The powerful combination of an inviting space for worship, engaging technology, and talented creative teams make for the ultimate worship experience. In an ideal world, architects, AVL designers, integrators and church staff come together on new church builds, renovations and upgrades to deliver this kind of space—the very best end product for a church. Experienced teams that complement one another can also save time and money, critical considerations for churches. Unfortunately, in our less-than-perfect world, the experts we hire often approach a project with different experiences, priorities and disparate expectations. While it’s important to acknowledge and perhaps even celebrate different professional views, these varying attitudes can sometimes prevent teams from working with a common vision. So how can you get and keep all these experts working together?
Experience shows that teams coming together, communicating well, and sharing a common vision yields the best result for church building and upgrade projects.
The following are four easy-to-implement strategies for a successful project. Gathered from the experts, these simple ideas can bring your teams closer together and keep your next project on point from the very start.
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1-Engage Teams Early
For Adam Hayward, who is in charge of Outside Sales at Vincent Lighting Systems, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it is imperative that design teams are onboard as early into the building process as possible. “More often than we’d like, it isn’t until the project is underway that we find that the project requires additional infrastructure, such as steel, conduit, or blocking that would have been easier to add during the design process,” he says. “Issues like that should be worked out early since they can become larger obstacles to overcome once a building is under construction.” Hayward was able to avoid many such issues engaging early with engineering and construction teams during a complete reconstruction of a landmark church in Cincinnati, the new Crossroads Church Uptown campus. Early coordination across teams was critical lighting plans with so many areas of the building being rebuilt, renovated and redesigned.
“Knowing [details such as worship style, use of space, and existing equipment to be integrated] early leads to a better design, and causes less frustration regarding system operation when the building comes online.” Adam Hayward, Outside Sales, Vincent Lighting Systems, Pittsburgh, PA
In addition, Hayward offers that churches would be well advised to arm design teams with as much detail as possible. “That would include an understanding of worship style, how the space is used, and any existing equipment to be integrated,” he says. “Knowing these details early leads to a better design, and causes less frustration regarding system operation when the building comes online.”
Part of early communications about a project should also include being clear about finances. “Be open and honest regarding the budget that has been set aside for the different portions of the project,” offers Hayward. Whether the project is large or small, knowing the budget and the church’s needs upfront lays the groundwork for design teams. “The best solutions,” he says, “are those that take both of these items into account from the start.”
2-Continued Communications
According to Patrick Buescher, director of technical operations at Crossroads Church Uptown, Cincinnati, consistent and accurate communication throughout a project is not only important to get a good result, but also to keep projects on track. In particular, he cautions that anything but clear communication about cost vs. risk can lead a project astray.
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“On construction projects of any size, change orders are inevitable,” Buescher says, “but having clear communication about an expected cost up front enables stakeholders to make better decisions.” In sharing ideas with contractors and architectural designers, Buescher would encourage teams to keep context in mind. “It’s sometimes about communicating clearly about that last 5%,” he says, “to determine if a change is really important enough to be worth the additional time and expense. Consider: Is this change something that you really need or would it be just nice to have?”
In sharing ideas with contractors and architectural designers, Buescher would encourage teams to keep context in mind. “It’s sometimes about communicating clearly about that last 5%."
Buescher adds that when communications break down or are incomplete, the result can be costly. “Construction can stop while a change is being researched. In some cases, your project might lose hours or even days on a proposed change that isn’t worth the effort or wasn’t really needed,” he says.
3-Share Experience
Along with their expertise, church architects, AVL designers, and integrators bring their experience to every project. Church technical directors and staff bring experience about their particular church spaces, practices and expectations for worship. Both groups have a lot to offer, and the ability to share those experiences is what shapes a project. In particular, churches can profit from the experience of AVL designers and integrators who come to a new project with experience that makes them well aware of what gear and what practices might work best in that situation.
“We make an effort to explain to churches that having better AVL systems is a commitment in terms of personnel, as well as equipment." Zach Guida, RTW Media, Ruther Glen, VA
As an experienced AVL integrator, Zack Guida, of RTW Media of Ruther Glen, Virginia, sees many opportunities for integrators and other experts to share their experience with churches who are upgrading or installing new technology. One such area is the critical human component that Guida describes as one of several ‘hidden’ costs associated with running AVL systems. “We make an effort to explain to churches that having better AVL systems is a commitment in terms of personnel, as well as equipment,” he says. “Churches need to have enough people to effectively design for and use the equipment each week. That includes having enough people to avoid 'burnout.'”
Guida knows that equipment is only as good as those who run it. As a result, he feels that integrators would do well to help churches understand that a commitment for better AVL technology must also consider supporting those individuals responsible for the systems with training, as well as opportunities to learn and grow. “Good training and a positive environment pay themselves back many times over,” he says.
4-Show Respect
“It’s important to keep in mind that everyone brings something to the table,” he says. “You never know where a great idea is going to come from and it’s not always where you’d expect.” Chad Brown, Architect, Principal, JML Architects, Dothan, AL
Experience shows that teams coming together, communicating well, and sharing a common vision yields the best result for church building and upgrade projects. Architect Chad Brown, principal at JML Architects of Dothan, Alabama, says that being respectful and listening to other points of view can take teams—and a project—to the next level. “It’s important to keep in mind that everyone brings something to the table,” he says. “You never know where a great idea is going to come from and it’s not always where you’d expect.”
"It might just be something in there you hadn’t considered and that no one brought up. It pays to respect other’s experience and differing points of view." Chad Brown, Architect, Principal, JML Architects, Dothan, AL
Sometimes, Brown offers, even ideas that might seem extreme or even outlandish from one point of view, might have hidden benefits. “It might just be something in there you hadn’t considered and that no one brought up. It pays to respect other’s experience and differing points of view. It doesn’t matter if the project is large or small, the best things happen when we are all working together towards a common goal.”
[Editor's note: Originally posted in January 2019.]
