OutThink - The Outhouse Blog

The Outsource Hub for Home Builders

OutThink

Unlocking Outhouse’s Potential with OKRs 


By

Courtesy of Adobe Stock By Kattika

2. Preparing for the OKR Journey 

In our first post, we explored why your company might want to adopt OKRs. Now, as we move forward, it’s time to focus on preparation. Just like building a home, laying a solid foundation is crucial before you start raising the walls. The same holds true for OKRs. A little preparation goes a long way in ensuring a successful implementation. And remember, OKRs are a journey, not a one-time event. 

This guide is tailored to help home builders, trade contractors, suppliers, architects, engineers, and others in the housing industry adapt OKRs to your unique company culture. Most of us don’t have a Silicon Valley mindset, so adaptation is key. However, there are some basic questions every company should address to get started on the right path: 

The Planning Phase 

Who Will Champion OKRs? 

Every successful OKR implementation starts with a passionate champion. This person, often a senior executive, must be deeply committed to rolling out the OKR strategy. Without this sponsorship, no initiative will survive. Who in your company has the drive and influence to lead this charge? Identify your champion, and make sure they have the backing they need to succeed. 

What Is the Most Critical First Step? 

Before diving into the nuts and bolts of OKRs, it’s essential to secure buy-in from your team. Everyone needs to be on board with the OKR program. This step isn’t just about understanding the framework, philosophy, and goals—it’s about fostering a collective commitment to the process. By the end of this series, you should feel confident in reviewing OKRs with your team and ready to get them excited about the journey ahead. 

What Matters Most? 

OKRs aren’t about doing everything; they’re about focusing on what’s most important. The beauty of OKRs lies in their ability to help you isolate the most critical business issues and dedicate your efforts to solving them. What are the fundamental priorities for your company right now? Your OKRs should zero in on these key areas, driving your business forward with purpose. 

How Will We Create Transparency? 

One of the greatest strengths of OKRs is their transparency. Ideally, OKRs should be visible throughout the organization, allowing everyone to see what’s being measured and provide feedback. This openness not only fuels collaboration but also ensures alignment and strategy execution across all levels of the company. 

How Will We Live Our OKRs? 

The real magic of OKRs comes from integrating them into the daily life of your company. They aren’t just set and forgotten—they should be part of your daily, weekly, and quarterly routines. From initial planning meetings to status updates and dashboards, OKRs need to be lived and breathed by your entire team. 

The Development Phase 

Once you’ve answered these foundational questions, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start developing your first set of OKRs. Here’s how to approach this next phase: 

  1. Mission, Vision, and Strategy: Your OKRs should be deeply rooted in your company’s mission, vision, and strategy. These elements are the bedrock of your OKRs, driving the achievement of your long-term goals. Make sure they’re solid before moving forward. 
  2. Corporate-Level OKRs: Start at the top by creating OKRs at the corporate level. You might involve a small team, gather input from employees through surveys, or conduct executive interviews. However you approach it, the key is to ensure that these OKRs align with your broader strategy and are communicated clearly to the entire organization. 
  3. Presenting OKRs: Don’t just send out an email and call it a day. Use multiple channels to communicate your OKRs—share them electronically, post them on your intranet, and most importantly, discuss them in person. An all-hands meeting, for example, can be a great way to facilitate dialogue and ensure everyone understands the OKRs and the reasons behind them. 
  4. OKR Education: While OKRs are simple in theory, they require proper education to implement effectively. Take the time to educate your team not just on the fundamentals, but on why you’re choosing to use OKRs now, success stories from other firms, and what they can expect along the journey. 
  5. Monitoring OKRs: OKRs are not a “set it and forget it” tool. You need to monitor them regularly, using an OKR Scorecard and following a quarterly, monthly, or weekly schedule—whatever cadence works best for your organization. 
  6. Reporting Results: At the end of each quarter, score your OKRs and communicate the results across the organization. This isn’t just about accountability; it’s about learning and improving as you move forward. 
Courtesy of Adobe Stock By SakdaSong

