#229 - ROBERT YUEN, CEO and Co-Founder of Monograph
SUMMARY
This week Robert Yuen, CEO and Co-Founder of Monograph joins David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design to discuss his background in architecture; why and how he transitioned from the profession to creating a software product to help architects; starting his own company, Monograph; project and office management in architecture offices; what Monograph has to offer; and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT ROBERT
Robert builds tools and software. A partner at Dixon & Moe and Co-founder of Section Cut and Monograph, he’s a serial entrepreneur, a trained architect, an expert in designing software solutions, and zealously productive.
Inherently industrious by nature, Robert has made a career out of crafting his own advantages. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, the son of immigrants from Southern China, Robert’s family worked in and out of various Chinese take-out restaurants in Chicago’s north side, where he worked as a young boy. From a very young age, going through the Chicago Public School system and coming from a low-income family, he learns quickly what went into running a small family-owned restaurant. By the time he tested into Lane Tech High School and entered the school’s architectural track, he had learned not only the ins and outs of a small business but the reality that making something from nothing takes a lot of work.
ABOUT MONOGRAPH
“In 2018, Robert , Alex, and Moe were working together as an agency called Dixon & Moe, building tools and websites for startups and architecture firms.
While working with architecture firms, they noticed a recurring challenge—architects and project managers kept complaining about their existing and non-existent project management software. Even more prevalent, there was a disconnect between how projects were managed, budgets were forecast, and time was tracked. Often they would hear that existing solutions are “cumbersome” or “tedious”. Why wasn’t there a solution that could help architects manage their firms more effectively, with more transparency?
Architects are good at handling complexity. Dedicated to bringing great ideas to the world and willing to use every possible drawing and documentation tool and jump through all kinds of hoops to get their work done. Unfortunately, too much of the architect’s toolset is focused on the design and documentation of drawings instead of supporting connected workflows that improve coordination, collaboration, productivity, and ultimately the business of architecture.
Architects need more support for the half of their job that isn’t drawing details, choosing materials, submitting permits, or walking through job sites. The majority of an architect’s job is in organizing the full project team (often including numerous sub-consultants), ensuring work is on-budget, updating clients and stakeholders, documenting decisions, interpreting feedback, and delivering the finished building. When you look at it this way, it becomes clear, we need help managing the complexity of project delivery and the firm’s back-office.
So began Monograph. Our evolving answer to how we believe modern project teams will work on the built environment. A collaborative, transparent, and effective way to manage firms. We welcome you to be part of our growing community and help shape this journey.”
