179: ‘Analyzing AEC’, with Matt Wash and Konrad Sobon
A conversation with Matt Wash and Konrad Sobon about exploring digital transformation in AEC, enhancing productivity through data insights, and addressing challenges in communication and accountability within firms for improved business performance.
Matt Wash and Konrad Sobon are back on the podcast (together this time!) to talk about their personal journeys and evolving roles within Bimbeats, how firms handle challenges around communication, training, and accountability, the importance of understanding a company's "digital footprint" for decision-making and transformation, and their insights on using data to boost productivity and business performance.
Watch this Episode on YouTube:
Episode links:
Connect with the Guests
- Matt Wash on LinkedIn
- Konrad Sobon on LinkedIn
- Bimbeats website
- Bimbeats on LinkedIn
- TRXL 007: ‘Reinventing the Wheel’, with Konrad Sobon
- TRXL 093: ‘Continuous Improvement Culture’, with Matt Wash
Books and Philosophies
Eric Ries’s The Lean Startup
- Wikipedia Overview
- Amazon Link
- Learn about the methodology of iterative innovation, rapid feedback loops, and minimum viable products, mirroring the approach taken by BIMbeats in early development.
Measuring What Matters by John Doerr
- Official Book Website
- Amazon Link
- Insights into setting actionable metrics and aligning teams around objectives, relevant to the approach of BIMbeats’ implementation and measurement strategies.
Outcomes Over Output by Joshua Seiden
- Amazon Link
- Understand the core principle discussed by Matt Wash regarding prioritizing meaningful results over mere productivity metrics.
Tools for AEC
Bimbeats
- Bimbeats Official Website
- Explore this tool designed to enhance productivity, software utilization, and management insights by analyzing digital practices across various platforms in the AEC industry.
Autodesk Revit and Dynamo
- Autodesk Revit Official Site
- Dynamo BIM Official Site
- Key tools discussed, central to BIM management, automation, and data-driven workflows in architecture and engineering.
Affinity Suite by Serif (Alternative to Adobe Suite)
- Affinity Official Website
- Explore cost-effective alternatives to Adobe products (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign) mentioned as effective alternatives for companies managing licensing costs.
BricsCAD as an Alternative to AutoCAD
- BricsCAD Official Site
- Discover BricsCAD’s licensing model and functionality as a replacement for AutoCAD, providing substantial cost savings.
Digital Transformation
Nate Miller on Digital Transformation
- Proving Ground’s Nate Miller on LinkedIn
- Nate Miller’s blog post referenced by Matt: Three ideas for developing digital strategies to support smart, healthy, and fit businesses
- Follow Nate Miller’s insights on digital transformation in architecture and its implications for practice, referenced in the podcast.
Harvard Business Review on Digital Transformation
- Harvard Business Review: Digital Transformation Articles
- Articles and research on how digital transformation impacts company culture, leadership, and productivity.
Community and Open Source Contributions
Archi-lab Dynamo Package by Konrad Sobon
- Archi-lab on GitHub
- Explore the open-source Dynamo package developed by Konrad Sobon, highlighting community-driven innovation and collaborative software development.
Dynamo Community Forum
- Dynamo Forum
- Engage in the Dynamo community, a resource that Konrad referenced for collaborative learning and skill-building.
Personal Development and Workplace Wellbeing
Burnout and Productivity in AEC
- Harvard Business Review - Burnout
- Explore articles addressing the issue of burnout mentioned in the episode, providing insights on maintaining workplace wellbeing and productivity.
Related TRXL Podcast episodes
Additional TRXL episodes that discuss digital practice, software utilization, professional development, and firm culture in the AEC industry:
Episode 163 – ‘Confusing Evolution With Innovation’, with Nirva Fereshetian
- Nirva Fereshetian discusses the complexities of implementing and managing digital practice within architecture firms, addressing challenges like tool fatigue and the importance of understanding business problems when adopting new technology.
Episode 166 – ‘Dirty Little Secrets’, with Parley Burnett and Chris Shafer
- Parley Burnett and Chris Shafer explore hidden inefficiencies in the AEC industry, emphasizing the significance of BIM model health, streamlining processes, and eliminating technical debt to achieve better ROI.
Episode 168 – ‘The Challenges of Under-Digitization in AEC’, with César Flores Rodríguez
- César Flores Rodríguez addresses the challenges and opportunities in digitizing the under-digitalized AEC sector, discussing topics like real-time monitoring, cost reduction, and energy efficiency.
Episode 177 – ‘The Digital Futures of Architectural Practice’, with Kristen Forward
- Kristen Forward discusses the impact of emerging technologies on architectural practice, including computational design, BIM, and the role of AI and machine learning in shaping the future of the industry.
Episode 144 – ‘The SketchUp Story’, with Brad Schell
- Brad Schell shares the story behind the creation of SketchUp, offering insights into building company culture, leadership philosophy, and the development of a product that continues to resonate with users.
About Matt Wash:
With 28 years of experience in the AEC industry, Matt has held roles as a Technician, Structural Engineer, and Design Technology Coordinator. From the outset, he has employed lean manufacturing principles to eliminate waste and add value throughout the project lifecycle.
Five years ago, as one of the first Bimbeats customers, Matt was excited by the opportunity to quantify inefficiencies within architecture firms and communicate opportunities to improve both employee wellbeing and the company’s bottom line.
In the last two years, as Chief Digital Officer at ADG Engineers, Matt has collaborated with key stakeholders across the C-Suite and People and Culture teams. He has used actionable insights from Bimbeats to enhance the organisational health of the business, demonstrating the benefits of data analytics that extend far beyond “Revit Model Metrics”.
In 2025, Matt takes on a new challenge as CEO at Bimbeats, aiming to empower other companies to replicate the success achieved at ADG.
About Konrad Sobon:
Konrad K Sobon is an architect by education and a software developer by passion. Co-founder of Bad Monkeys, Archi-lab, and Bimbeats. Formerly an HOK, CannonDesign, and Grimshaw's Design Technology Specialist, BIM Coordinator, and Software Developer. Currently, he writes code for Archi-lab and Bimbeats while making sure that he finds time for his two daughters.