The Strategy Alignment Phase 

OKRs should never exist in isolation—they need to reflect your company’s broader purpose, long-term goals, and strategy. Here’s how to ensure alignment: 

  • Company Mission: Your mission statement defines your core purpose—why your company exists. It’s your organization’s guiding light, constantly pursued but never fully achieved. Aligning your OKRs with this mission ensures that the work you do today contributes to your long-term purpose. 
    Your mission isn’t just a lofty ideal—it’s the compass that guides every decision your company makes. It reflects why your employees show up every day and serves as a reminder of the bigger picture, the greater good your company is striving to achieve. Whether it’s building homes that stand the test of time or creating communities where families thrive, your mission should be the foundation upon which your OKRs are built. 
    Unlike a vision or a strategy that may evolve over time, your mission remains a constant. It’s the steady north star that ensures every OKR you set is aligned with the core purpose of your organization. When your mission is clear and compelling, it’s much easier to steer the company in the right direction, keeping your OKRs in sync with the ultimate goal. 
  • Long-Term Vision: While your mission defines your company’s purpose, your vision paints a picture of where you want to be in the future. This vision is the bridge between your mission and your strategy—it’s the destination on the horizon that everyone in your organization is working toward. 
    Your vision statement should be a vivid, concrete picture of your desired future state, whether it’s five, ten, or fifteen years down the line. It’s not just about imagining a better tomorrow; it’s about providing a clear, tangible target that informs your strategy and your OKRs. Without this vision, your team might work hard, but without a clear direction, their efforts could be scattered and less impactful. 
    When your vision is well-defined, it fuels motivation and aligns your team’s efforts. Every OKR should serve as a stepping stone towards achieving this vision, ensuring that your short-term actions contribute to long-term success. It’s this alignment that transforms a collection of individual goals into a cohesive, strategic push towards a shared future. 
  • Annual Strategy: Your strategy is your game plan for achieving your vision. It’s about making tough decisions—choosing which markets to target, which customers to serve, and which opportunities to pursue or pass on. This is where the power of “No” becomes critical. Not every opportunity is worth chasing, and your strategy helps you focus on what matters most. 
    An effective strategy clarifies your priorities and sets the stage for your OKRs. It answers the critical questions: What are our preferred markets? Who are our optimal customers? What are their most pressing needs? By addressing these, your strategy guides the creation of OKRs that not only align with your vision but also address the real-world challenges and opportunities your company faces. 
    When your OKRs are directly tied to your annual strategy, they become a powerful tool for executing that strategy. They provide clarity, focus, and a roadmap for achieving your strategic goals, ensuring that every part of the organization is working in harmony towards the same objectives. 
    Finally, remember that a great strategy isn’t static—it evolves as your market changes, as new challenges arise, and as you learn from your successes and setbacks. Your OKRs should reflect this dynamism, allowing your company to remain agile and responsive while staying true to your mission and vision. 

Ready to start developing your OKRs? With a clear understanding of your most critical objectives and how to adapt OKRs to fit your company’s culture, you’re now ready to take action! 

Next up… Crafting Great OKRs – Part 1. 

Bill Gelbaugh Outhouse Senior Partner

Bill Gelbaugh is one of our Senior Partners here at Outhouse and champions our OKR efforts.

Unlocking Outhouse’s Potential with OKRs 


By

Prologue

A few years ago, I found myself at a crossroads. As a partner at Outhouse, I had always prided myself on being a hands-on leader who could inspire creativity and innovation. But despite our successes, I started to feel like we were missing something—a clear, cohesive strategy that could unite our diverse teams around common goals. We were a group of talented individuals, but without a consistent framework to guide our efforts, we often struggled with direction, focus, and accountability. 

Meetings would drag on without concrete outcomes, projects would lose momentum, and our best ideas sometimes got lost in the shuffle. It was frustrating, and I knew we needed a change—a way to harness the full potential of our team and drive Outhouse forward. 

That’s when I discovered OKRs—Objectives and Key Results. I came across them while reading about how companies like Google and Intel had used this framework to achieve remarkable success. The concept was simple but powerful: set clear, ambitious objectives, define measurable key results to track progress, and align everyone around these goals. 

