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To meet the need for faster project delivery and greater accuracy,
and to improve opportunities for more sustainable construction, a
transformed project delivery model is required. As this
transformation evolves, the need for highly integrated, highly
effective and highly responsive teams increases. Project team
leadership also must evolve to address efficiency without
sacrificing excellence; to achieve “the best answer the
fastest” for any means of project delivery.
In its various forms, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) aims to
optimize the project process. In its most developed form, IPD
aligns owner, designer and constructor under a single multi-party
or “alliance”-type agreement, where all constituencies
share a project’s ownership, success and, ultimately,
risk.
To address the unique needs of all IPD models, project leaders must
provide specialized knowledge and skills across diverse disciplines
to implement integrated design concepts. This need requires the
single-entity leader model to evolve into a multi-disciplinary
project leadership team. This re-structuring will cause a
transformation within the culture of the leadership model. The
team-based leadership concept is also effective when applied to
traditional project delivery methods, such as
design-bid-build.
For a highly collaborative team to be successful, leadership must
provide an “open environment” where all members are
aligned to common goals. One simple way to encourage such
interaction is through regularly-scheduled team meetings where the
project process itself is “designed”. These design
sessions identify the goals and tasks to be accomplished, assign
responsibilities, and establish deadlines for completion. By
placing everything in full view via a calendar/task list, everyone
can provide input, has the opportunity to propose ideas, and
remains on the same page throughout the course of the project.
These sessions also are an effective communication forum with
external stakeholders and regulatory agencies.
By addressing issues openly and collectively, participants can
focus on progress, clarity and transparency of communications.
Project leaders who embrace an open environment management style
celebrate the value of collaboration. This style requires project
leaders to possess well-honed skills in moderating both design team
discussions and public forums.
The “core team” model of a project leadership brings
together individuals with disparate expertise and skills—such
as the project owner, designer and contractor—to serve as
“functional” leaders responsible for various pieces of
project performance. The client member also serves as the
team’s “accountability” leader who is ultimately
responsible for the project.
The next layer of leadership includes a core team for each of the
participating functional leaders: owner, designer and contractor.
For example, the design core team is comprised of experts in the
areas of process, design—including both architecture and
engineering design leads—delivery, and communications.
Functional leadership in each of these areas varies according to
project need. The process leader, or project manager, remains
ultimately accountable for the design team’s performance on
the project.
This model’s benefits can be seen in its highly collaborative
team culture, decision-making effectiveness and responsiveness. Its
unique culture 1) promotes respect among members, regardless of
background, age or tenure 2) encourages ideation and 3) values
breadth and depth of knowledge, regardless of tenure. This highly
collaborative model empowers and encourages members throughout the
problem-solving process, making it highly effective in arriving at
the best answer fastest.
A core team comprised of an architect, interior designer, lighting
designer and environmental graphic designer, was asked by a client
to “improve the passenger experience and the sense of arrival
specific to place” at the international arrivals terminal of
an airport. The two least-tenured team members, including a
recently-graduated interior designer and a recently-licensed
architect, proposed a conceptual approach to the problem that was
immediately accepted by the group. This example illustrates a
collaborative environment where the best idea, from members with
the least experience, was acknowledged by senior leaders
accountable for the outcome of the work.
Today the complexities of design and delivery require contributions
from individuals who possess diverse capabilities. The core team
leadership model provides a diverse, knowledgeable and skilled
leadership team where each member’s contributions are
respected, encouraged and valued—all focused on delivery speed
and accuracy of an excellent building design.
James M. Suehiro, AIA, LEED AP is a Principal at NBBJ providing
architecture, planning, and design services. He earned a Bachelor
of Arts in Environmental Design and a Master of Architecture from
the University of Washington. Jim is the AIA Northwest and Pacific
Region Director on the AIA National Board 2006 – 2008, Chair
of the Board Integrated Practice Discussion Group and is
representative to the 3xPT Strategy Group (CURT, AGC, and AIA)
focused on industry transformation of the project delivery
process.
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