EduMind Inc

Every business is constantly seeking to improve efficiency while reducing operational costs. What if we told you, it's not necessary to hire expensive in-person consultants and firms to help improve your workflow? You can simplify your workflow optimization with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to improve processes and efficiency and increase work quality-all while reducing errors in business, health care, manufacturing, and more. This blog post will delve into the ways several types of businesses integrate AR/VR into the workforce. Businesses rely on group collaboration and teamwork to produce results. Everyone who has worked in an office setting has likely attended hours of meetings monthly if not weekly. Meetings provide the opportunity to brainstorm, collaborate, and generate team goals, but how can AR/VR come into play? Using AR/VR allows employees to put on a headset and enter a virtual conference room where they can see each other's avatars, talk to each o...

Over the years as a practicing architect, I have learned to be very careful when considering (and accepting) substitution requests from the contractor. What might initially seem like a fairly straightforward aspect of the construction phase of a project, can turn out to be a big headache if not navigated with care. First, there is the consideration of whether a contractor's substitution request is even permitted. In a publicly bid project, normally all requests for substitution are to be submitted prior to the closing of the bid period. This is to ensure that all bidders competing on the project have the same advantage of knowing what substitutes will be allowed. Further, substitution requests are not normally permitted after award of the competitively bid project. However, there are circumstances that develop post-bid-award that can alter this system, allowing the consideration of post-bid substitution requests. An example of this might be if a specified product is no longer ...

To say that the state of the economy can have an impact on competitively bid public projects is a gross understatement. In my experience, the condition of the economy can have a profound impact on competitively bid public projects. These impacts can spell trouble for the architect if they are caught off guard. For example, contract clauses in the owner/architect agreement often require that the architect expend non-compensated efforts to modify a project design if the lowest qualified bids exceed the project budget. If the economy is in a robust expansion that causes unanticipated rapidly rising construction costs, the result could be bids that greatly exceed the project budget, and the architect could have a lot of corrective work to do without additional pay. Alternately, if projected estimates of project costs rise aggressively because of an expanding economy, a project may become too expensive, and the entire effort may be abandoned by the owner. Neither of these outcomes are...

A demo reel is a short (several minutes long) video that consists of your best work in animation along with a concise description of which design elements occur in each clip. Think of a reel as a movie trailer-the goals are first to grab your audience's attention, then to keep them engaged and curious about what's coming next. EduMind has compiled a list of the most important features to include in your reel to capture the attention of your intended audience and help you get hired! Table of Contents 1. Short and Sweet 2. Tell a Story 3. 12 Principles of Animation 4. Consider Audience 5. Capture Their Attention Short and Sweet:  You are not making a movie with a reel, you are producing a bite-size compilation of animation clips that show your best work, your style, and your diversity in skills. Employers appreciate concise and well-edited submissions. If your reel extends past the few-minute mark, i...

In part three of this blog series, I discuss specifics related to when an architect observes work that appears to be nonconforming in accordance with the contract documents. First, recall that an architect does, in fact, have the authority to reject work that does not conform with the requirements of the contract documents. This authority can be intimidating, but, in my experience, needs to be used occasionally. Sometimes, the work performed is on the right track but somewhat subpar. For example, a drywall subcontractor might apply spray-on texture to a wall to save time, but the resulting texture is inconsistent in some areas. In such cases, often a simple conversation with the general contractor can result in corrective action. Perhaps I will make note of this inconsistency in an architect's field report, or perhaps it will be discussed and documented during owner/architect/ contractor on-site meetings. Then there are more complicated cases that involve a bit more strategy. I rec...