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Architects are licensed professionals trained in the art and science of building design. They transform the owner's program into concepts and then develop the concepts into building images and plans that can be constructed by others. In addition to completing a four- or five-year college program, architects are also required to have a number of years of experience and pass an exam before they can become licensed.

Architects design the overall aesthetic and functional look of buildings and other structures. The design of a building involves far more than its appearance. Buildings also must be functional, safe, and economical, and they must suit the needs of the people who use them. Architects also specify the building materials and, in some cases, the interior furnishings. In developing designs, architects follow building codes, zoning laws, fire regulations, and other ordinances, such as those requiring easy access by people who are disabled. Several specific roles within the typical architect's office support the architectural design function:

 Design architects Design architects are the creators of the aesthetic solution—they are the concept and idea people. Although most design architects can only hope to achieve celebrity status, some become quite famous. As previously mentioned, we often recognize their names in association with their creations—Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Alto, I.M. Pei, Julia Morgan, and Frank O. Gehry, to name a few. They are sometimes referred to as signature architects. Owners often seek them out because of their reputations. They are typically the senior associates or principal partners within the architectural firm. Their function first and foremost is to come up with the creative expression. They convey their ideas to their design staffs through sketches and schematic renderings. They do not typically engage in the actual production of the construction drawings. They are supported by architectural technicians and specification writers in the preparation of the final construction documents.

 Architectural technicians Architectural technicians are typically the drafters of the building plans. They are the ones who actually produce the drawings that are used for construction. They work from preliminary sketches and concept drawings provided by the design architects. However, the days of sitting at a drawing board with a mechanical pencil in hand using a T-square and a triangle are all but gone. Today, drafters have become computer operators and produce their drawings electronically using computer-aided design (CAD) software. Some CAD operators have expanded their skills to include 3D building information modeling (BIM) as well. As the trend toward information modeling continues, these technicians will become more and more valuable in the marketplace.

 Specification writers Accompanying the plans for a new building is a written project manual that contains the specifications for the project. The plans and specifications compose two parts of the legal contract for construction. (A third component is the contract forms themselves.) The specification writer is responsible for spelling out the specific products and methods that are to be used on a project in order to ensure a particular level of performance and quality.