Case Study: A Fictitious University Project (FUP)

There needs to be a Trail Of Indestructible Breadcrumbs, a path where one can retrace all steps back to the original program narrative. With this structure in place, the onus can then be applied without blame or cost due to project delay or improvisational interpretation of the drawings and specifications. Technology Project Management, a logical-scheduled coordination of all involved parties and knowledge of emerging technologies and their implementation is what the Consultant brings to the dance.

The breadcrumbs I mentioned above are the tentacles that all design decisions must rely on.

When the finger pointing begins, that is when having a consultant is the best decision you might have made, if you are the owner or lead architect.

The professional consultant prepares the initial narrative and is to document all changes through all phases of the construction process with special regard to technology and all other disciplines that it coordinates with.

Typical design phase examples would be:

Programming
Schematic Design
Design Development
Construction Documents
System Drawings- Specifications
Bidding Process
Final Training & Commissioning

Too many projects get into trouble when box solutions are implemented without a consultant/designer.

The end result often ends up feeling like a generic, un-purposed design. This is also another reason why end users (operators) should attend periodic design meetings. This will ensure that the company’s workflow and spirit have been incorporated into the final design.

An example of the aforementioned statement could be as follows… if a facility needs their microphones to perform high quality measurement tests and this type of microphone only exists within a certain brand, then that product should be written into the specifications, so it is stated that it is without equal and must be the sole option considered. If there are other brands that meet the technical specifications requirement, then they can also be included in the specifications. This level of detail will prevent an important project feature from being value-engineered out of the project by an inferior product when efforts to achieve cost savings are implemented.

If this process is not watched and managed closely, it can derail the intent of the facility and cause additional costs when one seeks to remedy the previously unapproved changes.

At the point in the project when a Request For Proposal (RFP) is put out to the public, all specifications within the document regarding preferred equipment and approved workflows should have been approved by all governing parties involved. This is yet another reason why empowering your consultant with responsibility in areas such as acoustics, IT design, AV design, broadcast design, and other technology systems are so very important. It gives the owner and their representatives a confidant, who they can use for recommendations as well as a way to bring their imagined workflow into reality via drawings and specifications tailored to the project.

It also gives the owner an avenue to insist on better project results, if the project goes off track due to a consultant’s lack of involvement. The consultant becomes the Vital Cog for all aspects of the project.

When looking at a project road to success, all parties involved in it are vital in reaching that goal. Hopefully your next project will have fantastic owners, architects, contractors, and integrators.

Appointing a consultant on your next project can create a path to a better-managed coordination and design effort, and thus greatly assist in the “On Time-On Budget goal” of every project. In my experience, knowing which road to choose and when to, is a key step toward a successful multifaceted project.

Vincent Gabriel Antonini is the Business Development Manager for DPA Microphones. He can reached by email at [email protected].