Champions for construction clients
It is important on all projects that there are designated client champions, '...to take responsibility for design quality throughout the project. This may be the departmental champion with a responsibility for all the organisation’s construction projects or an individual assigned the role specifically for the project (ref. Achieving Excellence Guide 9 - Design Quality).
It can be appropriate to appoint a number of champions:
- A senior design champion might be appointed to ensure that schemes do not proceed until they achieve an acceptable level of design quality.
- A project-level design champion might become more involved in the detail of the design.
- Special interest champions, might represent the interests of particularly important aspects of the project.
Special interest champions could be appointed to represent:
- Design quality.
- Customer interests.
- Staff interests.
- Information technology.
- Change management.
- Sustainability.
- Facilities management.
- A soft landings champion to ensure the design optimises operational performance and that there is a smooth transition from construction to occupation.
The role of champions might include:
- Articulating the vision for the project.
- Articulating the client's design quality aspirations.
- Ensuring that design objectives are clearly described in briefing documents.
- Evaluating design quality throughout the design process.
- Chairing user panels relevant to their particular area of responsibility.
It is important that design champions are appointed as soon as possible so that they can play a part in establishing the vision for the project. This will make them more likely to defend the vision.
Design champions do not need to have experience of construction projects, it is more important that their role is clearly defined and they are given the authority, time and support to enable them to perform this role. For many of those involved, the project will be a ‘parallel activity’ carried out in addition their day job. This means that their individual goals need to be re-aligned to include the project goals, rather than just being linked to their normal day job.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- BREEAM launches local planning authority guidance.
- BREEAM sustainability champion.
- Client.
- Client requirements.
- Consultation process.
- Design quality.
- Design review.
- Integrated project team.
- Soft landings.
- Stakeholders.
- Stakeholder management: a quality perspective.
- Stakeholder map.
- Third party dependencies.
- User panels.
- Vision.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
Heat pump announcements, what homeowners need to know
An 'ultimate guide to heat pumps' from a heating company.
Construction contract awards reach £7.1bn in February
Their highest level in seven months.
The journey to sustainability in heritage
Research is the key to better understanding.
Heritage approaches to adaptation, mitigation and loss.
Bridging the gap between policy, finance and installation.
Development on brownfield land
Definition, background, policy and the latest consultation.
With the Design Framework for Building Services.
Retrofit of Buildings, a CIOB Technical Publication
Pertinent technical issues, measures and the roles involved.
ECA joins HSE campaign to support mental health
Working Minds’ five simple steps based on risk assessment.
Mental health in the construction industry
Mental health issues in brief with related articles.
Transitional arrangements, Building Control and the BSR.
For pre-October buildings with substantial progress by April.
How to write an inspection and test plan
ITPs for quality control and assurance particular elements.
Why quality counts in domestic ventilation systems
From products, to systems to the installation.
Empowering the Future with CIOB Academy
Lifelong learning, upscaling, and reskilling for the built environment.
Winners of the 2024 ASBP Awards
Project, Product and Initiative according to the 6 pillars.