In the world of Project Management, it is rare that our jobs remain constant. No two projects are the same, therefore it is unusual that two project teams are the same. Add to this budgetary constraints, limited resources, a widening skills gap, economic uncertainty, and Return on Investment pressures and you have the unique set of circumstances that we ask our newly formed teams to succeed within.
The way we run our projects has become more and more fragmented. There is no longer a clear way to divide up who does what on a team. Different services can be internal, outsourced or bought in house. Different specialisms will be required depending on what the project involves. Different stakeholders & investors have different requirements in how they want to be involved in a project. And the way projects are funded can be varied and complex.
Why fragmented teams are a good thing
There are many benefits to this system. It encourages the rise of SME’s which is only a good thing when it comes to economic stability and prosperity. Smaller companies allow space for innovation and change – to challenge the norm and do things differently. Working with multiple consultancies can also provide a healthy dose of competitiveness which drives performance. It provides space for different opinions to come together and challenge each other via diversity of thought. Simply put, why would you choose to put all your eggs in one basket when you can pick and choose both your eggs and your baskets?
But by having teams made up of multiple consultancies, we have created some challenges for ourselves. One of these is how, as a team, we carve up responsibilities and answer the question ‘is that your job or mine?’
Projects begin with Clients and the change in the market has made pulling together a team harder for Clients. This puts the onus on the team themselves to have open conversations about what they can and can not do, and the onus on us as the Project Managers to bring this to the fore. All consultants have a responsibility to be clear on the scope that they bring to the table.
Is that your job or mine?
Unfortunately what often happens is that a team or subset of consultants come together and set to work immediately. They instantly task themselves with undertaking feasibility studies, options appraisals and launching into delivery mode. Then the project develops, a bump in the road is hit, the scope of services and appointments still have not been properly interrogated and before you know it, fingers are pointed and heated discussions commence.
Early conversations around roles and responsibilities are vital for a project to succeed. A team needs to create a forum to have these discussions and to workshop them. They should be encouraged to think not only about the current demands of the project, but future demands too. Will early specialist input be of benefit? Are there statutory requirements that need consideration? Does the team have the right amount of resource to deliver the project on time and budget or do you need to bring in extra personnel? Think holistically.
Capture it in a RACI & a design responsibility matrix
These discussions then need to be captured – at high level in a RACI matrix and in detail in a Design Responsibility Matrix. The RACI goes through project element by consultant and lists who is responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. The Design Responsibility Matrix is an extension of this and drills down into the design details of a project. Do not be afraid to go through various revisions of these as working documents, and remember that you might not have all the answers, but knowing where the holes are is an excellent start. After all, known unknowns are better than unknown unknowns.
Then let people revisit their fees
Once these documents have been workshopped and agreed, the next step is vital. Allow people to revisit their fee proposals. Make sure scope and fees are aligned and any adjustments to resource are made. Better to get this right now to prevent resourcing problems or unexpected fee claims further down the line. Finally, make sure that the revised fee and scope is captured in the appointment documents. Obtain agreement in writing to the fee and scope whilst the terms of the legal documentation are being finalised.
Too often on projects, we assume that what we don't or won’t do, someone else will cover. This can lead to gaps in design, gaps in knowledge and huge frustrations that affect team morale, trust and how the team operates. It can result in wasted time, arguments over fees and ultimately bad quality buildings.
So from the very start, let’s be willing to ask ‘is that your job or mine’. Let's make sure that we properly scope out who is doing what and when, and then make sure that fees and appointments align before we move too far into design. We all want to work on successful, high quality projects so let’s get used to asking these questions sooner rather than later.