The idea sparked something in me. I saw OKRs as the path forward—a way to bring clarity and purpose to every level of our organization, from leadership to management, product development, and our creative teams. 

Implementing OKRs wasn’t without its challenges. It required a shift in how we thought about goals and accountability. But once we committed to the process, the transformation was undeniable. Suddenly, we had a shared language for success. Our objectives were no longer vague aspirations—they were clear, actionable targets that everyone understood and could rally around. 

OKRs didn’t just help us set goals; they changed how we worked together. Our teams became more focused, our meetings more productive, and our projects more impactful. We were no longer pulled in a hundred different directions—instead, we moved forward with purpose and confidence. 

In this series of blog posts, I’ll share the journey we took at Outhouse to implement OKRs and how they helped us thrive in a competitive market. If you’ve ever felt like your team could achieve more but just needed the right framework, then this series is for you. 

Let’s explore how OKRs can make a real difference—not just in theory, but in the day-to-day realities of running a successful business. 

1. Introducing OKRs: Understanding Why You Should Adopt Them 

Why write a series of blog posts about Objectives and Key Results, or OKRs? At first glance, OKRs might seem like just another goal-setting methodology. But let me tell you, they are so much more. OKRs are a powerful tool that can transform how you execute your business strategy, driving focus, alignment, contribution, and velocity within your team. 

When Silicon Valley startups realized that OKRs were behind the meteoric rise of companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Amazon, a wave of businesses rushed to adopt them, hoping to capture even a fraction of that success. And here at Outhouse, we’ve experienced firsthand the impact OKRs can have, especially in the competitive home-building market. 

In this first post, we’ll explore how the best companies use OKRs to harness that magic. We’ll start with the basics: the OKR framework, the philosophy behind it, the four goals of OKRs, and the incredible benefits you might be missing out on by not adopting them in your organization. 

Let’s Start with a Question—or Four! 

As Ken Coleman wisely said, “Good questions inform. Great questions transform.” Throughout our OKR journey at Outhouse, we’ve discovered four key questions that help us set successful OKRs: 

  1. What do we most want to achieve?
    What’s the right objective for our current goals and challenges? 
  2. How do we want to measure success?  
    What metrics will best show our progress and success? 
  3. What initiatives will get us there?  
    Are we working on the right initiatives to achieve this objective? 
  4. What’s the most efficient way to accomplish this?  
    Are we completing these initiatives as efficiently as possible?   

Is your objective to create a thriving business? What does “thriving” mean to you? Is it growing your user base? By how much? Is it increasing revenue? By what percentage? Is it improving retention? For how long? Combining an aspirational objective with quantitative results and focused initiatives allows you to set inspiring, measurable, and achievable goals. 

But setting a great goal is only half the battle. As a leader, your challenge is ensuring that your organization lives that goal every day. The real power of the OKR system lies in figuring out how to embed those goals into the daily, weekly, and quarterly rhythm of your company—into everything from planning meetings and status updates to celebrating achievements along the way. 

Are you ready to start implementing OKRs in your business? Let’s dive into the basics! 

The OKR Framework 

OKRs are built around three core elements: 

  1. Objective: Where do we want to go? 
  2. Key Results: What are the measurable outcomes we need to get there? 
  3. Initiatives: What do we need to do to achieve those results? 

The Objective is the goal of the company, team, or individual. Key Results are the measurable benchmarks that indicate progress toward the Objective. Initiatives are the tasks you need to perform to achieve those results—essentially, your “to-do list.” This framework is applied from the top of the organization down. Starting with an overall company Objective, each group or team sets their OKRs, and individual employees often have OKRs as well. This cascading interplay of goals keeps everyone aligned and moving in the same direction. 

