Firm success
Great design needs a strong business behind it. Explore courses on business strategy, finance, marketing, client relations, and more to help your firm grow and succeed.
Included in subscription
Building and Scaling a Successful Design Practice
Equip yourself with the business skills needed to thrive in today’s competitive market, whether you are a design professional, business owner, or aspiring entrepreneur. Each course focuses on a specific aspect of business success, from cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset to mastering strategic planning and developing effective marketing strategies. You’ll learn to identify opportunities, develop robust business models, and implement practical strategies for growth and sustainability. Upon completion, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to position your firm for long-term success.
3 Courses
Included in subscription
Unlock Your Leadership Potential
Take your architecture career to the next level with our 3-course package designed for architects aspiring to step into leadership roles or elevate their impact within their firms. This specially curated bundle provides the tools, strategies, and insights to shape you into a leader who can inspire, motivate, and drive team success.
3 Courses
Included in subscription
Mastering the Basics of Effective Leadership
Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? In this interactive course, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the core leadership principles needed to become an effective leader in any organization. Explore various leadership styles, including autocratic, democratic, transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire, and discover the situations when each style is most suitable. You'll also learn the key elements for creating a leadership vision statement that motivates and drives your team and/or organization.
Get actionable insights to enhance your leadership skills with six proven practices to propel you toward becoming a more effective leader. Whether you're a seasoned leader seeking to refine your abilities or an aspiring leader ready to take your first step, this course will empower you to become a more confident leader capable of inspiring, motivating, and driving positive change. Unlock your potential on your path to leadership excellence.
2.5
LU
Included in subscription
Cultivating Excellence Through Team Leadership and Dynamics
Learn the essential skills and insights needed to develop effective team leadership and cultivate positive team dynamics. Understand the six essential characteristics of team excellence that distinguish high-performing teams from average ones so you can analyze individual roles and nurture the key traits that drive successful teamwork. Plus, dive into the major impact employee engagement can have on team performance—learning actionable strategies to boost engagement and motivation among your team. Assess the influence of team dynamics on productivity and performance and acquire practical techniques to optimize these dynamics, ensuring that your team works cohesively towards shared goals.
Course expires 04/06/2027
1.75
LU
Included in subscription
Business Acumen: A Catalyst for Professional Growth & Prosperity
Improve your understanding of the fundamental business concepts in architecture and design. Learn the significance of business acumen in your professional journey and gain insights into how you can use it to have the greatest impact on your career. Dive into the current and historic internal and external business dynamics—from organizational culture to economic conditions—shaping architecture and design firms to establish a crucial foundation for making informed and strategic decisions.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Leveraging Public Sector Projects for Small & Mid-Sized Firms
The public sector is experiencing a surge in project demand—driven by new federal, state, and local funding sources and increased fee limits for Department of Defense (DoD) projects—presenting small and mid-sized architecture and design firms an unprecedented opportunity to expand their practice and influence. Traditionally, these lucrative public projects have been dominated by large firms, but the landscape is shifting—allowing smaller firms to compete and succeed.
This comprehensive course is designed to equip architecture and design professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to identify, pursue, and secure public sector projects. Through a discussion of key case studies, you’ll learn how to navigate the complexities of public procurement processes, use your skills and experience, and strategically position your firm to win public contracts. You’ll develop the skills to leverage emerging public sector opportunities to diversify your project portfolio and grow your small business.
1.0
LU
Included in subscription
Public Process Leadership in an Age of Distrust
The community contexts in which we work today are defined overwhelmingly by pervading public mistrust, conflict and controversy, and community opposition. Our urban crises – climate, housing, equitable development - are forcing quick action to avoid catastrophe. Controversy, community opposition and legal challenges pose significant and costly burdens to achieving our collective goals. This session will provide an overview of the key challenges in the field of public participation today. It will identify core components of healthy processes that can lead to more successful community outcomes with broad community support. The session will address technique selection, as well as tools, resources and networks where participants can develop skills in public participation.
This session was recorded live on March 15, 2023.
1.00
LU|HSW
Included in subscription
Introduction to Design Assistance Teams
When the design assistance team program was created in the 1960s, it pioneered participatory approaches to city building. Over five decades later, the program has established a track record of urban innovation and change that has influenced cities all over the world. Learn how the DAT program has employed one of the most powerful methodologies for urban innovation in the field today – and how its component parts have been adapted and deployed globally for urban transformations.
