Design companies to trial engineering KPIs

Exclusive by Kathy Watson



A group of design companies is to begin trials on a set of engineering design key performance indicators to test their efficacy across a range of successful and not so successful projects.

The group, which is being led by the Construction Industry Research & Information Association, includes WS Atkins, Hyder, Mott McDonald, Buro Happold and Amec Design with support from the University of Sussex and the Tavistock Institute.

These indicators will complement, not compete with others already in use, explained Tim Broyd, research and innovations director at WS Atkins: "Other key performance indicators that have been developed are very much concerned with the performance of overall projects and are of particular use to contractors. We are looking for a system where we can evaluate the design component, such as the extent to which there was supply chain involvement, interaction of designer and client, and understanding of the process of design." Other areas will include understanding client needs, the accuracy of time and cost estimates, risk management, and team morale.

Participants have been asked to select two projects that went very well, two that went very badly and one that was okay for measuring against the embryonic indicators. Ghazwa Alwani-Starr, head of the process group at CIRIA, said: "Eighteen months ago we started off with 45 indicators, now we are looking at eight which is a much more manageable number. These results will compare the team's perceptions of what is a good project."

l The Construction Industry Council has held the first steering group meeting of its performance indicators for the design of building projects which is being jointly funded by the Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions. It will focus on architectural and specialist design professions delivering better value to clients and users.