INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENGINEERING DESIGN

ICED 05 MELBOURNE, AUGUST 15–18, 2005

DESIGN MANAGEMENT IN A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Janthea Andersen, Michael Nycyk, Lesley Jolly and David Radcliffe

Keywords: Design Management; Construction; and Complex One-off Engineering Projects

1 Abstract
Design Management is an increasingly important function in the construction industry.
Design management is being done by construction companies because of the failure of other
existing systems to achieve proper integration of the design and construction processes.

Initial results from a three-year empirical study of the practice of design management in an
international construction company have been compared to conceptions devised from
literature in order to describe the design management practices. This is being done in order to
provide a foundation, which can be used to generate better co-ordinated design and
construction in complex one-off engineering projects.

Three conceptions of design management: design management as “integrators of design and

construction”; design management as “managers”; and design management as “meta
designers” were devised from literature and compared to several case studies conducted on a
variety of projects.

Early results indicate that during the operational stages of a project design management in the
company can be better conceived as “meta designers” rather than as “managers”. The design
management personnel were responsible for designing a system, which made stakeholders the
co-developers or co-designers; they did tasks that designers are responsible for in smaller
projects, but which inevitably get lost in larger projects; and they dealt with issues arising
from the integration of design and construction.

2 Introduction
The paper presents initial results from a three-year empirical study of the practice of design
management in an international construction company. The objective of the project is to
describe in detail design management practices in a construction company. This will provide
a foundation, which can be used to generate better co-ordinated design and construction in
complex one-off engineering projects.

Three conceptions of design management: design management as “integrators of design and

construction”; design management as “managers”; and design management as “meta
designers” have been devised and compared to several case studies conducted on a variety of
projects. These studies indicate that design management in the company in the operational
stages of a project are better conceptualized as “meta designers” rather than “managers” and
that they deal with issues arising from the conception of design managers as “integrators of
design and construction”

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3 Background
Design Management is an increasingly important function in the construction industry.
Projects are becoming more complex and global and new contractual arrangements, which
require alliances and partnerships between designers and constructors are increasingly used
[1-3]. Gray [2] suggests that design management is being done by construction companies
because of the failure of other existing systems to achieve proper integration of the design and
construction processes.

In complex one-off projects most of the design detail was traditionally completed before
obtaining an estimate to construct the project. From the 1900’s to the 1980’s this procedure
of design-bid-build was the predominant one in use and personnel in the construction industry
were trained with this assumption in mind [4-6].

From the 1980’s the construction industry has been increasingly pressured to participate in
new project acquisition processes and has had to take on and estimate projects in which the
design is not yet complete [1, 6-8]. This is being done in order to reduce the total project
time for several reasons: 1) because design can be completed while construction is being
undertaken and thus potentially be completed faster; 2) to increase the constructor’s
accountability for design; and 3) to generate a less adversarial working environment. That
ideally means a collaborative or integrated approach be undertaken by design and
construction [3]; or a concurrent approach where design is done just in time for procurement
and construction [7].

These highly complex, multi-stakeholder projects change fundamentally the dynamics of the
relationship between design and construction and the management of activities between the
two [1, 7, 9]. In earlier times when design was completed before construction, design
management was largely about the management of designers in an architectural or
engineering consultancy. This was a relatively contained activity that focused on the
production of design documents for the client. With the rise of new contractual arrangements,
design management now involves a much more complex set of relationships between the
client and specialists from design consultancies, vendors, manufacturers and constructors.
Correspondingly the functions of design management are much broader and much less well
defined. It is this conception of design management that the construction companies, rather
than design consultancies, are taking responsibility for in increasing numbers.

4 Theory
There has been very little empirical research on design management, even that undertaken in
traditional design consultancies, and almost nothing in relation to design management in
complex one-off projects involving fast tracking and new types of contractual relationships.

