Design management plan
A design management plan can be used to co-ordinate design activities. It should at least cover:
- Design responsibility matrix.
- Schedules of drawings to be produced by each discipline/specialist.
- Design programme, including key dates for reviews and information exchanges.
- Schedules of information required/release dates.
- The size and format of drawing types.
- Procedures for CAD / BIM (see BIM execution plan).
- Estimates of staff hours to be spent by designers on each element or drawing.
- Monitoring of design resources expended compared to planned estimates.
- Initiating procedures for design changes.
- Requirements for collateral warranties.
- Incorporation within the design schedule of key dates for review of design performance to check:
- Compliance with brief.
- Cost acceptance.
- Value engineering analysis.
- Health and safety issues.
- Completeness for tender.
The project manager, may use the agreed design management plan as a basis for monitoring and controlling the design process. However, integration of the work of consultant and specialists lies with the lead designer. For certain elements of the project, different leads may be nominated, however, these roles will always come under the direction of the lead designer for co-ordination.
The text in this article is based on an extract from PROJECT MANAGEMENT, by Eric Stokes and Saleem Akram. The original manual was published in 2008. It was developed within the scope of the LdV program, project number: 2009-1-PL1-LEO05-05016 entitled “Common Learning Outcomes for European Managers in Construction”. It is reproduced here in a slightly modified form with the kind permission of the Chartered Institute of Building.
--CIOB
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Ebenezer Howard: inventor of the garden city. Book review.
The Grenfell Tower fire, eight years on
A time to pause and reflect as Dubai tower block fire reported just before anniversary.
Airtightness Topic Guide BSRIA TG 27/2025
Explaining the basics of airtightness, what it is, why it's important, when it's required and how it's carried out.
Construction contract awards hit lowest point of 2025
Plummeting for second consecutive month, intensifying concerns for housing and infrastructure goals.
Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025
Examining the state of mental health in construction, shedding light on levels of stress, anxiety and depression.
The benefits of engaging with insulation manufacturers
When considering ground floor constructions.
Lighting Industry endorses Blueprint for Electrification
The Lighting Industry Association fully supports the ECA Blueprint as a timely, urgent call to action.
BSRIA Sentinel Clerk of Works Training Case Study
Strengthening expertise to enhance service delivery with integrated cutting-edge industry knowledge.
Impact report from the Supply Chain Sustainability School
Free sustainability skills, training and support delivered to thousands of UK companies to help cut carbon.
The Building Safety Forum at the Installershow 2025
With speakers confirmed for 24 June as part of Building Safety Week.
The UK’s largest air pollution campaign.
Future Homes Standard, now includes solar, but what else?
Will the new standard, due to in the Autumn, go far enough in terms of performance ?
BSRIA Briefing: Cleaner Air, Better tomorrow
A look back at issues relating to inside and outside air quality, discussed during the BSRIA briefing in 2023.
Restoring Abbotsford's hothouse
Bringing the writer Walter Scott's garden to life.
Reflections on the spending review with CIAT.
Retired firefighter cycles world to raise Grenfell funds
Leaving on 14 June 2025 Stephen will raise money for youth and schools through the Grenfell Foundation.
Key points for construction at a glance with industry reactions.
Comments
This is a really useful resource for teaching how to discharge the duties of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015.
Like the Principal Contractor, the Principal Designer must "plan, manage and monitor" part of the project delivery, namely the pre-construction phase.
The Principal Contractor (and even the Contractor for smaller less complex projects) must produce a Construction Phase Plan. This makes sense. In order "to plan" you need "a plan".
Since the Principal Designer has a similar duty, there is an implied requirement on the Principal Designer to produce a Design Management Plan, Design Execution Plan or Pre-Construction Phase Plan.
The list of headings provided here is helpful because it shows how to integrate H&S into projects rather than having it as a separate item.
Like many other aspects such as the commercial aspects, professionals need to be continuously mindful of the issues and occasional focussed on them.
Liz Bennett
[email protected]