What AEC Firms Should Expect When Implementing a Synthesis Intranet

What about implementation? I know when, when I was briefly on staff with SMPS headquarters, you know, it was, it was a major undertaking. We had so many different software platforms we were trying to get spun up all within a couple of years. And the role of the technology provider in helping with implementation could really make or break whether this was a smooth transition or whether we'd sit on it for a year and then stop using it. You know, so what, what does implementation look like and what's a, what's the typical timeline to being able to kind of bear fruit from using synthesis?

Sure. I mean, I would start by saying, you know, we only work with AEC firms and we really only do this for AEC firms. So we've been in business for now 16 years. We've built over 200 intranets and knowledge platforms for AEC firms. So we've learned a lot of lessons from that. And so we come to the table with an open mind, but also a lot of resources. You know, so for example, like a thing that everyone has to do, you know this from websites, but it's also true for intranets is information architecture. It's like, how do we organize all this information at level one, level two, level three, that's oftentimes a political fight, you know, it's over turf and like who gets top? Bill, you know? Right. Like everyone listening to this probably understands what I'm saying there. So we came in with researched back information architecture. That is a great jumping off point to organize your intranet. Like we've proven that it works. It's been through user testing. So not just most highly paid person in the room thinks this works, but like really give users like treasure hunts and say, go find this thing. And so it's been proven out to work. So what we try and do is imagine like a skiing metaphor. Like we try and be a chairlift up to the top of the mountain so that you can ski down versus having to walk up the hill with your skis. So we try and put you in a really good position. You still are going to need to ski down the hill. You're still going to need to watch out for moguls. I'm not going to take the metaphor too far. We partner with you with resources, but then we also have a client success team that leads implementation, helps you set goals, figure out when you're going to launch. We stay with you. And I think this is the key part that's important is not only just to launch, but like we stay with you as long as you're working with us as an active client, helping you to set goals and continue to evolve your intranet and your knowledge as your company evolves and changes, which it will, you'll add services, you'll add offices, you'll have ownership transitions, there'll be new technologies. Like, all that stuff happens. And so you constantly need to be updating your knowledge as your firm, you know, changes. So in terms of how long it takes, it depends is the only responsible answer, you know, to a question like that. But anywhere from three months to 12 months, depending on how much content people want to have in a first launch, how good their content is when they came on board, and what kind of resources they have. We say kind of four to six months is a good average. And then people can go faster or slower.