Some insights into the roles and responsibilities of design management in complex one-off
projects in the construction industry were derived by extrapolation from published case
studies of engineering designers in practice and of design management in other engineering
contexts, in particular the manufacturing industry. These studies and research done to date
lead to the development of three different conceptions of design management in the
construction industry. The three conceptions of design management in the construction
industry devised were: 1) design management as “integrators of design and construction”; 2)
design management as “managers”; and 3) design management as “meta designers” as
explained in sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3.

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The tasks and responsibilities arising from these three conceptions have been compared to
actual design management tasks and responsibilities in practice within a construction
company in order to determine their applicability to design management in the construction
industry. Depending if the tasks prevalent in these concepts are observed or not it should be
possible to see which job functions design management is meant to fulfil and thus which
concept is most applicable to design management in the construction industry.

4.1 Design Management as Integrators of Design and Construction

Design management in the construction industry has been conceptualised as a role for
integrating design and construction with the term “integrators of design and construction”.
Table 1 summarises the traditional ways of delivering construction projects - the design-bid-
build approach compared to new ways of delivering projects - integrated design and
construction approaches. Column 1 in Table 1 represents serial design and construction, i.e.
design-bid-build project delivery. Column 2 in Table 1 represents the integrated design and
construction approaches, i.e. design-build, design and construct, fast-tracking, concurrent
design and construction, and collaborative design and construction. Column 3 in Table 1
predicts the problems and issues in the construction industry if the serial design-bid-build
mentality is applied in these new integrated ways of project delivery. Column 4 in Table 1
describes the design management functions in such an environment. If design management
undertakes these responsibilities in their approach to the task of design management in
practice it may be conceived that the primary role of design management is to integrate design
and construction.
Table 1 Issues and Functions arising due to the shift from Serial to Integrated Design and Construction (D&C)

Serial D&C Integrated D&C Issues. Functions:

Design is expected to Integrating design
Concurrent or be done in a serial and construction.
Serial models of the
integrated models of fashion and
design and
the design and completed before Ensuring the
construction
construction construction begins concurrent or
processes [4, 7, 10].
processes [7]. restricting the use of integrated concept is
integrated techniques. understood.
Constructors would
Integrating design
not expect to interact
and construction by
with designers.
Construction doesn’t Construction and ensuring that
begin until the design design are done constructors interact
Constructors would
is finalised. together. with designers and
not expect designers
designers interact
to have input into
with construction.
their processes.
Not tolerant of
receiving information
Information upfront. Ensuring the project
Less information at the last minute.
Design has been team is prepared for
early, design and
finalised. last minute
procurement is done Low tolerance of
information and just
on the run or just in design on the run or
Procurement is in time design and
time [14, 15]. just in time design
planned in advance. procurement.
documents and
procurement.

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Serial D&C Integrated D&C Issues. Functions:

Ensuring estimators
have the initial
design information
People would try to
required.
stick with the original
estimates; hence
Assessing the
estimators / tender
estimators estimate
writers become the
and skills [11].
designers.
Avoiding designs
Estimating is done as
Estimate is based on being limited by poor
Estimate is based on if based on a detailed
an ambiguous original estimates
a detailed design. design.
concept [11]. [11].
Estimates are
Dealing with client
assumed to be exact
and constructor
[11].
concerns about
design and budget
Estimators don’t
differences.
expect to be
designers.
Ensuring systems are
in place to enable
design progression.
Ensuring the project
Not tolerant of team is prepared for
Design costs are Design costs are
changing design changing costs of the
fixed and upfront. flexible.
costs. design and the design
effort.
A kind of pull
A kind of push
system, where design Ensuring
system, where design
deliverables are made Construction expects construction has what
and construction
pending on what deliverables in they require
deliverables are
construction requires advance. according to the way
planned in advance
and how the design the design develops.
[16].
develops [16].
Ensuring efficient
Design is fully
Design intent is conveyance of the
documented in order
conveyed by the most design intent by the
to convey and hold
efficient method most efficient
the design intent. Document deficiency
available. method.
is viewed as design
Design hands over deficiency [12, 13].
Design and Ensuring that design
detailed design
construction is not deficient, no
documents to
collaborate. matter how it is
construction.
delivered.

