AIA San Francisco (AIASF) and the Equity by Design Committee, launched the third national Equity in Architecture Survey on February 12, 2018. Building upon the survey conducted in 2016, the third survey will further advance the national movement for equitable practice in the profession.
“The third survey marks a pivotal milestone in our research of career perceptions and attitudes of practitioners at all levels along their career path,” says AIASF President Rosa T. Sheng, AIA. “Our chapter is proud to continue in its breakthrough research efforts to raise the importance of positive workplace culture, equitable practices, and meaningful work that architects bring to their communities.”
The Equity in Architecture Survey seeks to create a comprehensive national dataset detailing current positions and career experiences of architecture school graduates. This research will examine the differential experiences of professionals based on gender, race, ethnicity and sexuality. The results will provide insights for talent retention in firms by exploring pinch points that influence decisions to leave the profession as well as factors that promote satisfying and sustainable careers in architecture for all architectural professionals.
The survey will be open for a five-week period, February 12–March 16, 2018. On average, the online survey should take an estimated 20-25 minutes to complete.
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) will serve again as research partner for the project, completing survey analysis April to August in 2018. The survey findings will be revealed at Equity by Design’s fifth Symposium on November 3, 2018 in San Francisco.
“We are excited to again serve as the research partner for this noteworthy project,” remarks the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Executive Director Michael Monti, PhD, Hon. AIA.
The 2018 Equity in Architecture Survey key research objectives and goals include:
* Build a comprehensive national dataset detailing the career experiences, perceptions, and aspirations of graduates of architecture programs
* Identification of career pinch points associated with these experiences, and comparison of the impact of career development, advancement, and talent retention of professionals of different backgrounds
* Highlight employer-provided benefits, individual attitudes and behaviors that contribute to the success in navigating these pinch points. Conversely, identification of the behaviors and practices that correlate with negative outcomes.
The survey is funded through AIASF’s sustaining sponsorship program. For a full list of sponsors and supporters, please visit www.aiasf.org.
Project Background
The Equity in Architecture Research Project is an outcome of AIA San Francisco’s 2012 and 2013 sold-out Missing 32% symposia. The third Equity in Architecture Survey, launching in February 2018, will generate a comprehensive national dataset detailing current positions and career experiences of architecture school graduates. With the assistance of architecture’s national collateral organizations, AIA component chapters, firms, and academic institutions, survey invitations will be distributed to a broad cross-section of the profession. The survey endeavors to gather 10,000 responses, making it the largest-ever survey conducted on the topic of equity within the architecture profession.
Equitable practice addresses the conditions under which architectural talent is developed and retained within the profession. It reflects the architecture profession’s commitment to reflect the gender, racial, and ethnic diversity of U.S. society, and the principle that all individuals seeking careers in architecture should have access to educational and work environments that empower them to find success based on their individual talents and needs. Equity is everyone’s issue.
Equity by Design Mission Statement: Equity by Design is a call to action for women and men to realize the goal of equitable practice, advance architecture, to sustain the profession and communicate the value of design to society. The mission is to understand the pinch points and promote the strategic execution of best practices in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of our profession's best talent at every level of architectural practice.
What will the research survey project involve?
The Equity in Architecture Survey will collect the professional experiences, backgrounds, and aspirations of approximately 10,000 graduates from Architecture schools in the United States. Parallel survey tracks include the following:
* Individuals who are currently working in an architectural practice
* Individuals who have worked in an architectural practice in the past, but are currently employed in another profession (either in an aligned AEC field or not)
* Individuals who have worked in an architectural practice in the past and currently not employed, taking a career break or on a leave of absence
What should participants expect?
Participants will complete an 20-25 minutes online survey administered and secured by the research team. At the end of the online survey, participants can indicate their interest to be contacted by the research team for a follow up interview to their initial responses.
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Serving the Bay Area for more than a century, the American Institute of Architects, San Francisco Chapter, one of the largest of the AIA's nearly 300 chapters, represents more than 2,300 members practicing architecture as well as 4,000 allied community professionals in San Francisco and Marin Counties. As a resource for our members and the general public, AIA San Francisco strives to improve the quality of life in the Bay Area by promoting architecture and design. We further this goal through community involvement, education, advocacy, public outreach, member services, and professional excellence.
