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Winner—AIA Emerging Professionals Program Of The Year Award
Reducing costs, improving sales skills, increasing bottom-line performance: the BSA Young Designers Professional Development Institute delivers the training young designers need most to help their firms run at the highest levels of productivity, focus, quality and efficiency. The year-long program of monthly half-day seminars featuring topics that increase firms’ success: Managing Finances, Improving Negotiating Skills, Presentation Skills, Marketing and Business Development, Writing Skills, Improving Communications, Improving CA Performance.
Enrollment information
Enrollment is now open for the 2009-2010 YDPDI, which begins in March. To register, please complete and submit one copy of the following form for each registrant.
 Registration form
Full information sheet
For session topics and instructors, view the online schedule of events. The fee for one person for the 12-session program is $4,200 ($3,000 for BSA members/member firms). The fee for additional participants employed at the same firm is $3,600 ($2,500 for BSA members). Enrollment is limited to 20. Questions? Call 617-951-1433 x221 or write bsa@architects.org.
Focus on performance
Now in its tenth year, YDPDI has justifiably earned a reputation for providing participants with the insights, strategies and skills that matter most for their firms and their own careers. The program's success results from several key factors:
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Direct link to participants’ firms. “Homework” for the session on Managing Finances involves having our participants interview the firm’s Finance Manager. During the program, we ask participants to interview several key senior managers and work closely with a mentor in the firm to ensure they apply program insights in their own situations.
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Highly relevant, useful program content. Topics feature those “I should have taken in design school." Even firms that provide internal training cannot provide the instructors and perspective this program consistently delivers.
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Effective year-long format. The program's format of monthly half-day seminars for a year makes it easy to schedule, focuses on applying concepts between sessions and helps participants network and bond with each other at a greater level of depth than is possible in one-time seminars.
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Outstanding instructors. Our instructors have included outstanding professionals in their field: CEO’s and principals of well-known firms, Harvard GSD faculty, representatives of key client groups. They have consistently delivered excellent programs and provided "live cases" of alternative career paths in the profession.
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Office tours. Hosting the program at a number of local offices during the year provides participants with a useful behind-the-scenes look at other organizations.
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Interaction with contractors and clients. Two program sessions are held in collaboration with participants in the AGC Young Contractors Professional Institute and the CORENET Global New England Chapter (corporate real estate executives) Real Advantage program.
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Focused networking. The program helps participants build meaningful relationships with each other, clients, contractors, engineers and instructors. Many sessions include an after-program social hour.
Program specifics
The YDPDI program’s nine year track record of consistently high evaluations sets it apart from other continuing education programs in the field. Average enrollment in past programs has been about twelve people, resulting in an accumulated alumni group of about 80 participants. These participants have come from 20 different firms. We have also benefited from a collection of talented, experienced instructors.
Specific program topics include a mix of discussion topics and skills sessions. Instructors for the discussion topics feature a mix of established senior professionals who have differing perspectives on the topic. Workshops are interactive, drawing on real case situations and examples and actively involving participants.
Dr. William C. Ronco, President of Gathering Pace Consulting, is the program leader. He leads several of the skills sessions that draw on extensive the training, partnering and consulting he does in A&E firms and corporate real estate organizations. Dr. Ronco also manages program logistics and planning.
Workshops are held from 2 - 6 p.m. at a number of firms in metropolitan Boston. Each workshop includes a guided tour of the office hosting the workshop.
Schedule
Workshops are scheduled from 2:00 to 6:00 pm and include an office tour and snack. Details follow below.
March 26, 2009
Career Development Strategies and Skills/Clarifying Learning Goals
William C. Ronco, Ph.D., Institute Director
YDPDI Director William C. Ronco, Ph.D leads this program kick-off.
Location: Prellwitz/Chilinski Associates, Cambridge
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April 29, 2009
Managing Finances/Issues and Tools
James Bryson of TRO Jung|Brannen
Mark Paronich of New Focus Consulting
Why do so many design firms struggle with profitability in spite of achieving high revenues? Are good design and good financial management mutually exclusive? What can young designers do about this? This workshop identifies pitfalls to avoid and strategies to adopt. To prepare, participants interview their firms’ finance managers. The session helps participants develop their identity as design professionals who balance financial and design priorities.