This session was recorded live on April 26, 2023.
1.0
LU|HSW
Included in subscription
Financial Fundamentals for Architects
Understanding financial fundamentals is essential for architects looking to build resilient, profitable firms. This course provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the core financial statements and ratios that shape a firm’s financial health. Designed specifically for architects and design professionals, it demystifies complex financial concepts through practical examples, engaging multimedia content, and interactive exercises.
You’ll explore the structure and function of income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements while gaining hands-on experience analyzing financial ratios. By connecting financial fundamentals directly to architectural practice, the course empowers professionals to make informed business decisions that drive sustainable growth and long-term success.
This is a new, interactive on-demand version of the course, adapted from the live session held on April 22, 2025.
1.5
LU
Included in subscription
Maximize Your Firm’s Competitive Edge with the AIA Compensation and Benefits Report
Through detailed data analysis, we will examine the latest Compensation Trends and Employee Benefits, shedding light on salaries for architectural positions and recent graduates at the national level. Discover which employee benefits and diversity and equity initiatives play a pivotal role in talent recruitment and retention, equipping you with strategies to foster a competitive edge in the industry. As part of this exploration, we will review a comprehensive assessment of the application of contemporary workplace policies in the architecture profession to improve work-life balance and well-being. Finally, we will discuss how the report and accompanying calculator can be used to engage your staff to understand the tangible and intangible value that you as an employer provide to your employees in exchange for work.
View the 2023 AIA Compensation & Benefits Report here.
Course expires 8/27/2027
This session was recorded live on November 2, 2023.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Business Acumen in Architecture & Design
Tailored for architects and design professionals, this six-course series provides you with the skills needed to make better business decisions for your practice and thrive in the AEC industry.
Get ready to dive into key topics beyond the technical aspects of architecture, including effective leadership, team dynamics, strategic growth, and targeted marketing. Through interactive lessons and practical exercises, you’ll develop the expertise to make informed decisions, manage projects effectively, attract new clients, and drive profit and growth within your firm.
Business acumen in architecture & design is the essential series for architects, design professionals, small firm owners, emerging professionals, and beyond looking to learn and develop the critical knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the business side of architecture.
6 Courses
Included in subscription
Strategic Talent Planning for Design Firm Success
Designed for architecture and design firm leaders, this course equips you with the tools to take a proactive, strategic approach to talent management. You'll learn how to align your firm’s talent planning with broader business goals, identify future skill needs, and close talent gaps—so you can build a framework for hiring, developing, and retaining top talent. The course introduces the key components of successful talent strategy and walks you through a five-step workforce planning process to help you position your firm for long-term success.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
Inclusive Recruitment and Sourcing for Design Firms
Recruiting top talent in architecture and design requires more than posting a job opening. This course explores the unique recruitment challenges firms face and how to address them through an inclusive lens. You'll learn the difference between attracting and sourcing candidates, how to write inclusive and compelling job postings, and how to implement proactive outreach and sourcing tactics that engage passive and underrepresented talent. Guided by the AIA’s best practices for inclusive hiring, this course offers actionable tools to help firms build a more diverse and equitable workforce.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
Talent Development Strategies for Design Firm Success
Hiring great talent is just the beginning. This course teaches architecture and design firm leaders how to grow and retain top talent through impactful development strategies. You’ll learn how to create customized employee development plans that align with firm goals and implement coaching, skill-building, and mentorship programs that boost engagement and performance. You’ll also learn how to foster inclusive growth opportunities that support the development of diverse team members. By investing in internal development, you’ll build your leadership capacity and strengthen long-term team performance.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
Workplace Strategies to Retain and Engage Your Design Team
Employee turnover disrupts projects, drains resources, and erodes team morale. This course helps architecture and design firm leaders understand the drivers of employee turnover and how to prevent it through intentional culture-building and engagement strategies. You’ll learn how to build a workplace culture that promotes loyalty and well-being, boosts employee satisfaction, and strengthens team cohesion. You’ll gain practical retention strategies and tools tailored to the design profession that foster team stability, high performance, and creative momentum.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
Delivering on the Promise of Digital Twins
Digital twins are transforming the way buildings are designed, constructed, and operated, and represent a key emerging technology opportunity to help architects innovate and transform industry. This course demystifies digital twins for AEC professionals, providing a clear framework for understanding their classifications, purposes, and business benefits. Explore the maturity path from simple digital representation to advanced simulation and optimization, and learn how enabling technologies like BIM, AI, IOT, and XR are fueling this evolution. Gain practical insights into how digital twins can deliver operational efficiency, sustainability, and smarter business outcomes.