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Serial D&C Integrated D&C Issues. Functions:

Ensuring design
Construction expects management is
no responsibility for integrated for the
design management. whole of project.

There is no career Ensuring

path or training for construction accepts
design management responsibility for
Design management Design management
at the construction design management.
is done at the design is integrated for the
company.
consultancy. whole project.
Ensuring training
Procedures for design programs and
management at the procedures are
construction adequate.
company are based
on traditional Ensuring the
construction ideas. company procedures
are up to date.
Ensuring
construction
milestones, critical
Construction
path, planning and
milestones and
construction
Construction Construction critical path are
techniques are
techniques are techniques are considered absolute.
flexible.
planned. flexible.
Planning is
Ensuring
considered absolute.
construction are
ready to change their
techniques.
Ensuring
collaboration
between constructors
Constructors have Constructors do not
Constructors are and designers.
input into the design give input into the
known for
and designers have design and designers
construction. Ensuring constructors
input into do not have input
Designers for have input into the
construction into construction
designing. design and that
techniques. techniques.
designers have input
into construction
techniques.
Last minute design
Adversarial Empathetic changes are made Ensuring constructors
relationship between relationship between because constructors have timely input
construction and construction and only give design into design.
designers. designers. input at the time
when the design Ensuring problems
Arbitration is used to Problems are solved doesn’t work to hold are solved by
solve problems [9]. by participation [9]. design responsible participation.
for problems.

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Serial D&C Integrated D&C Issues. Functions:

Ensuring unknown
Low tolerance of the
Design is unknown, design, design
unknown, changes
Design is known. ambiguous and changes and
and design
changing. ambiguity are
ambiguity.
expected.
Construction work is
Ensuring consultation
begun ASAP.
between construction
In order to be more
and design before
productive and Constructors tend to
beginning
In order to generate efficient make crucial
construction.
profit efficient collaboration is decisions.
productive required between
Ensuring designers
construction and design and Technical knowledge
ideas are included in
savings made on the construction. of the design and
crucial decision
original bid is how to save on it is
making.
required. Intimate knowledge regarded.
of where each
Ensuring
Thus speed, activity is at and Actions, speed,
improvements
decisiveness and what it’s going to decisiveness and
resulting from major
hidden savings are produce and need is hidden savings are
design changes,
required. required. valued over
collaborated design
improvements such
and design for
Having the design Savings can be made as resulting from
construction are
means that decisions with collaborated innovative major
valued.
based on technical design, design for design changes and
design knowledge are construction and collaborated design.
Ensuring that
well regarded. innovative design
constructors and
throughout the Minimal interest in
designers are aware
project. finding out the
of each other’s
progress of each
progress.
other’s activities.
Designers work in a In an integrated
solution orientated, project construction
Designers work in a integrated may be used to in
Ensuring
serial fashion (gather environment [20]. collaboration with
collaboration and
data, analyse data, design, to do for
trial designs are
formulate solution, Designers propose example design trials.
expected, especially
implement solution) experiment learn Construction views
where innovation or
[17]. again and again with this as design
newer technology is
the project team [21]. deficiencies,
utilized.
Designs have an unnecessary work or
ultimate solution Designs have no rework.
Making allowances
[18]. ultimate solution
for design trials.
[18]. Rework is viewed as
Engineering is design deficiency.
Preparing for design
considered an exact Engineering is not
failures.
science [19]. considered exact, but Assumptions made
as a prediction, about design being
estimation or plan. right the first time.

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4.2 Design Management as Managers

A conception taken in this project and the conventional conception taken in literature is that
design management is a division of management [22]. The following conceptions: design
management as a division of project management; design management as managing design;
and design management as task management, flow management and value management were
conceived under this category.

