I'm starting the fourth week of this blog. The next couple of weeks are going to be real busy, with work and some personal stuff. I'm going to skip a couple of days and plan to get back on schedule by April. You will still see these twice a week, no need to worry. I ended last week while I was in Dallas, finding some extra time to share what was going on. The trip was fun, great to see old friends, but it is good to be back home in Tucson. While I was in Dallas, I presented to the Dallas CSI chapter my accessibility program. Seems appropriate since I just wrote about my experience in a wheel chair.

One of my favorite activities is running. While I reflect on my Accessibility experience (if you missed it, read my previous blog entry) and program, I realize that being able to run is a gift. I understand that not everyone is into. We all have something that we are passionate about. Let's keep what we are passionate about on a simple level.

What does that mean? I can be passionate about running, but I don't have to convince my neighbor that he has to be runner too. I look for a common ground, he likes beer and bike riding. But he doesn't understand the thrill of running. So, does that mean I need to move or he has to move. No, that would be extreme. I choose to embrace what we have in common and move on from those things we don't.

Now, let's jump back into architecture, which is the point of this blog. Pulling a client vision together is a complicated effort. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the "Sketching the Sketch". That particular project had some logistical challenges. Like my passion for running, certain design elements may evoke my passion. But the client does get it or understand it. If I break it down to the design elements we have in common and build on that, I know I'm working with the right concepts. 

Do I get the concept right on the first try? Not very often, but communication is critical. Develop what the clients likes, throw out what they don't. If there is something I'm passionate about and the client doesn't understand it or get the vision. I will put on my best communications hat and help them to understand. If after second round, they aren't buying into it, I simply move on. Just like trying to convince others to embrace my running, if it's not going to happen, I move on. That way at the end of the day, the client ends up with an end product they are proud of too.

…and now for something completely different.
The average person spends 6 months of their lifetime waiting on a red light to turn green.

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