An architect’s job is never really defined. While designing buildings and other projects is their main function, they also have to manage various requirements for documentation, regulations, and other tedious or time-consuming tasks. The bigger the project, the more of these variables there are to juggle. 

Architects also have to manage people, their personalities, and their relative experience levels. When large projects hit critical mass, when they become hectic and fast-paced, it becomes all the more important that these design pros know exactly how to coordinate these variables and communicate with the folks involved.

Check out these five strategies to manage fast-paced, high-volume construction projects:

1. You Establish the Rules

Personalities can be the hardest variable to manage in a fast-paced environment. While experienced subs, contractors, and developers know the ropes, those with less time in the construction real-world might not know how to act or what’s expected. So you need to set the rules.

“Green” stakeholders need boundaries put clearly in front of them, so set the expectations early. You get to determine how the project will run, the appropriate means of communication, any workflows and timelines they need to be aware of, and other areas or processes you know they might try to run away with. Think specifically about RFIs, submittals, shop, drawings, change orders, and other applicable documents.

The architect setting the rules on these items ensures two things. One, the communication ball is always in the design court, allowing the designer to work efficiently. And two, it ensures that any required documentation is handled correctly from the start, rather than scrambling to meet requirements when prompted. 

Consider education projects, where timelines are tight, budgets are non-negotiable, and decisions are typically made by board members with limited construction knowledge. Pre-defining the RFI process from the project launch can ensure timely responses to help keep the project on track.

Pro Tip: Use a centralized communication platform that allows all stakeholders to access and share project-related information. Project management software can also streamline the RFI process and make reviewing submittals and shop drawings easier, as well as collecting signatures and approvals faster. 

2. Nail Your Systems Down

While strong organization is always important, it becomes non-optional on large, high-speed projects. All of the different aspects of these projects have their own documents, drawings, contracts, permits, reports, and change orders to organize, requiring a reliable, expansive system for keeping them organized. They should be accessible and searchable, allowing architects to pull up any document at any time. 

Consider the wildly complicated world of healthcare construction. The field is highly regulated and many of the individual subtrades have certain specifications or codes they must follow for specialized equipment or functions of the area or department involved. This leads to far more documentation than on a typical project, regardless of the size. All of that documentation needs to be organized into a neat, easily accessible library so architects can keep up, share information, and keep the project on track.

Pro Tip: Utilizing a cloud-based document management system is the best way to organize documents, drawings, submittals, contracts, and other important documents. AI-powered solutions make the process even easier, quickly scanning documents and organizing them based on the data on the page. Teams are able to use these systems to improve communication and collaboration as well as reduce rework and errors. 

3. Prioritize Efficient Communication and Meetings

The construction industry often touts the value of communication. But, communication is really only helpful when it’s, well, helpful. It needs to be efficient and purposeful, otherwise, it’s just chatter.

Meetings are necessary, and they should be regularly scheduled. However, too many meetings will bog down progress and often lead to a lack of urgency and disinterest in solving issues. After all, there’s another meeting coming soon, right? These extra meetings are essentially a waste of time and simply lead to frustration. 

Higher education projects typically have a lot of players on the field. They often involve a benefactor, an alumni organization, the university itself, and other stakeholders. Meetings are necessary to ensure that progress is a priority and that resources are being allocated or spent accordingly. But, these people are often very busy, making unnecessary communication unacceptable. 

Pro Tip: Utilize software and project management tools that update in real-time. With these tools, teams have access to reports, the latest data, job progress, change orders, and budget information at any time. In most cases, designers and architects can easily customize workflows to ensure that stakeholders receive any necessary information without a meeting. 

4. Adapt to Client Needs with Flexibility and Education

Part of managing these fast-paced projects is adapting client expectations to meet the architect’s workflows. But, it’s unreasonable to think architects don’t have to meet in the middle in some aspects. Sometimes, adapting to clients and their needs can go a long way to improve workflows and trust.

For instance, think of a large commercial construction project with an owner with limited development experience. In this case, it’s often better for the architect to be patient and explain situations to the client during regular check-ins than it is to force them through a cold, impersonal chain of short email answers. Understanding why a building code applies or a construction delay occurs helps foster trust and goodwill.

But this could take patience and homework. The architect might have to prepare some educational materials or case studies that explain the situation and demystify the construction process. Visual aids like flowcharts, timelines, and progress reports can be a big help. Scheduling regular check-ins to share this information and answer questions is key. 

Pro Tip: Work with your client to develop a communication plan. The plan should include regular updates, education, and feedback sessions at designated intervals. A set plan will help the client feel involved and informed. 

5. Leverage Technology for Better Project Management

Technology isn’t an option on these high-volume, breakneck-speed projects. Architects will have to utilize project management tools that facilitate real-time collaboration, task tracking, and automated reminders and workflows to ensure these projects stay on track and enhance team efficiency. 

Healthcare is another prime example here. These projects are so multi-layered that trying to keep them organized with spreadsheets and localized data is almost impossible. Not only do these projects have regulatory compliance to deal with, but just keeping track of all of the specialty trades’ progress is impossible without tech-powered management tools. 

It’s not just progress and documentation that these programs can simplify. Scheduling, budgeting, and quality control can also be streamlined, and to a degree, automated with the right programs. 

Pro Tip: Consider the shape and makeup of your current tech stack. If you’re going to implement new software, ensure that it’s complementary to your current tech stack. Also, customizable dashboards that allow you to bring the more important data to the forefront will allow you to work faster with the information you need right at hand.  

Learn more about how to manage high volume, fast-paced projects in this Part3 webinar:

Projects. Managed Better.

Even with all of the techniques explained above, managing large, rapidly-paced projects is challenging. It just gets harder with inexperienced clients and highly regulated industries. But, establishing clear communication rules and routes, using document management software, prioritizing yet not abusing proper communication, meeting your client’s needs, and using the right software solutions will make the process far less painful and stressful.

Part3's construction administration software has features and tools that can help you better manage high volume, fast-paced projects. Book a demo to learn how.