4.2.1 Design Management as a Division of Project Management

Design management is conceived particularly in the construction industry as a division of
construction project management. As construction project management is based on things
such as construction schedule planning and monitoring, critical path, and machine
productivity then they expect design management to do this in terms of design. Examples of
the tasks and responsibilities are; tactics for developing a project culture; defining the tasks;
managing information production; evaluation of information; and planning, monitoring and
control [23].

4.2.2 Design Management as Managing Design

Design management in the manufacturing industry is considered as a process of managing
design. It is assumed that design management is responsible for managing the design and the
design process. It is supposed that design management should have intimate knowledge of
that process in order to manage it and they are also expected to know what designers do and
be able to manage both designers and the design process.

Hales [24] suggests that successful management of the design process boils down to the
effective handling of three issues: 1) activities of the design team, 2) output from the design
team and 3) influences on the design team. Cooper & Press [25] suggest design management
are responsible for 1) developing a matrix for managing design, because it involves a number
of organisational levels and activities; 2) planning design, which involves including design in
organisational goals, strategies and policies for design, and putting process in place for using
design; 3) organising for design, which means having the right structure, choosing the right
teams, using training and development programs and investing in design; 4) implementing
and monitoring design, which involves implementing and monitoring design programmes and
projects; and 4) evaluating design including evaluating the management of design and design
projects. Along the same lines Cross [20] suggests that design management is responsible for
design strategies and tactics as well as product development, planning and innovation.

4.2.3 Design Management as Task, Flow and Value Management

Another conception is that design management can be conceived in three different ways 1) as
a process of converting inputs into outputs (Task management), 2) as a flow of materials and
information through time and space (Flow management) and 3) as a process of generating
value for customers (Value management). This conception has been adopted from theories of
production and has been applied to construction [26], project management [27] and design
management [28]. The methods and practices of design management suggested in Ballard
[22] are for the conversion view: work breakdown structure; critical path method; and
organizational responsibility chart; for the flow view: rapid reduction of uncertainty; team
approach; tool integration; and partnering; and for the value generation view: rigorous
requirement analysis; systematized management of flow down of requirements and
optimisation.

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4.3 Design Management as Meta Designers

Initial observations of design management revealed tasks being done that did not fall under
the “management” conception and were perhaps in the domain of designers on smaller design
projects. Dorst [21] suggests that when projects become large major design projects the kind
of comprehensive overview that designers need to possess in smaller projects inevitably gets
lost.

Meta designers, which are used in the IT industry design things so that the users become the
designers and as such they design the design system rather than design a system. That then
incorporates users as co-developers or co-designers [29]. The definition used here is that
“meta design” is about incorporating others such as stakeholders, consultancies and sub-
contractors as co-developers or co-designers, designing the design system and doing tasks
which were perhaps in the domain of designers on smaller projects. Examples of tasks from
Dorst [21] that designers have in smaller projects, which design management in larger
projects take on are; integration of the various demands of the project’s stakeholders;
interaction with groups of people that have different ways of looking at the design problem;
determining design strategies; balancing design risk; coping with skinny projects; and taking
into account the larger whole.

5 Research Method
The tasks and practices of design management have been examined by gathering empirical
data in a series of case studies of design management in complex one-off construction
projects in industry. The research method is based on case study research [30]. The method
used for case study data collection and analysis is depicted in figure 1. This figure is similar
to that described for data convergence by Yin [30]. Each of the key concepts in case study
research: document analysis; observation; participant observation; interviews; surveys; and
literature reviews, as shown in figure 1, has been achieved by analysing the direct inputs in
figure 1 from the different case studies as described in section 5.1. Several case studies on
various complex one-off engineering projects are being done in order to converge the data and
to determine the domain in which the results pertain to design management in the construction
industry. Literature reviews have complemented this and will also be used to determine if the
results pertain to design management outside the construction industry.

