Career StagesMentorship

AIA Best Practices represent the collective wisdom of AIA members. They are a compendium of practical knowledge acquired by AIA members in the real world of architecture practice—knowledge gained from experience, immediately applicable to a task at hand.

Mentoring Best Practices
Related Best Practices (which contribute to the mentoring mission: k-12 education, professional development / training programs)
How Can I Share My Knowledge?

Mentoring Best Practices

Mentoring Interns: A Firm Commitment 2002 IDP OFA
Payette Associates (Boston) create Young Designers Core – Vertically integrated YA education program

Three Methods of Knowledge Transfer: training, coaching, and mentoring
Excerpted from Architect’s Essentials of Professional Development, by Jean Valence, Hon. AIA
Overview of mentoring levels, differs with YAF definition

Seek Out the Many Rewards of Mentoring 1996 IDP OFA
Watkins Hamilton Ross Architects (Houston) - Value of mentoring and positive attitude

Colorado Component and University Develop Partnership for Mentoring
AIA Colorado and the University of Colorado College of Architecture and Planning
http://www.aiacolorado.org/beta/professionals_mentoring.m

New York Program Goes "Beyond IDP" for Exceptional Mentoring
AIA New York and the Emerging New York Architects Committee – 1 year, small group mentoring program http://aiany.org/committees/emerging/mentoring/

Boston Program Provides Mentoring Alternatives
Boston Society of Architects – Mentoring program initiated by Fellows
http://www.architects.org/committees/index.cfm?doc_id=106

Firm Supports Protégés Through Inclusive Mentorship
Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates – great specific how-to

Clemson Mentoring Program Bridges Academia and Practice
The Clemson Architecture Center

Architectural Awareness Program for Junior High Students
AIA South New York Chapter partnership – 6-12 education program

--back to top--

Related Best Practices

ACE Mentor Program
HNTB Architecture (DC) teams with local ACE chapter for high school program

The Architecture in the School Program Helps to Create the Ideal Client
Intro to K-12 Mentorship Needs and Rewards (DC)

The 13th Edition of the Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice as a Training Guide
How-to for starting an in-house training program

Building Knowledge Through Lessons Learned
Excerpted from Architect’s Essentials of Professional Development by Jean R. Valence, Hon. AIA

Types of Training Programs
Excerpted and adapted from The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice – general idea list

Site Visits: Seeing is Believing and Learning 1995 IDP OFA
Einhorn Yaffee Prescott (New York) – In-house university

Creating Successful Local Emerging Professionals Committees
Emerging New York Architects (ENYA) and the Northeast Illinois Young Architects Group (YAG)

Providing EPC Seminars in Your Firm 1992 IDP OFA
HKS Inc.

Initiating an In-House Topical Training Program
Excerpted and adapted from “Turning Staff Training Inside Out” by Laura L. Viehmyer, SPHR, CEBS, CAE

The Basics of a Professional Development Program
Contributed by AIA Knowledge Resources Staff

Crossing Firm Boundaries--Enhancing the IDP Experience 2004 IDP OFAs
FEH Associates and INVISION Architecture (Iowa) – IDP/ARE Study Group

Development of an In-House University
Hixson Architecture Engineering and Interiors

--back to top--

How Can I Share My Knowledge?

Contributions to AIA Best Practices are welcome at any time and in any form. However, articles submitted in the following format are encouraged. Please e-mail your experience to idp@aia.org. Questions should also be directed to idp@aia.org.

Please limit your contribution to between 500 and 1000 words.

1. Title - Make this explanatory, so people scanning the list of Best Practices on the AIA Web site will clearly understand your topic (e.g., “Firm Supports Protégés through Inclusive Mentorship” or “Small Firms Collaborate to Provide Interns with Supplementary Education”).

2. Summary - This paragraph can be written in a variety of ways but should serve to highlight the outstanding aspects of your mentoring practice.

3. Statement - The body of your statement should describe in detail the steps used to carry out your efforts in mentoring: the organization, leadership, and evaluation. If you have used a significant means of funding or partnering, you should explain.

4. Conclusion - Wrap up by explaining how others might adapt your practice or program under similar (rather than identical) circumstances.

--back to top--