Design management principles and practice

¶ … Management

Chapter 1-the influence of the project procurement process on the design management strategy

The client may choose one of many available methods of procurement. This may result in different contractual and managerial relationships with the design team. In many instances, each method is unique in its approach and overall direction. Interestingly the entire design team, or design unit, may be within the client's own organization, an independent consultant or part of a contractor's organization. However with the many different facets of project procurement there are similarities as it relates to the overall management strategy. These similarities are common with all procurement processes and should be addressed appropriately with the client. These aspects heavily influence the design management strategy as the often come directly from the client. Below are three aspects with are essential to any procurement process.

First, a clientele having an ongoing need for construction work involving an element of design. Ultimately this concept leads to the establishment of an overall project management structure within which, the design management operates.

Second, the client is need of a unique design capability. This capability is often established by the construction industry, and distributed among many organizations in the form of managed design facilities.

Third, the design content of a project that has been created by a client and defined in an agreed brief.

Regardless of the procurement method selected from the design management point-of-view, the most significant management function undertaken within a construction project is that of the design team leader.

Through the influence of the procurement process, the design team leader should contribute to the overall planning of the project. Through the procurement process, the design manager is directly responsible for planning, programming, controlling and delivering its design content. The design team leader should co-operate with the planning supervisor, liaise with other design units and ensure that effective communications and decision making systems are applied. All of these aspects are influenced by the procurement process which establishes the overall context for the design.

The influence of the procurement process impacts the programmeming and planning strategy as well. Detailed planning and programmeming will require input from design units. However, errors often occur which may lead to revisions of the initial estimates of design cost and time targets. Finally the procurement process influences the both the planning and design management process. Planning the design management related aspects of a project involves identifying all significant work elements. These elements are often obtained through the procurement process. In addition there is a need to assess the elements interdependence and organizing the work so that orderly progress can be achieved.

When using the design and build method, the work stages relevant to the work of the consultant team will be dependent on the client. The design and build method depends heavily on the extent to which the client wishes to pre-determine the design and constructional detail for the project. This has profound implications for the overall project as revisions will be difficult to conduct. For example, a heavily dependent client may wish the design to be virtually complete at all stages by the design team. The client in this example may want to incorporate various quantities, and named sub-contractors for all involved elements. This will require much detail on the part of both the client and the design team. However, there exists an opposite extreme in which the client may simply wish to give minimal information. In this instance the client heavily defers many aspects to the design team's judgment and thought process. The client leaves the selection and tendering of contractors to prepare the overall concept and design. In each case, the design team and the client had to collaborate, albeit to a varying degrees. Most projects using this method of procurement will use a variation of both examples mentioned in detail above. As such the client's requirements in regards to time, cost, and quality must be viable, thought out, and truthful. Otherwise, the integrity of the information is comprised, which ultimately results in subpar performance on the part of the design team.

The objective of the review will be determined by the client, who will also decide how the process will be managed. A client with a multi-project development programme will generally be closely involved throughout the duration of the projects. As is often the case, a client may even use an independent 'evaluator' to obtain feedback data to improve the design team's performance.

Another client for a single project, the objective of which might be business reorganization or expansion, may prefer a review team led by the in-house project leader with representatives from their own firm. In any review the inclusion of third parties, as well as people involved in the delivery of the project, will enhance both independence and objectivity. A useful review will provide a balanced view of the successes as well as the failures. It is inevitable that 'defects', whether arising from design or construction, will be identified, but correction should be dealt with under contractual arrangements.

Chapter 2 -The design management process

The construction and design management process is unique in its approach. In particular, design management must be conducted in a manner that minimizes error while providing reliability. In many instances, design management may have differing requirements depending primarily on the client and the overall nature of the work. However, the overall process has many basic underlying principles that ensure client needs are adequately met. It is through this process that the overall design management progression is unique. The various stages of the process interact with one another in a symbiotic manner. Each step in the process builds upon the other with respect to the client needs and government regulations. The process is straight forward in its progressions which allows for flexibility within an uncertain work environment. Through the integration of sustainable design management combined with the of the UK government construction strategy, the overall process is more reliable and trustworthy. Therefore the design management process is directly correlated to the overall project lifecycle. Through this document, we will discuss the various stages of the design management process. The document will begin with a brief introduction providing a synopsis of the design management process. The document will then delve into considerations into the challenges plaguing design management and possible solutions. The report will then conclude with an explanation of the design management process as it relates to the overall product lifecycle.

