about any, repeat the research and initial interviews.
2. Meet with them to discuss your needs, schedule, budget and any hurdles you must address. Ask for their feedback on your plans. This kind of meeting will tell you a lot; but expect it to take several hours.
3. Ask your favorite one or two firms for a detailed proposal of services - what do they propose to do to get you where you want to go. Ask for a ‘ballpark’ fee for what they propose. Bear in mind that the difference in fees between firms will probably represent less than one percent or so of the entire project cost. Getting a building that is a good fit for you is more important than getting the cheapest fee.
4. Let each firm make their proposal however they want - in person, in writing, both. When you see this proposal, it should feel "right" to you.
5. Select the firm that you feel most confident in. Make sure you have seen plenty of the people you will really be working with - not just the sales team that will soon vanish when you have been 'sold'. What does your gut tell you?
6. This can be done in two to four weeks.

D) SELECTION

1. Review the selected firm’s proposed services with them to get the scope of work that you are comfortable with. 
2. Negotiate the fee. 
3. Ask them to draw up a contract. 
4. Sign the contract and authorize them to proceed.

This process undoubtedly takes more effort, but the success of your project requires it. Think of it as 'due diligence'. You are about to make a major expenditure, and the firm that you select will be in charge of spending your money.

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You may not agree with everything in my selection process. But your version of the architect selection process would make a great addition to your website.