In order to analyse the information items such as key event logs, grouping of data with
suitable data variables, journals, summaries etc. as shown in direct outputs figure 1 were
devised. Each output and ongoing analysis has been an influence on the next set of
information gathered. This is done in order to obtain the relevant data required within the 3
year study period. Case studies thus far have been analysed with methods including
organizing data into key performance indicators and comparing them in order to see data
patterns and organizing data in relevant groups determined by the main issues discussed.
Surveys questions have been ordered and ranked according to number of responses and the
questions grouped according to economic context, general job function, division within
company and project stage. All results have been discussed at meetings with university
researchers and with design managers within the company for verification. Items such as
concept diagrams, data patterns and statistics have been devised from such analysis.

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etc………
Daily Activities
Safety Reports
Workshops
RFI’s and NCR’s
Tools / Artefacts
Policies, Procedures
Observation Management Plans
Pictures Management System
Mud Map Project Reviews
Computations
Journal Specifications
Transcription Drawings
Data Variables Meeting Minutes

Document Analysis
Key Events Log
Data Variables

Workshops
Courses
Daily Activities
Artefacts there to
Participation
Artefacts of Quantitative
Summary Qualitative
Comparative Conceptions of DM
Data Grouping
DM Description
Data Analysis
Concept Diagrams - Tasks and Practices
Statistics - Influences on &
results of
Graphs
Questions the tasks and
Opinions practices
Interviews Data Patterns
Transcription
Data Variables

Key
Questionnaire Examine Literature
Literature Direct Inputs
Surveys
Responses Literature Review Key Concept
Data Variables Direct Outputs

Figure 1 Method used for data collection and analysis

These early results are based on analysis done thus far. Thus far each case study has been
analysed separately and qualitative comparisons made between the case studies and case
studies on design management before tender stage haven’t been completed as yet. It is
envisioned that at the end of the data collection period the case studies will be compared with
suitable data variables which will positively determine which of the conceptions is most
appropriate for design management. This will form the basis of a description of design
management which includes the tasks and practices of design management and the influences
and results of these tasks and practices.

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5.1 Case Studies

Three case studies have been completed, another 2 are underway and a further case study is
planned in the future. A brief description of each of these case studies is given below.

A case study has been done comparing two hospital projects in the building sector of the
construction industry. These were projects which had been completed before data collection
began. Document analysis, interviews with project participants and literature was reviewed in
order to determine the design management functions.

A case study has been done on a dam project in the civil sector of the construction industry.
This was also a project which had been completed before data collection began. Document
analysis, interviews with project participants, and literature was reviewed in order to
determine the design management functions on this project.

A case study has been done on a large multi-million dollar tank project combining the civil
and process sectors of the construction industry. This was a project that was in the final
design stages during data collection. Document analysis, observation, participation,
interviews with design management throughout the different stages of the project, and
literature was reviewed in order to determine the design management functions on this
project.

A case study has begun on a tunnel in the civil sector of the construction industry. This is a
project that was in the mid design stages during data collection. Document analysis,
observation, participation, interviews with design management and literature will be reviewed
in order to determine the design management functions.

A case study has begun on the development of a process plant in the minerals industry. The
early stages of design are being investigated during data collection. Document analysis,
observation, participation, interviews with design management and literature reviews are
planned for this case study.

A future case study is planned on design management in the early stages of a project before
the construction company officially secures the project. Document analysis, observation,
participation, interviews with design management and literature reviews are also planned for
this case study.

5.2 Survey
A survey was distributed to 30 people involved with design management within the
construction company. 32 activities were surveyed in order to find out what activities design
management currently manage, participate in or are not involved in; what they would like to
manage, participate in, or be not involved in; what are considered time consuming activities
and what are considered important activities. The functions of design management from these
surveys are to be compared to the case studies in order to confirm or dispute the survey
results.

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6 Analysis and Results

6.1 Design Management Roles
In the three completed case studies different people fulfilled the role of design management.
People with various titles often undertook the tasks that design management were responsible
for in the three different conceptions. This suggested that meta design, management of design
and integration of design and construction were all required in large projects. The titles of
people who performed the functions of design management the core tasks they perform is
described in order to explain, who was conceptualised as a “meta designer”, who was
conceptualised as a “manager” and who was conceptualised as an “integrator of design and
construction”.

