Design process standardisation for building projects in India

Abstract

The effectiveness of the design process significantly influences the performance of a building construction project. In a complex design environment, the advent of compressed fast-track schedules can cause disruptions in construction. It is, therefore, imperative to allocate appropriate efforts during design to minimize these disruptions. Thus, a framework which guides organizations to develop a well-structured design process will ensure better project delivery. A preliminary study revealed that design processes in Indian construction industry were generally unstructured. A more detailed study of the design processes of four Indian developer organizations mapped the current design processes as swim lane diagrams. Analysis of these processes showed that design at each organization was driven by certain priorities and the design stage durations varied significantly, especially in the concept design stage where these priorities have maximum influence. Based on the analysis, it is apparent that standardization within an organization/project type is required and more feasible, than a single industry-wide standardization of the process. This paper also presents a preliminary SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer) methodology to internally standardize design process which is derived from the maturity levels recommended in the Capability Maturity Model framework. This methodology has been used to develop generic process charts from the design processes mapped for the organizations sampled. It is anticipated that the availability of these standards will enable better planning and monitoring of building design.