The big room. The hub. Central operations. Whatever they’re called, project team co-location ventures are popping up in increasing numbers as Building Teams face ever-complex projects with tighter schedules and budgets.
The rise of BIM-driven projects, prefabrication, and highly collaborative project delivery methods—such as design-assist and integrated project delivery—have accelerated the demand for in-person, cross-team collaboration.
Successful co-location ventures are not as simple as locking the team in a room for 12-18 months. They require a careful balance of risk sharing, trust, accountability, and scope sharing, as well as a commitment to collaboration.
BD+C reached out to several co-location experts for tips and tricks on maximizing these setups. They offered the following advice:
Hold a “PEP” rally. Experts agree that a kickoff event—with all key stakeholders in the room—is absolutely critical both for building a spirit of camaraderie and for aligning the expectations and objectives for the project.
“We’re finding in co-location environments, the best practitioners in the business are spending a lot of time thinking about high-performance teaming and the sociology behind working together,” says John Tocci, Sr., CEO of Tocci Building Cos., whose firm regularly organizes co-location ventures.
On larger projects, Tocci kicks off co-locations with a day-and-a-half PEP (project execution planning) session facilitated by a process expert and former DuPont chemical engineer. Senior management meets for a half day to sync expectations and objectives for the project. On the second day, the entire team (upwards of 60 people) meets to confirm and prioritize the project objectives, unearth potential pitfalls, and formulate a roadmap for meeting the project goals.
“The whole team, within a few days, tears the project apart,” says Tocci. “People start bearing their professional souls about what it is they’re concerned about when coming on board.”
Make sure all doers are present. On a recent co-location venture for a healthcare client, architect Shepley Bulfinch quickly learned that while all levels of its team were prepared, other firms were not. The biggest issue: firms only sent their team leaders to the co-location collaboration sessions; the professionals doing the actual work stayed back at the home office.
“This was difficult for our staff when they realized that the other parties weren’t sending those doing the work and, therefore, work was not getting done,” says Cathleen Lange, AIA, LEED AP, Principal with Shepley Bulfinch.
Create spaces that are conducive to collaboration. Large, open, flexible spaces are a must so that teams can quickly reconfigure when needed. Tocci recommends plenty of whiteboards, tack-up boards, and blank wall space for pull planning and other Lean process exercises. Also important are creature comforts like clean bathrooms and phone booths so people can duck out to take a personal call.
Offer a mix of meeting room sizes and breakout spaces. “People need spaces so that when a problem arises, a team can go off into an area and start whiteboarding to see what to do with it,” says Tocci.
Be very specific when laying the groundwork for the co-location. You’ll need to have solid answers for the following questions:
• Who’s paying for the space, equipment, technology? The owner? Contractor? Shared cost structure?
• Who’s required to attend? How are they being compensated for their time away from the home office?
• What are the requirements for digital information transfer, responsibilities, and governances?
Strip all branding. “The most successful co-location ventures we’ve had have been completely unbranded, where you don’t see campfires or tribes within the facility,” says Tocci. “That defeats the whole purpose. The goal is total integration, silo-less stationing.”
“Subs” don’t exist in co-location ventures. A healthy co-location culture is one that breaks down the traditional silos. That means ditching the term “subcontractor” in favor of “trade partner,” says Tocci. “It’s not just a warm and fuzzy name,” he says. “They are true partners in the process.”
Master the trust triangle. Building trust across all levels and disciplines is the secret sauce to successful co-location projects. Tocci recommends reading The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (http://amzn.to/2buPW16) to help break down silos and strengthen trust and accountability among project team members.
“Establishing trust among all parties in the co-location room is essential,” adds Lange. “All it takes is one skeptical person to bring the whole room down.”
Incorporate visual cues to maintain accountability. Whether using large-screen monitors or simple signage, presenting real-time performance metrics—burn rates on cash, performance on budget, KPIs, etc.—will help maintain accountability across the team. Even simple traffic lights for tracking major indices like budget and schedule are helpful. “Someone can walk in, look around the room, and within a few minutes they’ll have a sense of the health and vitality of the project,” says Tocci.
Related Stories
| Jan 31, 2014
LEGO, Google partner to develop 3D modeling tool for LEGO structures
The free tool, called Build, allows Chrome users to create virtual 3D structures using any shape and color in the LEGO catalog.
| Jan 30, 2014
See how architects at NBBJ are using computational design to calculate the best views on projects [video]
In an ideal world, every office employee would have a beautiful view from his or her desk. While no one can make that happen in real life, computational design can help architects maximize views from every angle.
| Jan 15, 2014
6 social media skills every leader needs
The social media revolution—which is less than a decade old—has created a dilemma for senior executives. While its potential seems immense, the inherent risks create uncertainty and unease.
| Jan 12, 2014
CES showcases innovations: Can any of these help you do your job better?
The Consumer Electronics Show took place this past week in Las Vegas. Known for launching new products and technologies, many of the products showcased there set the bar for future innovators. The show also signals trends to watch in technology applicable to the design and building industry.
| Jan 12, 2014
5 ways virtual modeling can improve facilities management
Improved space management, streamlined maintenance, and economical retrofits are among the ways building owners and facility managers can benefit from building information modeling.
| Dec 31, 2013
Top 10 blog posts from 2013
BD+C editors and our contributors posted hundreds of blogs in 2013. Here's a recap of the most popular topics. They include valuable lessons from one of the first BIM-related lawsuits and sage advice from AEC legend Arthur Gensler.
| Dec 31, 2013
BD+C's top 10 stories of 2013
The world's tallest twisting tower and the rise of augmented reality technology in construction were among the 10 most popular articles posted on Building Design+Construction's website, BDCnetwork.com.
| Dec 17, 2013
IBM's five tech-driven innovation predictions for the next five years [infographics]
Smart classrooms, DNA-based medical care, and wired cities are among the technology-related innovations identified by IBM researchers for the company's 5 in 5 report.
| Dec 16, 2013
Is the metal building industry in a technology shift?
Automation is the future you can’t avoid, though you may try. Even within the metal building industry—which is made up of skilled tradesmen—automation has revolutionized, and will continue revolutionizing, how we work.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