The OKR Philosophy 

OKRs aren’t just about setting goals—they embody a unique belief system that sets them apart from other goal-setting methodologies: 

  • Ambitious: Objectives are meant to inspire, set just beyond what seems possible. Achieving 70-80% of a stretch goal is considered a success, not a failure. The idea is to push boundaries and aim high. 
  • Measurable: Key Results are tied to tangible milestones and outcomes. They remove ambiguity, providing a clear picture of progress. 
  • Transparent: OKRs are visible across the organization, from the CEO down to the newest intern. This openness fosters accountability and alignment, ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction. 

This approach to goal setting was pioneered by Andy Grove at Intel and was later popularized by John Doerr, who introduced OKRs to Google. Today, thousands of organizations—from Spotify to the United States Navy—use OKRs as a central part of their management strategy. 

The Goals of OKRs 

When setting OKRs, it’s not just about listing tasks—it’s about strategic focus and collaboration: 

  • Focusing Efforts: OKRs are designed to be strategic rather than a mere checklist of tasks. They help identify the most critical business objectives, ensuring that your team’s efforts are concentrated on what truly matters. Strategy, as they say, is as much about deciding what not to do as it is about deciding what to do. With OKRs, discipline is key—only the most essential objectives should make the cut. 
  • Ensuring Team Collaboration: OKRs are structured to maximize teamwork, driving focused collaboration across the organization. The transparency inherent in OKRs, where everyone can see each other’s objectives and key results, fosters a culture of openness and alignment. It’s about everyone rowing in the same direction. 
  • Making Measurable Contributions: Key Results should be quantitative, providing clear evidence of progress. This removes subjectivity, allowing your team to see exactly how they’re advancing toward their goals. 
  • Driving the Company Forward: Ultimately, the success of your company hinges on achieving your goals. OKRs are the roadmap that keeps you moving forward, ensuring that every step you take is in the right direction. 

The Benefits of OKRs 

There’s a saying that “the simpler, the better,” and OKRs embody this philosophy, bringing tremendous benefits to those who implement them: 

  • OKRs Are Easy to Understand: Their simplicity is one of the biggest advantages. With just three elements—Objectives, Key Results, and Initiatives—OKRs cut through the noise. Unlike other performance management frameworks bogged down by jargon, OKRs are straightforward, making them easy to grasp and adopt. 
  • OKRs Demand Focus on What Matters Most: OKRs help you zero in on the most crucial priorities, guiding your team’s energy toward what truly matters. This focus not only drives performance but also empowers you to say no to tempting distractions that don’t align with your strategic goals. 
  • OKRs Foster Agility and Readiness for Change: OKRs typically operate on a quarterly cycle, allowing for frequent reassessment of priorities. In a fast-changing world, this shorter cadence ensures that your business remains agile, able to adapt quickly to new information and evolving circumstances. 
  • OKRs Promote Transparency and Alignment: With OKRs, transparency is key. Corporate-level objectives are visible to everyone, and team or departmental OKRs are shared across the organization. This openness encourages cross-functional collaboration and alignment, ensuring synchronization of every team’s efforts. 
  • OKRs Facilitate Conversation and Drive Engagement: OKRs aren’t just handed down from the top—they involve input from all levels of the organization. This inclusive approach fosters engagement, as team members feel ownership over their goals. When it comes time to review results, these conversations can boost morale and reveal opportunities for growth and development. 
  • OKRs Encourage Visionary Thinking and a Growth Mindset: At Outhouse, we believe in the power of a growth mindset—a belief that success comes from hard work, learning from failure, and continuously striving for improvement. OKRs embody this philosophy, encouraging audacious goal-setting and a willingness to step out of comfort zones. This mindset is crucial for thriving in today’s competitive environment. 

In Summary 

At Outhouse, we’re fortunate to have a team full of visionary, intelligent, and creative people. But over time, we realized that great ideas alone weren’t enough—we needed a better way to organize and prioritize our efforts. It’s easy to fall into the trap of starting too many projects at once, spreading ourselves too thin. OKRs have allowed us to continue pushing the envelope on innovation while forcing us to focus on the ideas that will have the greatest impact on our company and our clients. 

We believe your business can benefit from implementing OKRs as well. With the right focus, alignment, and execution, you can achieve extraordinary results. 

Next up… Preparing for Our OKR Journey! 

