Sometimes the people who have been around the shortest amount of time can see things the rest of us have stopped noticing.
As our summer interns, Ashton, Gunnar, and Hannah, prepared to wrap up their time at Lucido & Associates, we gave them one final assignment: After spending the summer learning how we work, tell us where we could be better.
They took us up on it.
Their presentation explored everything from artificial intelligence and emerging technology to professional development, internal knowledge sharing, software resources, and the everyday experience of being a new person learning how things get done at Lucido.
Staying Current Without Chasing Every New Thing
One of their biggest topics was, unsurprisingly, AI.
Their recommendation wasn’t simply to use more of it. Instead, they challenged us to think intentionally about where emerging tools could improve efficiency while recognizing their limitations and the ethical and privacy considerations that come with them.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the software used throughout the design and planning industries, their suggestion was to experiment thoughtfully, establish clear standards, protect confidential and proprietary information, and always verify AI-generated work.
Most importantly, use AI as a tool to support designers, not replace them.
That balance between curiosity and responsibility was a theme that extended well beyond technology.
Making What We Know Easier to Share
The interns also noticed just how much knowledge exists within the people at Lucido—and asked how we could do a better job of capturing and sharing it.
What if team members regularly shared an interesting piece of research, a new product, an unfamiliar plant, a regulatory update, or inspiration discovered somewhere else?
What if tutorials were recorded for future employees? What if AutoCAD shortcuts, mentor tips, useful resources, and lessons learned were easier for someone new to find without having to ask the same questions others had asked before them?
Their ideas weren’t about replacing mentorship. Quite the opposite. They were about finding better ways to extend its reach so knowledge can continue moving through the firm.
Knowing What Not to Change
Perhaps our favorite part of the presentation was what they thought we were already getting right.
Keep the Lunch & Learns. Keep encouraging mentors and interns to learn from one another. Keep creating opportunities for collaboration and team building. Keep the supportive office environment.
And yes, keep bringing dogs to the office.
Noted.
Their final recommendations ultimately struck an important balance: stay current with technology and industry research, improve communication and efficiency, maintain high professional standards—and preserve the culture that makes people want to work here.
Asking Ourselves What Comes Next
We spend a lot of time thinking about what’s next for the communities we help shape. Their presentation was a good reminder that it’s worth asking the same question of ourselves.
More than 40 years into Lucido & Associates’ story, staying relevant doesn’t mean changing everything for the sake of change. It means remaining curious enough to question how we work, open enough to listen when someone sees an opportunity to improve, and thoughtful enough to recognize what’s worth carrying forward.
We’re grateful to Ashton, Gunnar, and Hannah for spending their summer learning from us—and especially for giving us the opportunity to learn from them.
Now we’ll pass their assignment along: What are you doing to stay relevant in your industry—and where might a fresh set of eyes help you see something you’ve been missing?
