Welcome to another edition of SDA's Quick in 30! This session, we dove into note-taking for business professionals, specifically focusing on the innovative Rocketbook, also known as the Smart Notebook. We were joined by Diane Klug, CDFA, a master of Rocketbook from WSP in St. Louis. Diane shared her journey with Rocketbook and demonstrated its many features.

The Rocketbook Revelation

Diane's fascination with Rocketbook began a few years ago at the SDA EDSymposium PPC fundraising event, where she encountered Rocketbook for the first time. Although she didn’t win the raffle, she went online and bought one, and has been using Rocketbook ever since.

So, what’s so magical about a notebook? Rocketbook combines the feel of traditional writing with the efficiency of digital note-taking. Using Pilot FriXion erasable pens, you can write on Rocketbook’s special paper, scan your notes to various digital destinations, and then wipe the pages clean with water to reuse the notebook multiple times.

The Eco-Friendly and Economical Choice

Rocketbook notebooks are sustainable and eco-friendly, helping to save trees by eliminating the need for single-use paper notebooks. They offer a variety of styles, including notebooks, index cards, sticky notes, calendars, multi-subject notebooks, and even whiteboards, in numerous colors. This variety ensures that there's a Rocketbook product to suit everyone's needs.

Unlocking the Magic of Smart Technology

The true magic of Rocketbook lies in its smart features and free app for iOS and Android. The app can convert your handwriting to searchable text or PDF with a simple click. Here are some of the standout features Diane highlighted:

• Smart Titles: Automatically convert handwritten titles into digital file names.
• Smart Lists: Transform handwritten lists into digital to-do lists.
• Smart Search and Tags: Enable easy searching and tagging of your notes for quick retrieval.

Getting Started with Rocketbook

To get started with Rocketbook, download the free app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app will guide you through setting up your Rocketbook, including configuring scan destinations and enabling smart features. Diane’s presentation included step-by-step instructions on setting up and using these features, emphasizing the importance of turning on all smart features to fully leverage Rocketbook’s capabilities.

Practical Tips and Tricks

Diane shared several practical tips for making the most of your Rocketbook:

• Central Location: Use a single, easy-to-find location for all your scanned notes.
• Handwriting Recognition: Ensure your handwriting is clear, especially for titles. Be sure to print as it does not recognize cursive.
• Smart Features: Use features like Smart Lists and Smart Search to stay organized and efficient.

Scanning and Saving Your Notes

Scanning with Rocketbook is simple. Open the app, select "New Scan," and hold your phone over the page. The app will automatically recognize and scan the page, converting it to a digital format and sending it to your chosen destination. You can even scan multiple pages into a single file.

Questions and Answers

During the Q&A, Diane answered questions about using Rocketbook on multiple devices, the special pens required (Pilot FriXion pens), and how to optimize settings for the best results. She also shared tips on maintaining your Rocketbook and getting the most out of its smart features.

Conclusion

Whether you're new to Rocketbook or looking to unlock its full potential, Diane’s insights and tips provide a comprehensive guide to making note-taking magical. Stay tuned for more Quick in 30 sessions where we explore innovative tools and techniques to enhance your professional life!

Intrigued by what you have read and want to learn more?  Click here to review the entire program. [SDA Members - be sure to login to be able to access the handout and program recording at no charge].

My name is Molly C. Stewart, and I am a firm administrator with a Virginia-based MEP firm. I have been with my firm for 20 years, working my way through various areas of the firm’s administration. I now serve as a firm principal and CFO. While finance is my primary focus, I continue to be involved in many aspects of the firm. I lead a small team that helps me manage and support human resources, marketing, firm administration, contracts, and project management.

This year, I had the opportunity to participate in the SDA’s EDSymposium in Colorado Springs. I was eager for this experience because most of my continuing education is done virtually, and there is something unique about in-person learning—the engagement and camaraderie. And let me tell you, the content of this event was amazing. It covered a wide array of operational support topics.

For example, we heard from Gregory Hart with PSMJ about the AEC market and current trends. It was reassuring to hear that wage inflation is easing off. While 6% increases in our industry were great, maintaining such increases year after year would have been challenging. It was also insightful to learn which markets are thriving and which ones are cooling down. This information helps companies like mine refocus their marketing efforts to diversify their workload. Gregory also touched on AI in our industry. Although we've seen AI starting to make an impact, the question remains: are we embracing it yet? Our firm should probably invest more energy to stay ahead of the competition as AI becomes more integral to our industry.

We also heard from Frank Musica with Victor Insurance. Frank discussed employment practice concerns in the workplace, highlighting issues that hadn't fully made it onto my radar yet. Who would have thought about dementia in the workplace? Even though this may be a current concern for many firms, I hadn't considered the impact of the aging population in relation to my firm and the impacts to quality and safety. One key takeaway from Frank was that “being consistent is the best risk management advice.” This piece of advice reminded me that my firm needs to review our company manual to ensure we cover workforce changes, such as our aging employees.