Bill Gelbaugh is one of our Senior Partners here at Outhouse and champions our OKR efforts.

Bill Gelbaugh is one of our Senior Partners here at Outhouse and champions our OKR efforts.

The Fibonacci Sequence and The Golden Ratio in Home Design


By

The Secret Formula Behind Beautiful Homes: The Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio Use Math to Create Beauty in Your Home

Examples of the Fibonacci spiral: stair cases, grapefruit, shells, sunflower, plants
Fibonacci spirals in a variety of contexts courtesy of Canva Pro

Coming from a financial background, when I think about the Fibonacci sequence, I think of a mathematical tool that market analysts use to understand and project market trends. I think of debatable market theory that sparks hot button discussions. For me, the Fibonacci sequence elicits thoughts of pie charts and trend lines. It’s an interesting tool in a market analyst’s toolbox.

When a colleague mentioned it to me in the realm of homebuilding, art, and aesthetics, my mind was blown. I had to learn more about this versatile sequence.

A Bit About the Fibonacci Sequence

The origin of the Fibonacci sequence is much discussed, but it’s believed that it has a hodgepodge evolution with both ancient Indian and medieval European ancestry. The mathematical concept itself seems to have appeared in Indian history as early as 200BC. Sanskrit poetry suggested the sequence in its rhythmic patterns.

In the West, the sequence became more widely known around 1202 as a result of Leonardo of Pisa, aka Fibonacci, when he introduced it to discuss the nature of rabbit population growth. The name “Fibonacci Sequence” wasn’t made popular until much later by a French mathematician named Edouard Lucas. Lucas conducted extensive research on the sequence. He realized that it had deeper relationships with other mathematical concepts. His formalization of this mathematical study allowed for a broader understanding of underlying mathematical structures and eventually led to his development of his own sequences, Lucas sequences, as well as the Lucas-Lehmer primality test.

Vector Set by Studioworkstock courtesy of AdobeStock

The Journey from Mathematics to Nature and Art

The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers in which each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13). In nature, it is often seen in the arrangement of leaves, petals, seeds, and even galaxies. The Golden Ratio is a mathematical constant approximately equal to 1.618. It can be found in plenty in nature from the ratio of the length of a human arm to the length of the forearm, to the ratio of the length of a snail shell to its width, to the ratio of the distance between branches of a tree to the distance between the trunk and its branches.

If you look around you, you’re bound to notice the repeating patterns at work. Scientists hypothesize that the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio often lead to the most efficient arrangement for space-saving in nature. An example of this might be the number of seeds that can fit into the head of a sunflower, any other arrangement would not allow this maximized number of seeds. If you take the time to explore, you’ll notice this same thing in pinecones, lilies, and tree branches. All these things grow in spirals and often demonstrate Fibonacci patterns. Beyond plant life, you can observe this pattern in honeybee colonies and the nautilus shell. Look around, and you’ll be surprised to see mathematical sequences everywhere adding to the beauty of the visuals we assume happen at random.

In art, one need only look for a subtle spiral flow to recognize the influence of the Fibonacci sequence, guiding the viewer’s eye through the piece. Artists have embraced the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio for centuries. Master artists like Leonardo da Vinci had an affinity for mathematics, incorporating it into their art. The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper create a sense of balance and harmony that have captured the hearts and minds of audiences across the world. Leonardo employed the Golden Ratio to create a visual flow that captivates viewers.

The Fibonacci House by Square Three Architecture

Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio in Architecture and Home Design

Ancient structures like the Parthenon in Greece are testament to the Golden Ratio as far as showcasing adherence to proportions. The influence of these mathematical principles lends a timeless elegance to historical structures. Modern architects can draw inspiration from these architectural beauties when designing for enduring appeal. The golden ratio helps create a balance that makes sure that buildings are both visually pleasing and functional.