To begin the RIBA provides a very compelling recommendation on the overall design management process. The RIBA plan of work utilises a unique 7 step approach (Guide to RIBA Agreements, 2008). What makes the approach unique is the cross functional nature embedded in the process. Globalization and technology has changed the manner in which design management is now conducted. Cross functional teams must work together in a manner that allows the overall product lifecycle to be altered in a beneficial way. These cross functional teams are now utilizing technology to help exacerbate the overall design process. For instance, a manager may utilise email, conference calls, company intranet, video conferencing, and many other forms of communication to help facilitate an orderly design process. In addition, technology allows for multiple leaders to specialize in a particular area of expertise. With the RIBA process, specialization can occur through specialized roles. The seven step approach also allows for greater flexibility (The British Standards Institution, 1996). Due to the recent trend in globalization, clients will undoubtedly have varying needs and desires. These changes client desires must not hinder risk management policies but they must be incorporated into the over RIBA approach. The RIBA plan of work allows for flexibility in client needs due to global requirements, but also is structured in its approach (Royal Institute of British Architects, 2012).

The RIBA process begins within the Plan of Work process. The Plan of Work organizes the progress of designing, constructing, maintaining and operating building projects into overlapping work stages. The first work stage is that of preparation. As is obviously the case preparation is the first key step into the proper design and subsequent management of the entire process. Often, the clients may have very specific needs in regards to their needs. The preparation phase allows for seamless integration of the clients needs with that of the overall project objectives. It is also important to determine the overall profile of the client. What are the client's needs, risk preferences, objectives, and overall timeframe for completion? Depending on the results of this assessment the project may need to be altered in accordance with the client's requirements. In addition, the establishment of a proper team will also depend, in large part, on the clients requirements (Production Information: a code of procedure for the construction industry, 2003). Individuals that comprise the team may have different specialties and overall strengths. In order to most effectively use these strengths, the team must be formed using the client's assessment (Great Britain, 1994). Otherwise, a team will be comprised that does not adequately address the overall objectives of the project. Furthermore, the proper selection of the team provides a means of determining general responsibilities for each team member involved. They will need to know the overall scope of their service while also knowing their overall design responsibilities as compared to their peers. In addition, their contracts will be a directly correlated to the contract and specifications of the client involved. This is important as it aligns the motivations of the work team with that of the client. By aligning motivations and incentives, the design team has their personal interests affiliated with those of the client. This will ultimately help reduce unethical practices and mistakes within the overall process. According to the British design management standards, the design team will want to establish effective means of communication while also electing a qualified leader. More important the team must establish an overall brief. The brief, according to British Standards, should outline the purpose of the construction, unusual features, financial policy and time policy (O'reilly, 2012. Finally, during the preparation phase the team and the client must establish a programme procurement strategy and a soft landing strategy. These aspects are also important as they provide an overall framework for which the team can operate in. This phase also provides elements in essential operations of the process. Questions regarding equipment, secretary support, computers, and other intangibles should all be answered. By establishing boundaries, the team is less likely to deviate into areas that are not core to the needs of the client involved.

Next, the company must engage in an overall concept design. The concept design builds upon the work of the preparation by providing more specifics about the overall project. The concept design is also important as it allows more specific details to be included or excluded from the general project. Aspects such as structural design, site landscape, costs, and services will be discussed in this phase of the plan. This phase is also characterized by a general overview of the earlier procurement strategy and design reasonability. This review is essential in determining that all parties involved are aligned as to the precise specifications and needs of the project. The completion of the design brief is also critical in this stage. The design brief, as mentioned earlier provides the overall framework in which the entire project operates within (Briefing the Team, 1998). As such, it must be completed before any additional work is completed. According to the RIBA, this process should incorporate many of the following details and user requirements schedules of accommodation, site information, design and material quality, facilities management, environmental services, sustainable development policy, whole life costing, timetable of critical events, target cost/cash flow constraints, procedures, time and cost controls,

After the concept design, the process then proceeds with the developed design, technical design, and specialist design. Each design process has its own unique attributes relative to the other. For instance, the developed design looks to develop structural and landscape specifications of the facility. The technical design builds on this work by including architectural and mechanical services. In addition, the technical design is more cross functional as it incorporates subcontractors into the entire review process of the lead designer. The technical design is heavily influenced no only by the cross functional component, but also by the procurement strategy considered in the preparation phase. Finally, through the use of cross functional teams, building regulations are then submitted. These regulations directly correlate to the next step, which is the specialist design. In this phase, even more cross functional collaboration is needed. All designers, subcontractors, and specialist must now work in a coordinated manner. The performance specified work must now be reviewed and signed off on by each respective member of the cross functional team. In addition, the team must adequately review the entire construction strategy to ensure timely completion for the client. Finally, the team must then take any necessary action from the procurement strategy (The CIC Scope of Services Handbook, 2007).

After the very through and detailed design phase, the project can finally begin construction. This phase is arguable the most critical as it involves the actual execution of many of the more detailed plans. A construction programme is used to maintain both consistency and overall maintenance of the construction progress. Aspects such as quality objectives are actively reviewed and corrected. In addition, management and leaders must ensure the implementation of the soft landing strategy is adhered to. This will include information regarding commissioning, training, monitoring and maintenance of the construction site during and after a predetermined period. The final step of the process is the use and aftercare of the completed facility. In this step designers and clients review the overall performance of the project and take corrective measures to ensure mistakes are not repeated. Designers also review key metrics that can be used for future projects. Finally, a post occupancy evaluation form is utilised to provide honest and objective feedback regarding the overall project.

