Efficiency and productivity are essential for a successful construction project. However, productivity is in a state of downslope. As a matter of fact, productivity has been progressively declining yearly. Have you noticed the decreasing productivity rate in your team? If yes, the main issue can be this – everybody must be looking out for themselves at the expense of everybody else.
Because so many different parties contribute to your project, there can be many contradictory interests. Also, everyone is in flat mode. The only innovative way to combat this rising conflict is through Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method. Read on to know everything about the IPD method, including its various stages, and discover the reasons and benefits why you must opt for it for your upcoming projects.
What is Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)?
Integrated project delivery is a project delivery method designed to align the interests of the team members and stakeholders that integrates their work for optimal project performance with a value-based, collaborative process for greater results for every project member. With IPD, the main push is that you should work thru any possible issues during the early stage, even before the construction starts. This is to eliminate any potential risks and waste.
Below are the two distinctions of IPD which are very important to understand:
- IPD as a delivery method integrates construction teams to take advantage of the knowledge of all team members to maximize the project outcome fully. IPD is the higher form of collaboration because the three major parties (owner, constructor, architect) are aligned by one contract.
- IPD as a Philosophy typically occurs when incorporated philosophies and practices are being applied to more traditional delivery approaches like Design-Build, CM at risk, etc.
The Different Stages of Integrated Project Delivery
Once the stage is finally set, your construction team is in place, and contracts have been written, it is time now to put IPD project into practice. Below are some important stages involved in delivering IPD projects.
- Building Your Integrated Team: A successful IPD project relies heavily on assembling your team. This team of yours should be dedicated to collaboration and constant communication.
- Conceptualization: Early in the process, stakeholders gather early and will analyze various solutions. The goal here is to reduce errors and waste, minimize rising conflicts and prevent costly reworks. This is when collaboration is essential. Therefore, construction scheduling software is crucial to keep everyone on the page. One of the most significant benefits of this construction software solution is that they significantly improve internal communication and flexibility. If you want to be always in motion with your team, go for this software! This is nothing but your life-saver!
- Criteria Design: All the assessments and evaluations during the conceptualization phase are now integrated with the target project goals and some regulatory considerations to optimize costs and reduce waste.
- Implementation: Once the designs are set, implementation starts with design data analysis. During this stage, you have to analyze and test some proposed systems to guarantee design performance. Your subs, contractors, and suppliers are expected to document how they will create structures and systems.
- Buyout: Buyout means getting price commitments for every project work package. In IPD, this buyout stage is typically limited to obtaining price commitments from any remaining subs and suppliers who are not directly involved during the two design phases.
- Construction: This is the phase when all the benefits of careful planning and collaboration come to fruition. And if the previous phases are being performed correctly, this phase must be painless, resulting in lesser delays, risks, and scheduling problems.
Why Choose Integrated Project Delivery?
So how does Integrated Project Delivery increase efficiency? Rather than having each of your team members focus on every aspect of the project, IPDs force your team to consider some implications for the whole project. Below are some of the many benefits of IPD for you and your team members.
The following benefits are the main reasons why you should opt for IPD for your next construction projects:
- Transparency: When all of your team members meet regularly to share experiences and ideas and use collaborative software, everybody is up to speed and more aware of each aspect of the project.
- Improved planning and project management for construction: There will be more advantages in getting optimal solutions when collaborative management among your team members. A democratical project workflow supports more optimized solutions, quick implementation, and faster turnarounds whenever challenges occur.
- Time and Money Savings: Having an integrated approach can boost project delivery, allowing everyone to incentivize.
- Better Business Continuity: There’s a full alignment with the goals, completing the project within budget and on time.
- High standards: When everybody has skin in the game and a sense of unity with their colleagues, they tend to function and work to benefit the construction project.
- Customization: By nature, the IPD method creates a good environment that offers custom solutions to design. While there is continuous learning that you must apply when managing construction projects, any engagement can provide an excellent opportunity to learn and produce unique solutions.
How Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Differs from Other Project Management Types?
In the IPD method, all stakeholders share the management and design of work and the rewards and risks. Therefore, the main participants are usually involved in the integrated project as early as practicable. The inrush of expertise and knowledge of all key team members can improve decision-making. Also, the combined effort is most potent during the early stage of the project when all informed decisions have the most significant impact.
But the main point here is that very complex projects are best suitable for IPD. Compared to Design-Build, IPD focuses more on creating a collaborative environment, team building, and shared risks.
IPD versus Design-Build
- Traditional Design-Build can be a promoter of an anti-collaborative mindset. This is unfortunate because you may never realize the potential strength of fully integrated teams. Under this traditional DB process, your team may not fully engage with one another. Your subs will have their assumptions without being validated or coordinated by the design pros.
- In contrast, Integrated Project Delivery is about exceedingly collaborative interactions, team building, and shared risk.
Given that you are handling complex projects, IPD is the best choice for you. For a successful IPD implementation, you should follow the cited standards below:
- Mutual Respect and Trust: You and other involved parties, which are many to mention, should realize the value of collaboration and must fully commit to teamwork for the project’s best interest.
- Mutual Benefit and Rewards: IPD compensation rewards and recognizes early involvement. Compensation is often based on added value, and it will often reward positive behavior by providing incentives associated with project goals.
- Collaborative and Decision Making Innovation: The exchange of ideas is always supported. These ideas are then evaluated by merit, not by role or status. Major decisions are being weighed by your team and, if possible, are made by unanimous judgment.
- Early involvement of Key Participants: As early as practical, key participants are being involved. The team’s shared knowledge is most profound during the early stages of the project, when informed judgments have the highest impact.
- End goal definition: Project goals are developed and agreed upon early in the process and supported by all participants. All insights from each member are recognized and valued to sustain superior performance.
- Intensified Planning: The point of IPD is not to create minimal design effort but rather to advance design outcomes to streamline and reduce the expensive construction labor.
- Appropriate Technology: IPD depends on cutting-edge construction technologies. Specifying which software solutions you will use at the beginning of the project maximize internal operations and even communication. Choose Pro Crew Schedule, a reliable cloud-based project management software that supports and reinforces construction crew management, resulting in solid communication between all parties involved.
- Organization and Leadership: All of your team members have to be committed to the values and goals of the construction team. Based on particular situations, leadership will always be appointed to the most capable and competent team members. Define roles clearly and keep in mind that building barriers can tamp down risk-taking and open communication.
Improve Your Integrated Project Delivery with Pro Crew Schedule
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