Thus far the survey and case studies showed that before a construction company put in a bid
or tender that design management had a participatory function. More data is required to
determine the functions of design management during the before tender stage. Once the
company had received the contract for a project they normally required a person, a design
manager, design director, operations manager or business development manager to set up
systems, which were to be used by design management later on in the project. As the projects
approached the design stage the workload exceeded the capacity of this person and further
design management personnel were resourced. These personnel consisted of design directors,
design managers, senior design engineers or senior architects, design-construction
coordinators, design integrity managers and engineering managers. When there wasn’t all
these personnel the remaining design management personnel took on the roles of the other
personnel. Towards the finalisation of the design work only one person, either a senior design
engineer, senior architect or design manager was left to deal with the remaining design
management issues. Case studies thus far indicate that design management personnel are
taken off the project before design finalization and the remaining design management issues
left to the construction team and design consultancy.

The people who set up the systems for design management in the case studies conceptually
acted as meta designers in that they designed a system in order to get the various stakeholders
involved in the design process. These systems enabled the various stakeholders to submit,
critique, change and approve parts of the design. These people set up weekly or monthly
meetings between relevant stakeholders; co-ordinated the document schedule from the design
firm, and determined the subsequent document flow in order for the stakeholders to have
design input and approvals to be obtained. Additionally systems which enabled sharing of
design documentation and ways to deal with design deviations were devised by these
personnel. These people weren’t directly responsible for the design or the design team; and
they didn’t have many design sub-ordinates to manage.

The people who took on the design management functions after the initial set up conceptually
fitted the meta designer conception as they used, maintained and continued the development
of the system devised by the initial design management personnel, which enabled
stakeholders to be co-designers or co-developers. These design management personnel in
some ways conceptually functioned as a division of project management in that they partook
in activities such as planning, monitoring and control and in that they also calculated
document control and design progress metrics. These activities were considered important
and time consuming by many respondents in the survey given to design management.
However this conception wasn’t seen as adequately describing what design management spent
most of their time doing. That is communicating with the projects various stakeholders.

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Design construction coordinators and design managers dealt with the issues arising from the
integrating design and construction conception during a project. However these people did
not yet perform all the conceptualised functions that would integrate design and construction.
They ensured that design and construction had ample contact. They dealt with issues
occurring between design and construction, such as when design clarifications needed to be
made. They were faced with issues arising from the traditional ways of working in the
construction industry, such as constructors trying to save on material costs rather than using
innovative design; constructors making last minute decisions; and designers neglecting
construction aspects in their designs. They passed on technical design information to
constructors and construction requirements to the design team. They dealt with procurement,
estimating and quality control issues, which design impacts upon and they dealt with design
for value and value for design issues. They also had a role in integrating stakeholders
particularly construction as co-developers and co-designers. When a design-construction co-
ordinator wasn’t present other design management personnel took on the issues involved in
integrating design and construction.

Design managers, senior design engineers, senior architects, design integrity managers and
engineering managers were often used to do the tasks that designers do on smaller projects do,
but which inevitably get lost on larger projects. Tasks were done such as: checking that the
overall design conformed to the relevant standards; investigating various design options; and
involving the various stakeholders in design issues.

Results thus far indicate the following. The personnel responsible for setting up the systems
that will be used by design management in a project could be conceptually viewed as “meta
designers” who design a system that enables stakeholders to be co-developers or co-designers.
The personnel responsible for design management after the systems have been set up could be
conceptually viewed as “meta designers” who do the tasks which designers do on smaller
projects, but which inevitably get lost in larger projects. The personnel responsible for design
and construction coordination could be conceptually viewed as dealing with the issues arising
in the “integrators of design and construction” conception.

