By Steve Rizer
On the newly unveiled list of 10 best practices for design-build projects, which practice is being implemented the least across the industry? This is a question that Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Executive Director Lisa Washington answered for ConstructionPro Week (CPW) after her organization released a document outlining its recommended top practices -- and nearly 50 supporting implementing techniques -- for procuring design-build services, contracting for design-build services, and executing the delivery of design-build projects.
Here is Washington’s response to the question: “Based on anecdotal data, the best practice least implemented is one that drives all other best practices, and it is that the design-build team members should be educated and trained in the design-build process and understand the differences between design-build and other delivery systems. Unfortunately, many see design-build as a slight tweaking of design-bid-build and don’t fully understand the mental shift required for this collaborative model.”
The document, released Wednesday, suggests the following implementing techniques for carrying out this particular best practice: “All members of the design-build team must understand that the project’s success is dependent on the ability of the team members to work collaboratively and to trust that each member is committed to working in the best interests of the project; projects should be staffed with individuals who are educated and experienced in the implementation of design-build best practices and whose personalities are well-suited to the collaborative nature of the design-build process; all project teams should have senior leadership committed to the success of their projects and are actively supportive of design-build best practices; and the design-builder should recognize the benefit of including experienced design-build trade contractors on its team.”
In all, there are four recommended best practices for executing the delivery of design-build projects. Also included in the document are three best practices addressing an owner’s choices of project delivery system and procurement approach. Three other best practices “expound upon the use of fair and clear contracts as fundamental to any delivery process,” DBIA stated.
The organization emphasized that “Design-Build Done Right: Best Design-Build Practices” is a “living document.” DBIA added that it intends to “continually update our portfolio of publications, tools, and other resources so that design-build stakeholders will have access to leading-edge information that will allow them to achieve Design-Build Done Right in accordance with the concepts expressed in this document.”
The ConstructionPro Network member version of this article includes additional comments from CPW’s interview with Washington and more details about the document.
