Last edited 25 Jan 2017

RIBA plan of work v project plans v OGC gateways

This article is an attempt to map the project stages set out in the RIBA Plan of Work (2007) v the RIBA Plan of Work (2013) v the Designing Buildings Wiki Project Plans v the OGC gateway review process.

The OGC gateway review process is quite different from the other three as it involves tendering for an integrated supply team to design and construct the works once the brief has been prepared (the output-based specification) before concept design commences.

2013 RIBA Plan of Work	2007 RIBA Plan of Work	Designing Buildings Wiki project plans	OGC Gateways
0 Strategic definition	A Appraisal	1 Business justification	0 Strategic Assessment
0 Strategic definition		1 Business justification	1 Business justification
1 Preparation and brief		2 Feasibility studies	1 Business justification
1 Preparation and brief	B Design brief	3 Project brief	2 Delivery strategy (or procurement strategy)
			3 Investment decision
2 Concept design	C Concept	4 Concept design	Decision point 1 outline design
3 Developed design	D Design development	5 Detailed design	Decision point 2 detailed design
4 Technical design	E Technical design	5 Detailed design
(Procurement is flexible and does not have a numbered stage)	F Production information	6 Production information
	G Tender documentation	7 Tender (moveable depending on procurement route)
	H Tender action	7 Tender (moveable depending on procurement route)
5 Construction	J Mobilisation	8 Mobilisation	4 Readiness for service
5 Construction	K Construction to practical completion	9 Construction	4 Readiness for service
6 Handover and close out	L Post practical completion	10 Occupation and defects liability period.	5 Operations review & benefits realisation (or benefits evaluation)
7 In use	L Post practical completion	11 Post occupancy evaluation.

NB the BIM Task Group Digital Plan of Work and the Government Soft Landings process map is based on an alternate set of stages:

0 Strategy
1 Brief
2 Concept
3 Definition
4 Design
5 Build and commission
6 Handover and close-out
7 Operation and end-of-life

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) scope of services adopts:

Stage 1 (Preparation)
Stage 2 (Concept)
Stage 3 (Design Development)
Stage 4 (Production Information)
Stage 5 (Manufacture, Installation & Construction Information)
Stage 6 (Post Practical Completion)

Given the complexity of this situation and the potential for misunderstanding the nature of what is meant by different project stages it is important that appointment documents and contracts set out precisely what is required, and at what level of detail for different stages of a project rather than relying on reference to ambiguous names or process maps.