Continuous Improvement
The Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approach allows all involved to continuously looks for ways to improve your project.
Your expectation for any project team is that they combine a sensitivity to design and a passion to find the best possible solutions. From the start of the design through construction, each team member, including the field superintendents, should be looking for ways to add value to YOUR project.
A wise, experienced General Contractor once told me that “if you get on the site and you know more about ceramic tile (insert any building component) than your sub-contractor, both of you have a problem.”
Construction projects have evolved into a team of specialized experts. While leaving room for differing opinions and “preferred methods,” it is just crazy to not solicit and consider advice from all of the trade contractors on any project. There may be a reason why the Project Architect detailed a building component the way he/she did, or it might just be what came into his/her mind at the moment. That is why it is imperative that a project mentality be promoted where everyone is welcome to make suggestions that yield better value to the project.
This sounds self-evident, but it is surprising how many folks would prefer to not spend the energy on considering a solution that might cost less or yield a better end product. One of the important characteristics of high performance Project Construction Managers and Field Supervisors is their willingness to keep an open mind and consider every opportunity to improve the project.
One of the advantages (to building Owners) of Integrated Project Delivery is the opportunity to be involved in such considerations. This doesn’t always work with Owners whose major measurement of project success is minimizing the “number of change orders.” When everyone has their eye on the same end goal, real savings can be realized.
This attitude really works.
For more information please see “The Guild Master” white paper.