6.2 Design Management as Integrators of Design and Construction

Design management personnel were observed dealing with many of the issues contained in
Column 3 of Table 1. Issues arose such as construction teams not valuing the design process;
designers not designing with construction processes in mind; design and construction being
considered as separate entities; constructors wanting to save on material rather than use
innovative design; individuals making last minute changes to try and make the process more
efficient even when design and construction personnel had spent time together determining
the most efficient method; and estimates which hadn’t taken into account the details of work
to be done. The issues developed in the integration of design and construction conception
were ongoing issues that required attention in the daily activities of design management
personnel.

Overcoming or moderating the issues between design and construction was seen as a
necessary role. When these issues were not addressed properly confusion over construction
techniques arose, design intent was lost in the final constructed product, unnecessary delays
took place and poor project satisfaction was observed. Incorporating constructors as co-
developers or co-designers is one way in which integration of design and construction is dealt
with.

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6.3 Design Management as Managers

The conception of design management as managers was not seen as adequately describing the
role of design management in the construction company. Many of the conceptualised
“manager’s” tasks that were done, particularly those that were described in the conception
design management as a division of project management, were in the context of design
management personnel ensuring stakeholders including constructions input into the design.

The conception of design management as managers of design was not seen to adequately
describe design management after a project had been secured. Design management personnel
at the construction company rarely had many sub-ordinates to manage; they rarely managed a
design team or determined design tactics and strategies for design. In addition design
managers in a construction company seldom dealt with branding, designing the future of a
company or marketing. Further data collection is required in order to determine if this
conception describes design management before a project is secured.

The conception of design management as task, flow and value management [28] was not seen
as adequately describing the practical role of design management in the construction
company. The concept, main principles, methods and practices in the task management view
were outside the responsibilities of design management. The concept, main principles,
methods and practices of the flow view did not conceptually describe the practices of design
management, because the practices were not practiced by design management and elimination
of waste was not an overriding principle of design management. The concept, main
principles, methods and practices of the value generation view were not seen as adequately
describing design management as it stands, because design management were taking into
account several stakeholders requirements and weren’t doing the suggested methods and
practices by themselves. In line with Riley and Clare-Brown [31] this description would
require substantial modification to be used to describe the practice of design management in
the construction company researched.

6.4 Design Management as Meta Designers

Design management personnel were observed designing and maintaining a system, which
incorporated stakeholders as co-developers or co-designers. They were also observed doing
tasks which designers are responsible for in smaller projects that inevitably get lost in larger
projects. Early results indicate that this conception of design management better describes the
practical tasks of design management than the design management as manager conception.

Two main functions of design management personnel cited in company documents was
ensuring stakeholders understood design developments or design changes and maintaining the
design intent. Utilizing stakeholders as co-developers or co-designers ensured that they were
up to date with the design developments and that the design intent was maintained.

The tasks within the meta designer conception were observed in the case studies as being
required in the construction industry. When the tasks of incorporating stakeholders as co-
developers or co-designers were neglected a resultant delay or hold-up became apparent.
Such delays included approvals taking a longer time than expected, because a stakeholder’s
issues were not addressed, document delays because designers didn’t understand stakeholder
inquiries and misunderstandings occurring between stakeholders, which caused design errors
and resultant rework.

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7 Conclusion
A conception of design management, which resembles design management practices in a
construction company, is emerging along with a detailed description of those practices. Early
results indicate that design management in the construction company after a tender has been
secured can be better conceived as “meta designers” rather than as “managers” and that they
also deal with the issues described in the conception of design management as integrators of
design and construction. The design management personnel were responsible for designing a
system, which made the stakeholders the co-developers or co-designers; they did the tasks
that designers are responsible for in smaller projects, but which inevitably get lost in larger
projects; and they dealt with issues arising from the integration of design and construction
conception. This information can provide a foundation for better co-ordinated design and
construction in complex one-off engineering projects.

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Janthea Andersen
University of Queensland, Catalyst Centre
School of Engineering,
St Lucia, Queensland
Australia
Phone: +61 7 3346 9913
Fax: +61 7 3365 4799
Email: j.andersen@uq.edu.au

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