In home design, the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence offer a blueprint for creating spaces that feel instinctively balanced and inviting. Room dimensions, furniture placement, window and door sizes, and even decorative elements can all be guided by these principles. Notably, some architects have even designed entire homes based on the Fibonacci sequence. If you have a chance, take a look at this home by Square Three Architecture. They call it the Fibonacci House, and it is designed entirely around a Fibonacci spiral, incorporating the sequence throughout. The Fibonacci House is an extreme example, but it effectively demonstrates how the sequence and the Golden Ratio can be used to create pleasing flows within a design.

Other Ratios in Home Design

The Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence may be the most used ratios in home design, but there are other mathematical sequences that can be used to create aesthetically pleasing spaces. Another approach to explore might be the Rule of Thirds. This rule divides a space into nine equal parts, with the points of intersection serving as focal points for furniture or decor. While not directly related to the Fibonacci sequence, the Rule of Thirds offers a similar approach to achieving visual balance and appeal.

The Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio are more than just mathematical tools or systems; they are the underlying architects of wonder and coherence in our physical environments. From the beauty of nature to the style of art and the hygge of our homes, their influence is everywhere. A timeless aesthetic can be brought into our designs through balance and proportion if we understand these principles and incorporate them into our designs properly. The next time you’re awestruck by the sunsetting over the ocean, a fascinating painting, or a stunning room design, consider the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio. They might just be the underlying mathematical forces that harmonize the beauty you sense.

Generative AI Unleashed: Real-World Applications and Implications of Generative AI for Businesses


By

In an era where tech is sprinting forward, generative AI is shaking things up across the board. Companies are using it for all sorts of things, like whipping up content or fine-tuning their workflows. This game-changing tech is totally reshaping how businesses innovate and stay ahead. In this blog, we’ll investigate the possibilities and hurdles that come with generative AI, and how savvy companies can harness its power.

Opportunities with Generative AI

Generative AI can create text, speech, images, music, video, and even code, making it a versatile tool for various applications. Here are some key opportunities:

1. Content Creation: Businesses can produce a consistent online presence by using Generative AI to help develop high-quality content.

Nike, known for its innovative digital marketing, leverages AI technology to add emotional depth to its campaigns. By using AI to analyze the emotional traits of audience segments, Nike creates ad content that deeply resonates with consumers, boosting ROI.

One of their campaigns driven by AI-powered emotional analysis was the launch of Serena William’s sports apparel and the celebration of women in sports. Nike showcased a successful blend of influencer marketing and advanced technology. This approach has been a key factor in the brand’s ongoing success. Much of the content could have been produced without AI.

2. Customer Service: Human agents can find more time for complex issues by leveraging AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants to handle repetitive customer inquiries. Sometimes, the technology can even produce high quality customer services in an environment where none existed before.

Sephora makes innovative use of AI to enhance the customer experience. Recognizing that many shoppers felt overwhelmed by their extensive product range, Sephora implemented an interactive chatbot-driven quiz to guide users through the shopping process. This not only personalizes the experience but also makes it more enjoyable.

Their success led to the launch of an AI-powered shopping service on Facebook Messenger, featuring tools like a virtual color match assistant and KikBot, an AI makeup expert offering tips. The results are impressive: Sephora has seen a 44% increase in customer engagement, and their chatbot now handles 72% of routine inquiries autonomously. This blend of technology and personalization truly sets Sephora apart in the beauty industry.

Sephora Chat Bot Images
Photo Credit: https://www.chatbotguide.org/sephora-bot

3. Product Design: Generative AI is transforming physical product design by significantly shortening design cycles and sparking unprecedented innovation.

This technology enables rapid generation and high-fidelity visualization of design concepts, making it easier to gather precise consumer feedback and refine designs. McKinsey estimates that generative AI could unlock $60 billion in productivity within product research and design alone.

3. Product Design: Generative AI is transforming physical product design by significantly shortening design cycles and sparking unprecedented innovation.

This technology enables rapid generation and high-fidelity visualization of design concepts, making it easier to gather precise consumer feedback and refine designs. McKinsey estimates that generative AI could unlock $60 billion in productivity within product research and design alone.

