Up in Arms Over Design Build

I love responding to questions. It is a great way to check the pulse of the industry, and diagnose where "pain points" are developing. No month offered more evidence of this than April (following the webinar!) Design-build questions seemed to be left, right and center. Here are some of the toughest questions, and some of my simplest answers.

Your assumed definition of design-build is too narrow and short changes the potential opportunities that it can bring to design firms. Have you never seen design-build done in a way that actually serves the design community's interest?

I didn't have enough time to cover all design-build methods (in our webinar) so I started with the most basic definition, which is narrow. Perhaps DB-BD could be a topic for a future course, but let me answer your question. I have seen design-build serve the community interest, when the client and the contractor are on the same page. In design-build, the driver isn't (typically) the architect, it is largely the GC. This is where I believe IPD or LEAN make it more interesting, because the interests of the project not the individuals are put forth from the beginning--sacrificing nothing.

Notwithstanding design-build, what can you tell us about the integrated project delivery as a market?

I am a curmudgeon! Integrated project delivery isn't a market, it's a vehicle by which projects are delivered. There are client types that prefer IPD--healthcare, higher education for example. But, it isn't a market sector per say. That said, if that is your interest, you are likely in pursuit of a more sophisticated, collaborative client with resources and the desire to utilize technology as a means of delivering their facility. These transcend a market type.

Got more questions? Send them along to me at kcompton@a3kconsulting.com. And for more information, see the AIA PMKC webinar Wisdom of the Ages: Best Practices in Business Development Part 2. This popular series and other resources are available on A3K Consulting's "Inform" webpage.

Karen Compton, CPSM. Karen Compton is principal of A3K Consulting (Glendale, CA), a business development and strategic planning firm specializing in the architecture, engineering and construction industries. Ms. Compton is also the founder of Industry Speaks™, a web-based business-to-business portal that connects AEC firms with experienced consultants, provides peer reviews of consultants, reports on key industry trends, and publishes expert reviews of professional courses and books. Contact her at kcompton@a3kconsulting.com.