Evolution of practice: proven ways to consolidate a practice's early success

Is the evolution of a practice strategic or one big risky and opportunistic adventure? Most practices have to navigate a series of thresholds as they grow and develop. Some are practical – starting up, taking on a first employee, creating systems – and others more ephemeral, to do with reputation and identity – how to arrive, stay relevant, survive succession. Intrigued by the varying success practices have in negotiating these moments, Emma Keyte and I have interviewed nearly fifty practices over the past 18 months, to discover how taking full advantage of each turning point can help to set a practice’s trajectory towards the next.

We wrote up this research as a series of articles for the RIBA Journal which were illustrated by our friends at McCloy + Muchemwa. The second in the series looked at what for many – is a tricky middle ground as their practice matures. While there’s much to gain from growth and experience, there’s also much to lose. To many onlookers, a mature practice lacks the novelty of an emergent one, so how do you stay relevant when your practice has once been perceived as cutting edge? Read the full piece here