4. Marketing: AI can improve customer engagement and conversion rates by personalizing marketing campaigns.

Heinz A.I Ketchup, ‘Draw Ketchup’ campaign, property of Heinz Ketchup

Heinz has taken a creative approach to customer engagement by leveraging AI image generators following the success of their ‘Draw Ketchup’ campaign, which saw a remarkable 1,500% uplift. The brand encouraged both employees and fans to use AI tools to create artistic interpretations of their iconic ketchup bottle.

This initiative not only produced a wealth of amusing content (both user and AI generated) but also fostered a deeper connection with customers, as they actively participated in the brand’s narrative. The creative use of modern digital technologies has led to high engagement levels, showcasing Heinz’s ability to stay relevant and innovative in the marketing landscape.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

While the potential of generative AI is vast, it also comes with significant challenges:

1. Bias and Fairness: AI systems can inherit biases from the data they are trained on, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes.

AI systems can pick up on hidden patterns that exist in our minds, leading to unintended consequences in how they operate. These biases can sneak in at different points during the AI’s creation, from gathering the initial data to teaching it how to work and finally putting it into action. It’s important to recognize both the obvious biases we know about and the more subtle ones we might not be aware of. Both types can interfere with the results an AI system gives us and even make existing unfairness worse.

Selection bias occurs when the training data is unrepresentative. Confirmation bias arises from over-reliance on existing trends. Measurement bias results from systematic data collection errors. Stereotyping bias reinforces harmful stereotypes, while out-group homogeneity bias leads to inaccurate handling of minority groups.

For more on this, check out this article from Forbes that discusses how racial bias can exist in AI systems: Forbes

Addressing these biases involves using mindful language, seeking diverse perspectives, and continuously monitoring AI systems to ensure they are fair and just.

2. Privacy and Transparency: The use of personal data in AI systems raises concerns about privacy, data security, and how that information will be used.

As AI technology advances, privacy and transparency are crucial. Governments and organizations worldwide are tightening controls to ensure ethical AI development and data protection. For instance, Europe’s upcoming AI Act sets new standards for AI usage.

Addressing AI privacy involves several strategies. Secure account management, robust data encryption, and regular security updates are essential for protecting sensitive information. Allowing users to customize privacy settings and access their data ensures transparency and control. Embedding privacy measures in AI systems from the design stage and having dedicated security teams to address threats are also key practices.

Educating users about AI technologies and adhering to regulations like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) further bolster privacy efforts. By prioritizing these measures, AI can be developed and used ethically, safeguarding personal data and fostering user trust.

3. Job Displacement: The automation of tasks could lead to job losses.  This will make it necessary to have strategies for reskilling the workforce.

AI is likely to transform our lives in profound ways, reshaping how we work, live, and play. AI is predicted to add up to $15.7 trillion in global GDP by 2030. This statistic alone makes it crucial to cut through the hype and understand its real impact on the job market.

AI will influence jobs in two fundamental ways: automation and augmentation. Routine tasks like data entry and basic customer service will likely be automated, streamlining workflows and freeing humans from repetitive work. More complex tasks will see AI augmenting human abilities, such as helping healthcare professionals analyze medical images or assisting lawyers in summarizing documents.

The balance between automation and augmentation will determine AI’s impact on jobs. Automation will handle everyday tasks, while augmentation will, hopefully, improve human creativity and problem-solving. This shift will make roles requiring human ingenuity more valuable, whereas manual, repetitive jobs may face higher risks of automation.

The future of work could turn out in a couple of ways. One possibility, AI handles all routine tasks, allowing humans to focus on deep and creative work. This will hopefully lead to a happier, more productive society. Another possibility is that people displaced by AI will struggle to transition into new roles, worsening inequalities and straining social support systems.

The reality will probably fall between these possibilities. Companies might want to think about the social consequences of automation, not just what they might gain in efficiencies. This includes assessing AI’s impact on their workers, and companies may want to put measures in place to help workers transition to higher-skilled roles. Governments could also play a role in supporting workers through legislation and frameworks.

Overall, generative AI holds tremendous potential for companies who are willing to explore.  And this includes home builders!  Check out our recent webinar with Al Trellis, President of Home Builders Network, where he discusses AI in home building with Bill Gelbaugh and Kevin Weitzel from the Outhouse team.