This session was recorded live on August 7, 2025.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Harnessing XR to Enable Effective Design Decisions
Extended Reality (XR) – encompassing Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) – is reshaping the future of architecture, engineering, and construction. This course offers an in-depth look at XR technologies, their relevance to AEC workflows, and their intersection with complementary emerging technologies like reality capture, digital twins, and AI. Discover current and emerging use cases, learn how to evaluate hardware and software options, and build a roadmap for successful XR adoption. Whether you're just exploring or ready to deploy XR at scale, this course provides the essential knowledge to lead your firm into the future.
This session was recorded live on August 12, 2025.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Effective Strategies for Managing Project Scope
Managing project scope is essential to balancing time, cost, and quality. This course provides practical tools for defining, controlling, and adjusting project scope while preventing scope creep. You’ll analyze how scope changes affect project delivery and explore strategies to stay alignment with client expectations. By applying structured change-control processes, you’ll gain the confidence to manage evolving requirements while protecting project integrity and profitability.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
Resource Planning To Keep Projects on Time and Under Budget
Resource planning is the foundation of successful project management. This course walks you through identifying, quantifying, and scheduling the people, materials, and tools needed to deliver projects efficiently. You’ll explore methods for assessing resource availability, forecasting needs, and creating realistic schedules that align with project goals. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll develop a resource plan that supports productivity, reduces bottlenecks, and keeps projects on time and within budget.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
How to Build Better Meeting Agendas
A well-structured agenda is the backbone of every successful meeting. This course shows how clear, purposeful agendas enhance focus, efficiency, and participation. You’ll learn the key components of an effective agenda and how to tailor it to specific projects or team needs. The course also covers best practices for sharing agendas in advance, setting realistic timeframes, and using them as tools for accountability and follow-through. You’ll leave with the confidence to design agendas that keep meetings productive, on schedule, and outcome-driven.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
Running Meetings That Drive Results
Meetings are where ideas turn into action—but only when they’re run effectively. This course equips professionals with practical tools to plan, lead, and manage productive meetings that drive real results. You’ll learn how to prepare strategically, set clear objectives, and design focused agendas that keep discussions on track. Through real-world examples and role-based exercises, you’ll practice techniques for facilitating engaging discussions, managing time efficiently, and ensuring every voice is heard. By mastering these skills, you can transform your meetings from time-consuming obligations into opportunities for alignment, decision-making, and forward momentum.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
The Power of Professional Communication in Design
Strong communication is the cornerstone of success in architecture and design. This course examines how effective communication enhances collaboration, builds client trust, and drives better project outcomes. You’ll explore the key characteristics of professional communication and practice techniques for speaking, writing, and listening with clarity and purpose. By understanding how communication influences trust, teamwork, and client satisfaction, you’ll gain the confidence to express ideas clearly, navigate complex discussions, and contribute meaningfully to your firm’s success.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
Overcoming Communication Challenges in Architecture
Clear, effective communication is the foundation of successful projects, strong client relationships, and cohesive teams. This course explores the five most common barriers that hinder understanding and collaboration in architectural and design settings: Informational, language, emotional, physical, and perceptual. Through real-world scenarios and interactive exercises, you’ll learn to recognize these barriers in everyday interactions and understand their impact on outcomes. You’ll practice strategies to clarify messages, provide timely feedback, and improve empathy and awareness. By applying these tools, you’ll enhance collaboration, strengthen professional relationships, and foster a culture of open, respectful, and constructive communication.
.5
LU
Included in subscription
It Takes a Village: A Guide to Parents and Caregivers in Architecture
Balancing professional demands with caregiving responsibilities remains a significant challenge in the architecture industry, often impacting employee well-being, retention, and firm culture. This strain on employees threatens the consistency and quality of professional service required to uphold the health, safety, and welfare of building occupants. This session explores how architecture firms can better support parents and caregivers through thoughtful policies and inclusive practices. Panelists will share key findings drawn from in-person workshops and conversations with professionals across the industry, revealing the lived experiences of caregivers and highlighting the gaps in current workplace support. Attendees will be introduced to the adaptive framework recommendations and practical tools aimed at fostering a more equitable and sustainable work environment—a necessary foundation for architecture professionals to focus adequately on design excellence and public safety.
