On Friday, I had my first performance review in my current position at work.
It was a great wake up call to understand where I'm currently stand in my skills and where to improve.
Below is my feedback chart which provides really helpful guidance on my abilities.
Everybody is different, but this is where I am at the moment. And I agree.
In the last 4 years, I was working in the architectural practice as Apprentice & Junior Architect. It was a great starting point and appreciate my experience. It boost my skills in many different ways that I was getting confident in providing a drawing documentations and understanding how building are been constructed. It was a necessary skill and it was a steady learning curve for me.
Than I graduated... and got myself a title as "Graduate Architect". I was very relief, that I do not have to go to University anymore. Everybody around me was at the point of getting over uni and just want to graduate. I was part of it too. During most my time at university I was working in the firm and was getting comfortable at my position. My responsibilities were very simple. Here are the list below.
- Advanced Drawing Documentation Package
- Floor Plans
- Roof Plan
- Elevations
- Sections
- Wet Area Drawings
- Cabinetry Drawings
- Construction Details
- Doors & Windows Legends
- Schedules (Finishes, Appliances, Equipments, etc...)
- Basic Consultant Drawings Review
- Basic Understanding of the Project Flow (Concept, DA, BA,CD,Tender, etc...)
- Advanced Architectural 3D modelling to High Standard (BIM Knowledge)
- Communications Skills with Team Mates
Then after I graduate my university, an opportunity open up to me and took the leap. Basically I have got myself a new position and that leap... wow... it opened my eyes. I felt that I was stuck in my old habits and getting really comfortable in that zone. When I look back now... I was more going towards as "Draftsperson" and I was really getting good at it. But is this where I really want to go? Am I satisfied on where I am heading? Am I wasting my title as "graduate architect"? What is an Architects job? It hit me a lot with these questions.
I want to become an Architect, where I can say "I Design That" rather than "I Worked on That"
In my current firm, I'm getting expose to a responsibilities on what architects do, which we design, create, think, explore and test. I knew this... but I didn't get a chance to actually work in these fields. Like I said.. I was getting too comfortable with what I was good at...
My creative thinking and my communications skills with clients & consultants are lacking, and what should I do? Well these things might work.
- Sharing my thoughts and ideas in my website/blog
- Enter a design competition
- Sit in guest lectures or studios in university
- Study local architects & international architects
- Exposed to Architectural Media
- Blog, Blog, Blog and more blogging to increase my communication skills.
And i'm sure there are more that I can do.. but let's take some small steps and try these. Doing something is better than nothing.
And of course, I will be updating my progress
Keep in Touch
TK