We are witnessing a pivotal moment for the architecture and design industry, reminiscent of the transition from drawing tables to CAD in the 1960s. That shift was gradual; by the 1990s, CAD had largely replaced manual drafting for production drawings. Today's technological shift, however, is moving at a dramatically faster pace, with artificial intelligence transforming workflows in a matter of months rather than decades.

In this rapidly evolving landscape, A&D firms are inundated with AI-powered tools promising increased efficiency, creativity, and productivity. The possibilities are exciting and overwhelming, from design visualization and documentation to internal business operations and client communication. With this flood of innovation comes an urgent need for strategy, structure, and selectivity.

Yet, many firms lack a defined approach to evaluating, adopting, and implementing these technologies, making it easy to feel overwhelmed and even easier to fall behind. The challenge isn’t a lack of options; it’s the risk of chasing them all or avoiding them entirely.

This is where an Emerging Technologies Committee (ETC) can play a vital role, bringing clarity, focus, and strategy to how firms explore and implement new tools.

What is an Emerging Technologies Committee?

An Emerging Technologies Committee (ETC) is a dedicated group tasked with researching, testing, evaluating, and strategically implementing new tools and systems.

For Kaas Wilson Architects, a technology-forward firm with 90+ staff members across three offices, forming an ETC was their answer to software exhaustion.

"We got a little bit over our skis," explains Collin Kaas, Managing Partner at Kaas Wilson Architects. “We were launching new ideas and new software, maybe a little too fast. Employees were saying, ‘You guys are changing things constantly; I can't keep up.’"

Creating a centralized committee helped the firm regain control over technology decisions and introduce new tools with intention, clarity, and cohesion across teams.

Why Form One Now?

Like it or not, AI and other emerging technologies are advancing exponentially. A&D firms are being bombarded more than ever with new tools, and without a framework for vetting them, they risk wasting time, money, and team morale.

“I get a phone call once a week from someone wanting us to demo a new piece of software,” says Kaas. “If we don't have some control over who's evaluating it and how, it just becomes chaos.”

Stacy Thorwart, founder of The Intelligent Designer, echoes this concern:

“Without a centralized group, a lot of the innovation or dabbling happens in silos. So you might have one designer tinkering with a tool, and another who is tinkering with something else entirely. A committee helps to converge some of that tinkering into a centralized place.”

An ETC helps ensure new technologies align with your firm’s goals:

“We want a greater impact on our efficiency and productivity,” Kaas explains. “Not just a cool tool that helps us sporadically.”

How to Structure an ETC

1. Assemble a Diverse, Cross-Functional Team

Select members who represent various aspects of your firm:

• Senior leadership - Strategic vision and authority

• Technical specialists - BIM manager or tech lead

• Project staff - Designers/architects using tools daily

• Operations/Admin - Evaluate firm-wide impact

• IT/Security - Assess risks and integrations

Forming a small, focused committee helps streamline decisions and determine who within the firm is best suited to evaluate specific tools, without involving the entire team in every decision. As Kaas explains:

"The committee will decide, per offering, how best to evaluate it. So it could be that we find a pilot group of young designers who are perfect for evaluating a particular thing, and we'll bring them in as needed. But from a strategic evaluation point of view, we don't need everyone in that room.”

2. Set Clear Objectives

Define what your committee aims to accomplish:

• Evaluate new technologies against consistent criteria

• Prioritize tools with the highest firm-wide value

• Create SOPs for implementation

• Manage the pace of adoption

• Share learnings across the organization

Setting clear goals also ensures the committee stays accountable and results-oriented, rather than just performative. Thorwart encourages firms to be intentional from the start:

"Make sure you set out with clear goals and objectives of what you want inside the committee and how you're going to measure progress. Otherwise, you see people that put these committees together, they meet and feel like they're moving forward, but they're not actually achieving clear, tangible results."

3. Establish an AI or Technology Policy

Create a concise, one-page policy that:

• Defines responsible experimentation

• Clarifies the approval process

• Provides SOPs for piloting new tools

• Addresses data privacy and client confidentiality

• Sets usage limits and licensing rules

Thorwart emphasizes that even a basic one-page policy can make a big difference. She encourages firms to create guardrails that empower experimentation while maintaining alignment.

"There’s this sense of eagerness, firms not wanting to get left behind. But many are testing tools without having a basic AI or tech policy in place."

4. Define Evaluation Criteria

Use a consistent framework when assessing tools:

• Productivity impact: How much time will it save, and for whom? 

• Learning curve: How quickly can the team learn and implement?

• Integration: Does it fit with current systems?

• ROI: Will the benefits outweigh the cost? 

• Compliance: Does it comply with all required codes, standards, and firm policies?

• Security: What are the data risks? 

Kaas underscores the importance of evaluating tools based on strategic fit rather than novelty:

"We want to figure out ways that we can have a greater impact on our efficiency and productivity. Not just a cool tool that only helps us sporadically. And it's not just architectural benefits that we're looking for. If there's something out there that will help our admin, accounting, or marketing group, we should be looking at that."

5. Create a Strategic Evaluation Process

Be intentional and methodical:

• Keep a prioritized list of potential tools 

• Evaluate only 2-3 tools at a time

• Assign pilot teams best suited to each tool

• Document insights and recommendations

• Classify tools: Adopt, Reevaluate, or Pass

Thorwart warned against trying to tackle digital transformation overnight. 

“Start with 2-3 lightweight pilot opportunities with tools you think could be transformational. Like automating a process, or trying out an AI image generator to help scale your renderings.”

6. Establish a Regular Meeting Cadence

To ensure momentum and consistency, it’s important to establish a regular meeting schedule for the committee:

• Begin with weekly or bi-weekly meetings during the initial setup phase

• Transition to monthly meetings once workflows are in place

• Schedule ad hoc sessions for urgent evaluations or tool launches

Regular check-ins help the group stay aligned and responsive to new opportunities. As Kaas notes, a steady cadence was essential during the early stages of their committee:

"Right now, as we're getting this group off the ground and trying to get through a long list that has piled up, we're meeting once a week, but I’m sure that will change over time."

7. Share and Implement 

An effective ETC doesn’t stop at evaluation. It also facilitates firm-wide learning and adoption:

• Share results firm-wide so everyone understands the “why”

• Centralize SOPs and resources in an accessible hub

• Roll out in phases, giving teams time to train and build adoption 

• Run regular check-ins to capture feedback and refine as needed

When teams understand how and why new tools are being introduced, they’re more likely to adopt them successfully. As Thorwart explains:

“If more designers understand what this new technology can do, they’re better equipped to suggest where their workflow could benefit from these tools.”

Conclusion

The technology landscape is evolving too quickly for trial-and-error to be your firm’s default strategy. Whether you're a small studio or a giant firm, forming an ETC is a smart, scalable, and strategic way to stay ahead of the curve. 

By establishing a clear process for exploring, piloting, and implementing new technologies, firms position themselves to move faster and smarter. When exploration is intentional and shared openly across the organization, adoption becomes less of a burden and more of a strategic advantage.

As technology continues to advance, firms that choose and implement tools intentionally, guided by an ETC, will turn tech overwhelm into measurable growth.