This session was recorded live on December 4, 2025.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Building a Thriving Career: Support and Strategies from the Immigrant Architects Coalition
This program will feature a panel discussion with authors of Prospering in the US - A Handbook for Immigrant Architects, a comprehensive guide published by the Immigrant Architect Coalition in 2024. This session will offer invaluable insights into navigating the architectural profession in the United States for immigrant architects. Panelists, who are themselves successful immigrant architects and designers, will share their experiences and practical advice on topics ranging from cultural acclimation to career development. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn directly from the contributors of this essential resource, gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities unique to immigrant architects seeking to build thriving and inclusive careers in the US. This program builds upon the mission of the Immigrant Architects Coalition to support their fellow immigrant architects through shared knowledge and mentorship.
This session was recorded live on July 10, 2025.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Becoming an Inclusive Mentor in Architecture
Becoming an architecture mentor is one of the most meaningful ways to support the next generation of design professionals. This interactive course prepares you to become the best mentor possible by building the skills needed for effective, inclusive, and sustainable mentoring relationships.
Drawing on the AIA Guides for Equitable Practice, proven research, and national models, you’ll explore the purpose and impact of mentorship, distinguish between mentoring, coaching, and sponsoring, and learn how to set clear goals and boundaries. Emphasizing inclusive practices, this course helps mentors recognize bias, build trust across differences, and foster equitable growth for mentees.
Through real-world scenarios and guided reflection, you’ll develop strategies for navigating common mentoring challenges and assess your readiness to mentor with confidence, empathy, and intentionality.
1.5
LU
Included in subscription
Becoming an Empowered Mentee in Architecture
Becoming a mentee is one of the most powerful ways to shape your professional growth in architecture. This course equips you with the knowledge and skills to engage effectively and confidently in mentorship programs.
Drawing on the AIA Guides for Equitable Practice, proven research, and national models, you’ll explore the purpose and benefits of mentorship, distinguish mentoring from coaching and sponsorship, and learn how to set clear goals, communicate effectively, and build a professional network. Emphasizing inclusive practices, this course helps mentees recognize bias, build trust across differences, and take ownership of their professional development.
Through real-world scenarios and guided reflection, you’ll develop strategies for active engagement, self-assessment, and problem-solving strategies—ensuring your readiness to maximize the value of mentorship relationships.
1.5
LU
Included in subscription
A Designer’s Guide to Navigating FEMA Programs
Learn how to harness FEMA's funding and mitigation programs to create disaster-resistant and sustainable designs. This course equips you with actionable insights to navigate FEMA's grant opportunities and collaborate with federal agencies. Gain practical strategies for integrating disaster preparedness into your architectural practice and expanding opportunities for funding and partnerships.
This course was recorded live on January 16, 2025.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Transforming Ideas into Impactful Presentations: Part II
Learn how to refine your delivery, manage presentation anxiety, and effectively engage with your audience. From mastering rehearsal techniques to confidently addressing audience questions, you’ll build the tools and confidence to deliver presentations that leave a lasting impression.
This course is a free resource that does not offer credit for completion. Feel free to engage with the lessons that align with your needs and in the order that best suits your requirements. Each lesson is packed with engaging video lectures, enlightening readings, interactive quizzes, and hands-on assignments designed to facilitate the practical application of the concepts covered.
LU
Included in subscription
State of the Nation’s Housing: Residential Trends and Emerging Concerns
Demographic shifts, migration across the U.S., housing affordability, climate change, immigration patterns: These are the big trends potentially upending the way we think about the places where we live. Architects have insights into how we translate these issues into how we need to build our homes in the coming decades. The session will include a review of issues such as adapting homes to be resilient during natural disasters, supporting aging-in-place, making homes more affordable, and navigating the shifting demand patterns from migration. Housing is a leading economic indicator for the broader construction industry.
1
LU
Strategic Planning and Growth Strategies for Design Firms
In today’s competitive and turbulent marketplace, it can be a challenge for design firms to reach and maintain sustained growth. That’s why developing your firm’s strategic planning and learning new growth strategies is vital to your firm’s success. In this course, you will learn about the strategic planning process and explore growth strategies such as market development, diversification, and strategic alliances. You’ll also understand how to incorporate the components of the business model canvas into your decision-making to develop and implement effective strategic plans that drive firm growth.