Location: TRO Jung|Brannen, Boston
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May 13, 2009
Effective Negotiating Skills
Mary Feeney Esq. of Bowditch & Dewey
David Hancock, AIA of CBT
Kevin Hines of Richard White Sons
Held jointly with the AGC Young Contractors Professional Institute and the CoreNet Global Real Advantage Program, this session covers what gets negotiated and how to negotiate effectively--and what “getting to yes” really means. Learn to develop a real collaborative approach, identify and overcome roadblocks to effective negotiation, and why “negotiation” can be a limiting approach to conversations and how better listening skills can solve problems more effectively.
Location: CBT, Boston
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June 17, 2009
Improving Presentation Skills
William Ronco, Ph.D., YDPDI Director
Anastasia Vassos of SEi Companies
Whatever your comfort and skill level may be, this workshop will help you improve key presentation skills. Participants present excerpts of real presentations to clients and receive live scoresheet feedback from the group and (if desired) a videotape of themselves in action.
Location: Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, Boston
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July 16, 2009
Managing Human Resources/Requirements and Opportunities for Young Designers
Cheryl Egan of Tsoi/Kobus & Associates
Maura Greene Esq. of Keegan Werlin LLP
Shelley Kolesar of Payette
Susan Metzinger of Bergmeyer Associates
This session covers core human resources processes and regulations that young designers need to know. Learn how to work most effectively with your office’s human resources staff and why and how to see human resources as an opportunity and a value-added function in your office.
Location: Bergmeyer Associates, Boston
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August 26, 2009
Improving Drawings and Documentation
Jaimey Buckley of Central Ceilings
Rick Jensen of Erland Construction
Jeff Wade AIA of ADD Inc
Professionals are paying increased attention to the internal systems to translate design into drawings. Some of the best designs are lost in the translation to working drawings. The instructors describe factors that cause problems with drawings and outline specific methods to improve drawings.
Location: ADD Inc, Cambridge
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September 23, 2009
Improving Writing Skills
Richard Dober AICP of Dober, Lidsky, Craig and Associates
An accomplished writer and teacher, the instructor provides fresh insights into why architectural writing can be so obtuse, what high-quality writing really is, and how to improve the quality and effectiveness of your writing. Participants will work on writing exercises in class and can submit samples of writing from actual projects.
Location: TBA
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October 21, 2009
Improving Communications Skills
Roger Goldstein FAIA of Goody Clancy
Effective communications skills are necessary in the building industry. This workshop outlines key concepts and strengthens participants’ skills with collaborative communications for work on projects with consultants, contractors, and bosses. Several instructors illustrate a variety of effective communications styles and methods.
Location: Goody Clancy, Boston
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November 18–20, 2009
Build Boston Workshop “Buffet”
YDPDI participants attend three Build Boston workshops at no additional cost.
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December 17, 2009
Working with Clients, Working with Contractors
Kimberly Plummer of Partners Healthcare
George Takoudes AIA of Martin Batt Architects
Marc Truant AIA of March Truant & Associates
Mark Warren of WSP | Flack + Kurtz
Held jointly with the AGC Young Contractors Professional Institute and the CoreNet Global Real Advantage Program, this session explores why project-team disagreements are not uncommon. Architects, contractors, and clients identify the roots of often legendary and unproductive project-team disagreements and offer insights, strategies, and tips for building productive working relationships.
Location: Payette, Boston
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January 14, 2010
Legal Issues and Ethical Dilemmas
Carl Sapers Esq., Hon. AIA/BSA of the Harvard Graduate School of Design
Everyday architectural practice can pose numerous, challenging ethical and legal dilemmas. This workshop identifies hidden issues, pitfalls, and problems and provides a framework for thinking about ethics and legal issues and suggestions for addressing them.
Location: TBA
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February 23, 2010
Marketing Strategies and Skills for Young Designers
Edward Bond Jr. of Bond Brothers
Scott Simpson FAIA of KlingStubbins
What can young designers do to gain experience and build a solid track record in marketing? The instructors address misconceptions about what marketing is and offer helpful advice on how to achieve high-return marketing. Learn to become more comfortable with marketing tasks and opportunities.
Location: KlingStubbins, Cambridge
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