Design Inspiration: The High Line, NYC


By

Bring Your Home Designs to Fruition at Outhouse

Sculpture by NYC artist Danny Cole.

Have you ever stumbled upon a place so unexpected and exhilarating that it floods your mind with creative ideas and inspiration? That’s exactly what I experienced on a recent trip to New York City while exploring the High Line, an elevated linear park built on a former rail line. This isn’t just any public park; the High Line is a unique blend of art, architecture, and urban design. Stretching 1.45 miles through Manhattan’s West Side it offers stunning views of the city’s skyline and showcases some of its most innovative buildings.

Iconic Architectural Landmarks

From the elevated perch, high above the crowds, the view of iconic buildings, like the Empire State Building, is astonishing. Here are a few of the wonderful buildings you see along the way:

  • The Eleventh (BIG): Designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group, this striking complex features two twisting towers at 76 Eleventh Avenue. Known for its bold geometry and expansive glass walls, The Eleventh offers panoramic views and a modern twist on traditional skyscraper aesthetics​.
The Eleventh – designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group.
  • 520 West 28th Street (Zaha Hadid Architects): A hallmark of contemporary design, this building is noted for its curving metallic façade and futuristic appeal. It is one of the last projects by the legendary architect Zaha Hadid, making it a significant landmark on the High Line​.
Condo designed by Zaha Hadid.
  • Chelsea Market: Originally a factory for the National Biscuit Company, this historic building now serves as a vibrant market with various food vendors and shops. The High Line runs through the building, showcasing its blend of old and new architectural elements​.
The High Line making it’s way through Chelsea Market.
  • 10 Hudson Yards (Coach Building): This skyscraper marks the northern terminus of the High Line and is a central part of the Hudson Yards development, a massive urban revitalization project often compared to Rockefeller Center in scale and impact​.
10 Hudson Yards building in the distance.

Unique Experiences and Sights

Walking along the High Line offers more than just architectural wonders. The park itself is a showcase of landscape design, featuring over 500 species of plants. Areas like the Gansevoort Woodland and the Washington Grasslands offer serene green spaces amidst the urban hustle​

Gansevoort Woodland

The High Line also functions as an outdoor art gallery. With installations like Paola Pivi’s “You know who I am” and Nina Beier’s “Women & Children,” the park provides a continuous rotation of thought-provoking art that enhances the visitor experience​.

Mural by renowned Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra.

Although some people don’t love these, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I found “The Vessel,” and a whimsical sculpture by artist Danny Cole to be quite entertaining as well.

The Vessel – centerpiece of Hudson Yards. This interactive sculpture was imagined by British designer Thomas Heatherwick.

What’s The Connection Here to Home Building?

Wherever you find inspiration for new homes, whether it be the High Line in Manhattan, an out-of-this-world experience elsewhere, or a simple walk in the neighborhood park, Outhouse, the outsource hub for home builders, can help bring your wildest ideas to fruition. Give us a sketch on a napkin, and our architectural team will produce a full set of construction documents.

While plans are in progress, our rendering team will meticulously craft your 3D exterior and interior elevations, virtual tours, and visualizers. Our interactive team works their magic to build digital tools like interactive floor plans and interactive site maps that will engage your homebuyers. We can also coordinate digital assets with your web designer including industry experts Blue Tangerine, Bokka Group, Group Two, Meredith Communications, and Adlanta Creative,

All of this can be accomplished simultaneously in a compressed timeline bringing your homes to market faster, and increasing your ROI. 

The juxtaposition of old and new is striking. The iconic Empire State Building in the background.

Conclusion

The High Line is a testament to New York City’s ability to innovate and adapt, transforming an old rail line into a vibrant public space that seamlessly blends nature, art, and architecture. Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast or just looking for a unique urban experience, the High Line offers a fascinating journey through some of the city’s most captivating sights.

If you visit the High Line, or anywhere else that inspires some fresh design ideas, draw a quick sketch, and send it over to Outhouse.  We will take it from there to bring your idea to life!