Finally, I want to note one additional benefit from this great experience that has nothing to do with the speakers but everything to do with personal growth. I am very much an introvert. While I may seem like a social butterfly to those who know me well, I am a wallflower at big events and usually accompany other more seasoned professionals to networking events. Attending this symposium was a big step for me, requiring personal pep talks and motivational notes! Participating in this event allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and grow both professionally and personally. I am thrilled to say that I ventured beyond my little world and now feel stronger and better prepared to support my company.

Hear Molly talk about her EDS24 experience in her own words. Click Here to Listen. 

Molly Stewart is the Vice President/Treasurer of the Administrative Department

with Vansant & Gusler, Inc. in Norfolk, VA.

She was one of the PPC Grant First Time Attendee Recipients for EDS24.

As a general rule, when there is a breach of contract, the injured party—in the case of a building owner and architect/engineer, the owner—must receive what they had a right to under the contract, but no more. A windfall or a benefit greater than would have been received had the contract been performed correctly is not allowed at the expense of the performing party or architect in this case. 

Black’s Law Dictionary describes betterment as:

“An improvement of a … building that goes beyond repair or restoration.”

For example, suppose an owner realizes that a standard built-in (plaster/painted) receptionist station is facing the wrong way on the drawings and was built as such. In that case, the owner cannot now ask for the station to be faced with marble or add a planter or other enhancement. This additional work, called “betterment,” is outside the scope of the original contract, and its costs are not allowed.

In another example, no light fixture has been shown in an entry closet. During construction, the owner adds a light fixture in the entry closet. All expenses related to adding the fixture are betterment. 

Betterment depends on what is reasonable. If an improvement is necessary and reasonable to complete the terms of a contract, then it will be allowed. If it is unreasonable, it will be considered betterment; thus, the amount of damages that constitute the upgraded improvement is not allowed. 

For example, if a city ordinance required the sidewalk around a building to be 48”wide, and it was only constructed 40” wide, the owner would benefit from the additional 8,” and it was required. The cost of the additional 8” is betterment, but demolishing pavement, for example, to allow for the additional 8” would be a cost for the engineer as it is reasonable and necessary to bring the sidewalk up to code. 

Betterment in the case of omission in design. Design professionals frequently invoke the betterment or added value defense in the context of claims involving omissions in design documents. Generally, courts require owners to pay what the omitted item would have cost had it been included in the original design. Accordingly, if the error is not discovered in the design stage, the owner should not have to pay for any additional labor or materials necessary to correct the error or the cost of necessary retrofitting demolition that would not have been part of the original design.

For example, an engineer was sued for designing an inadequate tank-drain septic system with a 1,000 sq ft drainage field instead of the required 1,200 sq ft drainage field. The owner would have had to pay the costs of the additional 200 feet required, and the engineer is not obligated to pay for that cost, but only any additional costs incurred, if any. 

Timing is crucial for the betterment defense. Traveler’s Risk Management Advisory Bulletin states:

“Timing plays a crucial role in the availability of the betterment defense and to what extent it can apply to reduce monetary liability. The key timing components are whether the project has been bid and a contract signed with the contractor, and if so, has this design element been constructed? If not, the owner may not have suffered compensable costs, at least not yet. With no compensable costs in play, a design change may fix the problem; however, the design professional will generally not be compensated for their re-work. On the other end of the spectrum, if the owner or contractor has spent money to construct all or a part of a deficient design, and must spend more to remediate the constructed design, the owner will attempt to recover these costs from the design professional who may have both a betterment defense and an associated defense of limitation of expense to the owner’s ‘first costs.’”

The concept of betterment is a highly complex but potentially money-saving defense. Consultation with the insurance company’s legal counsel and your construction lawyer is necessary to determine the correct structure of the claim, precedents, and arguments to use. Architects must understand that consulting engineers may also use this defense against them in suits. 

Want More Information? 

Click here for a video by Baker Law, “What is Betterment – The “No Free Lunch” Rule – in Design and Construction,” by Jeremy Baker, 2/26/2021.

Click here for a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) overview and examples of transportation betterment under emergency relief.

References:

Atkins, FAIA, James B. & Simpson, FAIA, Grant A. AIArchitect, Vol. 13, November 3, 2006, “A Loss Cause Too:  Betterment.”

Travelers Advisory Bulletin: A Risk Management Publication for Design Professionals.

NOTE: SDA does not endorse any products or services mentioned, and SDA does not assume responsibility for any circumstances arising out of the interpretation, application, use or misuse of any information presented.  SDA recommends the reader consult the appropriate legal, financial or human resource counsel before implementing information contained herein.