In the following article, I will present an interesting and proven method introduced by Domaszczyński & Team, which leads to an effective exchange of information without unnecessary delays, misunderstandings and setbacks during the design stage of construction investments.
Working behind the scenes
Often, design work takes place behind the scenes. It is only when we look into its effects and analyse them in detail, that we can fully see how much actual work has been put into it. Let us imagine an ordinary design drawing on which work is in progress. In reality, it looks, to the layman, as if it was created in 5 minutes, but there is an enormous amount of work that has gone into it, and not just by one person, but by a whole team of specialists.
The beginning of the project
The process often goes like this. First, there is the idea, which is functional. Then it is necessary to obtain money from the investor, who at this stage, together with the whole team checks the idea, and only then does it start to be implemented. During this process, it is extremely important to choose companies to which we can entrust this task. As we all know not all teams work well together. Some of them have problems communicating with each other, and engaging them as work partners may cause us to lose a lot of time and money. In the event of problems, I recommend using the spiral model of communication, in which all aspects will be discussed very thoroughly before proceeding, which will make the project itself go smoothly.
Resolving communication problems
However, it can happen that despite smooth communication, some people on the team still maintain an introverted attitude. They are focused only on their own knowledge and do not allow other people’s arguments. This is when it is necessary for the whole team – engineer, designer and construction workers – to get together and talk openly about their expectations, visions and the final result. I know from my own experience that initiating frequent but short and to-the-point communication prevents many problems. A good option is to create a reporting matrix. The file should ideally be available online for everyone. Everyone – from the engineer to the site worker – would be able to access it and keep track of any changes, make their amendments and discuss them.
In practice it looks like this: first, there is a delay for a response when there is a problem, then there is an additional delay for data, ideally all the parameters, not just the general ones. This is followed by an expectation of a report on the completion of a particular stage of work. In addition, it is necessary to clearly define the location of the equipment, for example, the layout and design of the diffusers. Then only the transfer of complete drawings, as well as the setting of deadlines and their verification can take place. At this stage, the solutions to be applied, in practice, are also agreed upon.
Let’s imagine the following situation. The installer receives a room from the architect, for which he has to design ventilation. He designs distribute the exhaust vents, chooses their specific type and works on their arrangement. At the same time, he must take into account the circulation of air in this room, keep in mind the comfort of people who will be sitting there in the future. The air must circulate properly and the room must not be permanently draughty. He selects the right equipment and its layout, type and model, contacts the manufacturer, browses catalogues all the time, and generally does a lot of work. Moreover, he is in contact with other branches, with the lighting engineer, with the DSO system, he also has in mind the signalling of escape routes in case of fire. As if that wasn’t enough, he checks what processes are taking place in the ceiling cavity, the duct sizes and routing are predefined, all in close collaboration with his draughtsman. And only now do they pass this data on to the architect. It seems like a lot, but that’s how it works in practice: There’s a lot of work and the person who sees the final result is often unaware of it.
Let’s imagine the following situation. The installer receives a room from the architect, for which he has to design ventilation. He designs distribute the exhaust vents, chooses their specific type and works on their arrangement. At the same time, he must take into account the circulation of air in this room, keep in mind the comfort of people who will be sitting there in the future. The air must circulate properly and the room must not be permanently draughty. He selects the right equipment and its layout, type and model, contacts the manufacturer, browses catalogues all the time, and generally does a lot of work. Moreover, he is in contact with other branches, with the lighting engineer, with the DSO system, he also has in mind the signalling of escape routes in case of fire. As if that wasn’t enough, he checks what processes are taking place in the ceiling cavity, the duct sizes and routing are predefined, all in close collaboration with his draughtsman. And only now do they pass this data on to the architect. It seems like a lot, but that’s how it works in practice: There’s a lot of work and the person who sees the final result is often unaware of it.
The spiral communication model in practice
What seemed like the end suddenly became the beginning, as the whole job has to be done over again. The architect does not like the layout of the ceiling and there is a dispute between the two. Does it seem improbable? Well, no, this happens very often. If, before starting the design work, the installer and the architect had contacted each other, even remotely, by sharing a monitor screen, it is very likely that no conflict would have arisen. This could have been avoided with the use of a spiral model of communication, which ensures that everything is clear and agreed upon before work begins. A spiral model of communication involves all stakeholders equally and directs them towards a goal. And that goal is not to take any steps backwards.
The consequences of a lack of communication
The above story shows how damaging and dangerous a lack of communication is to the whole project. Good intentions and eagerness to work alone are not enough to finalise what has been started. Unfortunately, such situations happen, all too often. The team loses time, money and nerves. Such delays and conflicts not only make you lose out in several ways; sometimes the conflict has grown to such an extent that the team is no longer able to work together and splits up. The project comes to a standstill and the people involved not only rule out any future collaboration but can also create negative PR behind their backs. These are all very bad practices that damage the market and the relationship between companies. This is an unenviable situation for everyone, but the worst affected are the subcontractors and construction workers. After all, they were not the ones involved in the dispute, they were not the ones who failed to agree on the details – they were simply supposed to do their job and receive fair payment for it, but in the situation that arose, they were left to their own devices and, what is more, without money.
To an outsider, to a layman, an unfinished project often looks like an abandoned building site, an unfinished building and foundations sticking out of the ground. Every one of us has passed such a place many times and probably concluded that “the investor ran out of money”, “the construction company went bankrupt”, and indeed sometimes these statements are true. However, few will think of the human drama that this wasteland has become a symbol of. That is why it is so important to communicate effectively with each other and to develop soft skills, to be open to other people’s rationale and to plan everything in advance, preferably based on the spiral communication model.
If you have ever had a similar problem and you want it not to happen again – contact us so that we can deal with it professionally, saving you time! Call us right away!
Wojciech Domaszczyński, MBA. Expert in construction, solving problems at the design stage so that they don’t occur during construction.