In addition to the overall RIBA process, there are also more subtle needs within the overall process. The BS ISP 7000 provides insights into these subtle processes. For instance, designers and managers may occasionally have multiple roles and responsibilities within the same project. As the British Standards indicate, many stakeholders groups are involved throughout the entire process. As such, managers, designers and other key personnel must have multiple roles to accommodate these stakeholders (Architect's Job Book Eighth Edition, 2008). For example, in section 4 of the British Standards the designer leader's role are established. However, when looking at section 4, many of the roles overlap and become conflicting during various stages of the process. As such leaders utilizing the RIBA process must be skilled in multitasking and handling various roles at once (The British Standards Institution, 1996). Teamwork and collaboration are also integral to the overall success of the project. For instance, there are many processes in procedures incorporated throughout the entire design process. In section 4 of the British Standards, the design leader must engage in a pre-commission review. This review incorporates various aspects such as financial viability of the project, and technical support. The design leader may not know all aspects of this pre-commission review. He or she must therefore rely on others in a teamwork and collaborative fashion. These instances are scattered throughout the overall design process and require massive amounts of collaboration with cross functional teams. Without this shared information, the project will fail to meet expectations.

Chapter 3 - The challenges a design project faces and how these are resolved

A client's initial brief will rarely provide sufficient information for design development. An initial brief may range from a broad statement of intent to a comprehensive technical statement of a client's requirements. This lack of clarity provides a challenge for the overall direction of the project. The initial brief should be analyzed and resolved into a clear statement. From this more detailed approach a more specific project brief is developed. The challenge is aligning all parties involved in a detailed manner. Considerable resources may need to be expended by a project team in investigating a client's requirements. Making sure that the client and all stakeholder groups involved are aligned is critical to the overall success of the project. Research and development may be necessary to supplement initial information. In addition, preparing a satisfactory brief usually requires considerable effort by both the client and the design team. It may also involve other parties, such as planning authorities and local utilities. Getting all parties on one accord can be a difficult problem facing the overall project. For one, time constraints may limit of even hinder the overall completion of the project. Disconnects and disagreements between various parties can also hinder project performance. Therefore the working relationship between each party can be a significant challenge facing a project design. For example, detailed planning and programmeming will require input from design units. However, errors often occur which may lead to revisions of the initial estimates of design cost and time targets. All parties should be considered when a detailed brief and planning process is initiated. As such, their may be disagreements on the nature of the estimate error, and subsequently, what aspects are to be cut or revised.

Even with many of the aspects discussed earlier, problems do occasionally arise within the construction process. The discussion has focused, so far, on the RIBA process of work, British Standards, and the overall product lifecycle (The British Standards Institution, 1996). However, little discussion was on the overall people and labor component. This is undoubtedly where the more complicated problems occur in the design management process. Errors in expectation, communication, deadlines, processes, and financial projections all have roots within the human component. In many instances these problems can be rectified through proactive behavior rather than reactive behavior.

For one, the design management process must first incentivize appropriate behavior. Through the use of incentives, the labor component is aligned with the overall needs of the client. For instance, according to BS 7000, the design team must be establishing the communication and cost structure of the project. Without aligning incentives to these actions, the team can easily engage in behavior that is detrimental to the overall success of the project. These activities could include excessive use of the executive expense account. The expense account could be used to fund lavish dinners or furnish expensive company flights. The team could intentionally postpone completion in order to reap higher rewards in regards to pay. In some instances, according to BS 7000, contracts can be structured in a cost plus base salary arrangement. Under this structure, the design team is compensated for the entirety of their cost plus a predetermined amount. With this arrangement, individuals would have incentive to inflate the amount of costs to incur larger fees than they otherwise would have. Individuals could also postpone completion of the project to incur higher costs which will then be paid for by the client. As such, a misalignment of incentives is often the cause of many of the more common issues within the design project. To rectify this situation, both the client and the leaders must be aligned in regards to their expectation and incentives. According to BS 7000, clients are heavily involved in the briefing and preparation stages of the process. It is during this foundational meeting that expectations and incentives must be aligned. In this instance, both parties must reduce the possible occurrence of any activity that otherwise does not aid in the completion of a project. For instance, if leaders may be prone to taking overly expensive dinners, then the client may require all expense accounts spending to be approved by a superior from the client company. In addition, the design team may receive bonuses for early completion of the project with little to no errors. Similarly, the design team could receive a bonus for making the overall cost constraints and budget requirements. Each of these activities abates the influence of many of the more common challenges that face the project may face in regards to labor.