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In a competitive marketplace, design firms benefit from promoting an integrated design approach to serving their clients. It is incumbent on the design firm to combine and coordinate separate and diverse disciplines to create a team focused on the goals of the client and project. At MVE & Partners, our design service includes consultant coordination so that our clients don't have to act as a mediator during the project.
In a competitive marketplace, design firms must promote an integrated approach to serve clients. It is incumbent on the architecture and design firm to combine and coordinate separate and diverse disciplines to create a team focused on project goals. We do the coordination, so that the client does not have to.
To serve clients, we first identify all resources that could benefit the project. That means contacting the necessary consultants ranging in specialties from engineering to acoustic and audio/visual. Where appropriate, we form joint partnerships with specialty design firms or designers/architects in the project's geographic market. And we keep client apprised.
As soon as these players are identified, we obtain a time commitment for the duration of the project, and try to organize players so that the time commitment from client is minimized. It is important that all parties to assign team players who reliably participate in the design process.
For a recent high-security project, we researched consultants nationwide who specialized in programming and planning such facilities. Once hired, they became part of our project team in marketing and securing the assignment. All client communication and management came through us on the project-we kept it simple for the client. We worked closely with the high-security consultant through the initial phases of needs assessment, programming and design. When the project developed into three-dimensional designs, documentation and construction administration, the emphasis shifted, and the consultant assumed an overview capacity. As a result, our client received additional expert service, but not additional communication burdens.
We like to begin with a team-building session with our client where they meet each of the disciplines involved. We identify the goals of the project, the means by which we agree to communicate and work together, and the schedule to which everyone commits their time. To keep momentum going, the designer must be a disciplined task master to ensure that demands on the client are minimized. Nevertheless, including the client in regular meetings allows them to understand the process, prioritize their objectives and gain a sense of ownership for the project.
Our schedules include milestones so the team can review where they have been, then refocus efforts as the project progresses. It is helpful to create workshops for the client and team to review completed materials, assess the challenges encountered and determine how to best move forward. Progress reports are then shared with other concerned stake holders-community groups, community design review boards, student bodies-to familiarize them with the progress of the project, to excite them about it or diffuse misunderstandings.
An integrated approach benefits design professionals, but helps clients even more. Integrating the client early in the process promotes ownership of the project and keeps clients apprised of evolving issues, beginning to end. Teaming up with outside professionals can improve outcomes, hold down overhead, and deliver more service while adhering to the client budget.
Robert Puleo, Associate IIDA, is Associate Partner/Director of Interiors at Irvine, CA-based MVE & Partners, and creates dynamic interiors for hospitality, educational, corporate and institutional clients.
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