Managing Project Risk: Best Practices for Architects and Related Professionals

Foreword by Douglas Gordon, Hon. AIA, and Stephanie Stubbs, Assoc. AIA, Editors of AIArchitect vi

Preface viii

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction x

Chapter 1 Fundamentals 1

The Importance of Risk Management: Its Key Role in Professional Service Delivery 1

Risk Management Basics: Essentials for Maintaining an Effective Risk Program 6

To Document or Not to Document: Basic Documentation Requirements 12

Another Fine Mess—The Onerous Contract, Part 1: Risk Management after the Agreement Is Signed 18

Another Fine Mess—The Onerous Contract, Part 2 22

Free Fall: Working without a Contract 29

Chapter 2 Clients 39

Love Me Tender: Maintaining the Client Relationship 39

Smoke, Mirrors, and Snake Oil: Risks in Marketing 44

Double-Edged Sword: The Owner’s Separate Consultants 49

The Power of One: The Effective Owner-Architect-Contractor Team 55

Chapter 3 Power and Profi ciency 63

Project Manager or Risk Manager? The Architect’s Dual Role 63

Master and Commander, Part 1: The Architect’s Authority 69

Master and Commander, Part 2 75

Top Gun: Targeting and Resolving Problematic Issues 80

Zen and the Art of Construction Administration, Part 1:

How Discipline and Self-Control Can Improve Your Services 88

Zen and the Art of Construction Administration, Part 2 93

Chapter 4 Essentials 99

A Loss Cause: Drawing Discrepancies and Ensuing Damages 99

A Loss Cause Too: Betterment 105

Absolute or Absolution? Observations, Inspections, and the Contractor’s Warranty 113

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Challenges and Risks of Nonconforming Work 122

Drawing the Line: Why the Architect’s Documents Cannot Be Used for Construction 130

Chapter 5 Applications 139

A Fistful of Dollars: Surviving Project Buyout 139

Ch-Ch-Changes . . . : Managing Risk in the Change Process 147

According to Hoyle: The Submittal Process 156

Visible Means: Site Visits and Construction Observation 166

A Certifi able Risk: Cautions and Strategies in the Payment Certification Process 174

Substantial Completion, Where Art Thou? A Challenging and Elusive Milestone 178

Chapter 6 The Architects’ Lament 189

Your Grandfather’s Working Drawings: A Nostalgic Look at the Past, Observations of the Present 189

The Speed of Life: Preserving Your Personal Life in a Hectic World 197

Raiders of the Lost Art: The Vanished Treasures of Architecture 203

Chapter 7 Introspection 211

Who Are You? Defi ning the Architect 211

Who’s on First? Covering Your Bases in a Resource-Challenged Industry 217

Little Boxes: The Challenges of Producing Original Design 224

Gimme Shelter: The Building Exterior Wall 231

Lemons to Lemonade: Benefi ting from Mistakes 242

Index 250