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      Strategic Planning for Architects: Tools and Best Practices to Stand Out Among the Competition

      Credit: 1 AIA LU/ELECTIVE

      AIA Expiration: 10/16/2026
      Course Level: Intermediate

      This course will help residential design and building professionals understand how to adapt to the ever evolving built environment. By being adaptable to the needs of the industry, ultimately, architects and designers thrive. In this course, we will discuss trends and forces impacting modern residential design and building practices. Porter’s Five Forces Framework is reviewed in depth to give context to defining and cultivating more refined strategic planning in their firms. Next, the course discusses key elements of a successful competitive advantage strategy. Finally, learners will be introduced to an innovative new product, fiber cement siding, and how its use in various applications appeals to multiple buyer profiles and helps architects stand out among competitors.

      By the end of the course, you will be able to do the following:

      1. Understand how the current state of residential design and construction is forcing architects and building professionals to differentiate themselves.
      2. Discuss the key elements of a competitive advantage strategy for architects and building professionals, focusing on Porter’s Five Forces Framework.
      3. Learn the importance of strategic planning and how architects are growing their businesses; includes resources and tools to aid in differentiation.
      4. Explore how architects and building professionals can create a competitive advantage with innovative products like fiber cement siding.).



      Orange Avenue, Larkspur, CA
      Photographer: Snappr

      To review the AIA Provider Statement, please click here. 

      Instructions

      1. Complete the learning materials located under Take the Course.
      2. Once you have completed the course, you will need to take the quiz.  You must pass the quiz with a score of 70% or higher to receive credit for the course; AIA credit earned will be reported for you. 
      3. You have unlimited attempts to take the quiz to achieve the minimum score of 70%.
      4. After completing the quiz, your certificate and course survey will be available for you to download.

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  • Take the Quiz

    • Quiz - Click Here
      Students must
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      Receive a passing grade

      This course was published according to the 2019 AIA standards and requires learners to achieve a 70% score by answering 7 or 10 questions correctly. If you answer more than three questions incorrectly, you will be able to finish the quiz, but upon completion will be prompted to take another attempt.

  • Certificate

  • Survey

    • Course Evaluation URL

      Please click the link to take our course survey. Your feedback is important to help us continue to exceed your expectations.