The Challenge: Fragmented Data Collection

We all know that responding to an RFP for architectural services is time-consuming. “It was almost like a wild scavenger hunt every time we were going after an RFP. We wasted so much time on this hunt,” stated KSA Interiors COO, Sara Lasseter.

Her team sought to rethink their request for proposal (RFP) workflow. Their small architecture firm size necessitates that everyone participates in the RFP creation process. But due to a lack of standardized data capture, information was all over the place.

To add to the fragmentation, their multi-software workflow was clunky and prone to human error. The KSA Interior Design team previously relied on desktop-based Microsoft Access to track their project history. Lasseter spent four years creating and maintaining this database. From there, they would export into Excel to create pages or copy and paste text into InDesign for formatting.

They had to wrestle with both software to get their desired outcome – an on-brand and aesthetically pleasing RFP PDF. Reinventing the wheel for every new RFP was not adding value for their firm. In fact, it took time away from design, client care, and mentoring.

The Solution: Centralizing Their Project History and FF&E Standards

To streamline their architectural RFP process, Lasseter and her team searched for a better solution. Their requirements? Something that is easy to use, customizable, and visually appealing.

Initially, the KSA Interiors team looked at Layer App for FF&E management. They were curious if they could use it for architectural RFPs as well. They gave it a shot and created a project database template in Layer App, where they could store each project as an individual row in the table.

While each project in their portfolio varied in scope, their projects share attributes. For example, every project had team members, site info, and sustainability requirements associated with it. Layer App’s Table View facilitated consistent data formatting and collection. This consistency also applied to their FF&E standards, allowing them to manage specifications and design elements efficiently.

Their “aha” moment was when they realized they could replace their Excel and InDesign workflow with Layer App. “At first, we thought we were going to use Layer as a database to gather information,” Lasseter states. “When we discovered that we could generate appealing documents in-app, we cut out InDesign from our RFP workflow entirely.”

They used Layer App’s Document Builder to visualize that data. The app’s flexibility allowed them to incorporate their graphic identity into the page design, while also serving as a “shell” for the team to standardize FF&E data and information for every spec.

One of the standout benefits of centralizing their data in Layer was how it improved internal collaboration. Layer became a vital tool for sharing internal standards across the team. Junior members, who might have found the previous process daunting, could now easily contribute to RFPs and project specs. “Layer became a communication line for our younger designers to communicate with the lead designers about projects,” explains Lasseter. This not only simplified the onboarding process for new team members but also empowered them to engage with the firm’s standards and workflows from the start.

Layer App’s relational database functionality enabled the team to link their project database to their people database. As a result, employee resumes instantly populate with the projects they contributed to.

“The time investment in putting everything into a single database repository is worth the return. The output is so fast.”

By centralizing data and automating the PDF process, KSA Interiors not only streamlined their RFP workflow but also enhanced the management of their FF&E standards. Their database serves as a template for every new RFP, and when a new proposal comes along, the KSA team simply duplicates their master template and customizes from there. The system has also fostered a more collaborative environment, making it easier for junior members to be actively involved in the process from the start.