Managing Design

CHAPTER 16Project Design Controls: A Framework for Balance, Change, and Action

Let's get right to it. Managing design is a difficult proposition with problems and opportunities galore. But you've got a project to plan, design, and build. We have little time to waste. In Part 1, the voices of over forty industry experts came together to discuss perennial issues – and offer suggestions. Their conversations were reflective, to frame issues and catalyze action. Enough talking. Time to start doing. We've listened and done our research; let's get to work.

How can we bring these ideas to bear? We need a means of organizing them to make sense of such an amalgam. In Part 2, we explore “Project Design Controls: A Framework for Balance, Change, and Action.” Think of it as an armature with which you can “roll up your sleeves and get to work.” With an overview and detailed look at each level's focal points, Part 2 offers principles for collaborating, understanding design processes, and using the model. We give you the concepts, tell you why they are important, and give you advice on how to use them.

“It don't make no sense that common sense don't make no sense no more.”

– John Prine

Origins: Looking, Seeing, Borrowing, and Common Sense

Where did this tool rack of design management hammers and levers originate? They came from the best firms and projects in the industry. Many were adapted. I saw a recurring problem, extracted its parts, and organized those parts to be actionable on projects. ...