1.5
LU
Included in subscription
Fundamentals of Construction Contract Administration
This course provides an overview of construction contract administration and introduces relevant topics encountered during the construction phase, including effective communication and preparation, submittals, requests for information, modifications, site visits, and more. This course establishes a foundation of fundamental knowledge to launch or refresh one's CCA career.
Participants will leave this course with best practices and insight into how they can successfully lead a project through construction contract administration. They will be equipped with a skill set that includes knowledge of fundamentals, contract language, and pitfalls to be aware of during construction. Participants will be better prepared for their career progression, client conversations, and construction growth.
This is the first of several courses in a series developed by the Construction Contract Administration Knowledge Committee (CCA) focused on demystifying CCA. Later courses in this series will dive deeper into various aspects of risk identification and mitigation.
This session was recorded live on March 18, 2026.
1.5
LU
Included in subscription
An Introduction to the AIA Framework for Design Excellence
Propel your practice’s success with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence—the defining 10 principles of design excellence in the 21st century. In this introductory course, you will learn the origin, evolution, and significance of each of the framework’s principles and examine how they advance progress toward a zero-carbon, healthy, just, resilient, and equitable built environment. Learn from real-world case studies showcasing successful implementations across diverse firms and project types. Plus, you’ll learn how to navigate the valuable online resources for each of the 10 principles to use in your design process for future projects.
Course expires on 2/04/2027
1.25
LU|HSW
Included in subscription
Design-Build Project Delivery: Risks & Rewards for Architects
As owners, constructors, and architects, all parties share professional, legal, and financial interests in the success of a project. This course explores how architects can transition from a potentially subordinate position to a principal or shared role with co-managing authority within Design-Build (DB) delivery. A panel of industry expert architects from the design and construction sector within the federal, state and local government will present and explore focused remarks about architects' roles in design-build project delivery. Participants will gain insights into navigating the technical and financial risks inherent in DB agreements, such as managing contingencies and ensuring cost transparency. By focusing on early engagement and clear project criteria, architects can better advocate for design excellence while mitigating professional liability and contractual gaps. Based on the article, The Role of Architects in Design-Build Project Delivery: A Crucial Conversation about Opportunities and Risks, published in 2025 by the Project Delivery Knowledge Community (PDKC).
This session was recorded live on March 31, 2026.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Working Effectively with International Design Teams
This program explores how to lead and collaborate effectively across borders in global design practices. Panelists will discuss how they navigated complex design workflows between teams on different continents, drawing from real-world case studies in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Topics include cultural expectations, communication strategies, time zone coordination, and digital tools that enable successful delivery. The audience will leave with practical frameworks and lessons learned from both sides of the collaboration.
This session was recorded live on April 14, 2026.
1
LU
Included in subscription
Building a Winning Marketing Plan for Design Firms
Develop the skills to craft an effective marketing strategy for your architectural practice. We’ll begin by defining the fundamentals of marketing and uncovering the key traits that make services marketable. Then, we’ll dive into the four essential pillars of marketing, learning how to apply them effectively to elevate your practice within the architecture industry.
You’ll learn how to create a marketing plan by first assessing your current market position and setting clear, achievable goals. Then, you’ll learn how to understand and reach your target audience—identifying and analyzing their needs and preferences.
We’ll uncover a range of marketing tactics tailored to architectural services, including how to guide prospective clients through a marketing funnel—from first contact to agreement. Finally, we’ll introduce various analytic tools and metrics to help you track and evaluate your success.
2.5
LU
Included in subscription
Developing Your Entrepreneurial Mindset for Design Firm Success
Whether you’re an aspiring firm owner, a small business owner looking to expand, or an up-and-coming entrepreneur, this course will give you the knowledge, tools, and strategies to turn your business ideas into successful ventures.
What you’ll gain:
Design professionals starting their own practice: Learn how to build a strong business foundation by defining your idea, conducting market research, and crafting a focused business plan tailored to your goals.
Firm owners looking to expand: Reevaluate and redefine your firm’s strategy and explore new growth opportunities to position your business for long-term success.
We’ll cover key topics like the entrepreneurial mindset, the seven stages of the entrepreneurial journey, traditional business models, and new approaches leveraging creativity and innovation. Each lesson is carefully structured to offer practical strategies—plus resources and tools—for your specific career stage, so you’re ready to lead confidently and thrive financially.
2
LU