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On many levels, how architect-designed buildings are developed
and delivered has not changed much over the past 200 years. Owners
initiate projects; architects, engineers, and related professionals
create designs, determine appropriate building systems, and
document what to construct; then contractors, tradespeople, and
laborers build. Over the past decade, however, two major changes in
delivery methods have occurred. First, regardless of the delivery
method used, the demarcation points between building phases and the
various design and construction disciplines have begun to
disappear. Second, delivery methods have been blending to the point
that the ability to define projects by a particular method is no
longer a simple matter. Add to this different selection,
contracting, and construction approaches (such as QBS); “best
value”; design competitions“; "design-assist”;
partnering; multiprime; trade contracting; computerized
fabrication—the variations seem endless.
While design-bid-build is still the delivery method most frequently
used, many owners now favor methods that facilitate communication
earlier in the process and greater collaboration between the
parties. In response, architects, engineers, construction managers,
contractors, and specialty disciplines are forming more strategic
alliances and offering cohesive teams.
With private owners, the level of tolerance for claims has
approached zero, and risk management has become an overriding
concern when selecting a delivery method. In their desire to manage
their risks, some owners are becoming less concerned about the loss
of competition that accompanies methods other than
design-bid-build.
The public sector, partially because of greater regulation, has
undergone less change, although the trend has been to shift more
risk to the contractor. However, there is a growing trend among
state and local authorities to allow specific public agencies and
school districts to undertake pilot programs using delivery methods
other than design-bid-build.
How Do Owners Decide Which Delivery Method to Use?
Many experienced owners decide which delivery method to
use based primarily on avoiding the problems they encountered using
other methods in the past. Less experienced and less sophisticated
owners tend to follow the advice of someone they trust when
choosing a delivery method or resort to adopting the method they
deem the easiest to manage. In almost all cases, owners look for a
smooth and seamless transition between design and
construction.
Experienced owners generally agree that no single solution or
delivery method is best. They believe that an owner and its
advisors need to ask questions, prioritize goals, and openly
communicate about the implications of various delivery methods
before selecting a method.
As owners become more risk-averse, they seek project delivery
methods that focus on more centralized points of responsibility.
Public-sector clients, particularly state and local municipalities,
also place a large emphasis on fair access to contracts for all
participants in the design and construction process.
Project Delivery Trends for the Future
Many industry leaders agree that further collaboration between
architects, engineers, contractors, and fabricators—as well as
less fragmentation among construction disciplines—is
inevitable. As owners and other participants strive for the right
balance between design, quality, schedule, cost, service, and risk
management, there is bound to be more experimentation with, and
variations of, delivery methods in the future.
While experimentation with different delivery methods is
influencing how buildings are designed and constructed today,
advances in technology, materials, and computerized fabrication
processes might be the engines that drive the design and
construction industry tomorrow. What this means for owners,
architects, engineers, contractors, and advisors is unpredictable.
However, it is safe to say that the changes in the coming decades
will far outpace the changes of the past 200 years.
(For a comprehensive guide to project delivery methods, order the
AIA California Council's Handbook on Project Delivery
and/or the Update, which features 15 in-depth case studies
and completely evaluates the different project delivery methods.
Call 916-448-9082 or order online at www.aiacc.org.)
Michael B. Strogoff, AIA, is principal of Strogoff Consulting, a
national management consulting firm that focuses on design,
engineering, and interior design firms. In 2004, he was awarded a
special Presidential Citation from AIA California Council for his
committee leadership and research into alternative project delivery
methods. Strogoff can be reached at michael@strogoffconsulting.com
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