RICS-SBE/01/CM/S001/R02

Revised on: 24-11-2022

Design Management Issues

Roles and Tasks of Design Manager

 Design Management Issues

Design management involves understanding, coordinating and synthesising a wide range of inputs while working
alongside a diverse cross-section of multidisciplinary colleagues
Architecture Management
Within the domain of architecture the term ‘design management’ tends to be used to describe the effective
management of the design process and the management of design content within individual projects
Construction Management
Design management is largely a coordinating and integration function
Design manager coordinates design changes as the work proceeds, acting as interface between the design team
and the construction team
Context of Design management
Design Management in Construction Projects

Design Management includes the management of all project - related design

Activities, people, processes and resources
Enabling the effective flow and production of design information
Contributing to achieving the successful delivery of the completed
Project, on time, on budget and in fulfilment of the customer’s requirements on quality and function in a sustainable
manner
Delivering value through integration, planning, co-ordination, reduction of risk and innovation
Achieved through collaborative and integrated working and value - management processes
Examples of Design Management Issues in
Construction
MIT’s Simmons Students’ Hall, in Cambridge, MA,
USA, 2002

The decision of the architect and the structural engineer

to conceive the envelope as a giant Vierendeel truss,
made of precast waffle-like panels (so that the skeleton
of the building would conform to the architectural idea),
turned the university dorm into a nearly impossible
construction undertaking, and eventually the most
expensive student structure in America per bed. In the
end, the solution for the panels was arrived at by the
general contractor, through the construction of elaborate
mockups that were used to design and reproduce the
trade sequences required
Design manager

Design managers initially emerged in contractor organisations as they started undertaking a portion of design,
which involved their specialist sub-contractors.
The design manager has an enabling and co-ordinating role, but is not acting as a designer themselves. The role
should not be confused with the lead designer, who heads the decision making and co-ordination of the actual
design, or with the lead consultant, who directs the work of the entire consultant team.
 Role of Design manger

The DM role encompasses managing internal and external design consultants, controlling the development of the
design concept into manufacturing and installation and construction status information. This type of role also exists in
other industries besides construction, such as branding, manufacturing and industrial design, software development,
automotive, petrochemicals and space engineering – essentially any process where design is involved in producing a
finished, built or manufactured product. It is about process and people management, requiring a blend of technical
and commercial awareness, mixed with project management and people and communication skills.
 Design manager

The main tasks of the design manager are to:

Establish a platform for good communication and collaboration between relevant parties and thereby an
effective flow of design and production information.
De-risk design problems by finding solutions before they materialise.
Contribute to planning and co-ordination in a way that adds value to the processes.
Prepare, manage and secure all-party ownership of an integrated design programme.
 Design manager

Selected specific tasks of the design manager are:

Coordination between multiple project participants.
Ensuring that the design process is within the assumed time, quality and budget.
Signing and supervising the contract with the designer.
Establishing information exchange systems and processes.
Support for other people, or taking responsibility for tasks such as BIM manager, for example: establishing CDE,
setting requirements for designers, co-creating BEP / BIM manual.
Control of what has been designed against what is to be done in real life (“buildability”).
Checking whether the conditions and requirements of the contract, standards, specifications, etc. are met during
the design process.
Searching for optimization opportunities.
Engaging contractor’s representatives in the design process
 Design manager

The role requires various capabilities, including:

An all round basic knowledge of the construction and property industry.
A good grasp of the technical aspects of design and construction matters, systems and processes.
An understanding of planning applications, building regulations, codes of practice, environmental and health and
safety regulations.
Planning and programming skills.
Legal, commercial and contractual knowledge.
Negotiating and people skills.
Presentation skills.
All this means that design managers require considerable experience and so tend to come from the ranks of the
professions or from design and build contracting organisations and will have experience on a wide number of
projects.
 DESIGN SKILLS

Design managers need to have:

Technical skills - looking at design as a sequence of activities based on a rationalised approach to a technical problem
Cognitive skills - approaching the skills and limitations of the individual designer
Social skills - looking at how designers interact with other stakeholders and how this influences teamwork and value
generation
 Design Management Competencies

Technology
• Basic understanding of the industry and how it works
• Building technology and systems, including structures and MEP
• Codes of Practice and Regulations, e.g. Planning, Listed Buildings, Building
Regulations, BS/EN standards
• Design quality and urban impact
• Health and safety, including CDM
• Sustainability and the environment.
 Design Management Competiencies

Process
• Construction process and logistics
• Design process
• Management tools and strategies
• Planning, programming, time - management techniques.
Commercial
• Commercial/cost/estimating
• Contract, legal
• Procurement routes.
Personal
• Dealing with people, communicating, influencing, negotiating, managing
• Presentation, communication
 Design Management Competiencies

The design manager can have different roles in different phases, companies, and different types of contract. In addition,
he should be competent in three main areas:
The first is management and administration. These are tasks that stand on the verge of the role and responsibility of the
project manager. They cover the following topics:
Responsibility for cost, time, and resources in the design process.
Support in the cost estimate and tendering process.
Ensuring the required quality of project documentation.
Information and documentation management.
Ensuring that design documentation is prepared in accordance with contracts, country laws, standards, and
specifications.
Other administrative activities such as analysis, planning, management, status control.
 DESIGN Management Competiencies

The design manager must also have technical competence, knowledge, and experience. These tasks require a
comprehensive understanding of the construction and design processes, among other things:
Seeing the whole picture – the complexity and interdependence of various elements of the project.
Searching for ideas and solutions for optimization.
Creating documentation of the appropriate quality.
Coordination of participants in the project process and other stakeholders.
Appropriate prioritization and decision-making.
Practical BIM experience
Knowledge of risks.
 DESIGN Management Competiencies

The last area is leadership. These are personal qualities and soft skills.
Leadership.
Motivation and motivating others.
Communication and understanding.
Cooperation and delegation.
Flexibility.
Values.
Feeling of responsibility.
Authority.
Thank You