When an architect pours their heart and soul into a project, the last thing they want to deal with is an unhappy client, and, consequently, possible litigation.
Risk mitigation remains a top-of-mind concern for architects, no matter how the Architecture, Engineering, Construction & Operations (AECO) industry evolves. New and evolving requirements for firms to double their efforts in identifying potential risks and ensuring the proper documentation is filed to avoid blame, can only go so far.
One of the biggest challenges currently faced by architects in the field has to be client communication. Whether it be a misunderstanding at the beginning of the project, stakeholder miscommunication or the client changing the scope of the project; these are all typical issues that architects are used to dealing with.
This is where architect tools to leverage project information management become crucial to risk management and to shield firms from possible lawsuits in the future.
Project Information Management in Action
Information management platforms like Newforma Konekt help simplify the communication between all stakeholders of a construction project, by helping to organize emails and files and keeping a complete project record.
In doing so, any project stakeholder —including architects— can access information from a project email and be brought up to speed quickly. In addition, Newforma Konekt's aggregate search feature lets users scan through emails and attachments (including files, RFIs, submittals, or other documents) to find information that would have otherwise been buried in long email chains.
This can save on billable hours that would have otherwise been spent searching for an obscure reference to a project decision and keeps the project record intact for all stakeholders to see. But email filing is just the tip of the iceberg.
Risk Mitigation 101: Document Management
It is usually the case that the earlier an architect can share their designs and get approval during a project's lifecycle, the smoother the project deliveries tend to be. But even the best designs are subject to requests for information (RFIs), which if not organized efficiently can lead to unnecessary delays.
Monitoring and processing the influx of RFIs or submittals can be time-intensive, meticulous work. And with so many other things to consider, it's little wonder that processing RFIs can result in human errors and miscues between various stakeholders.
Here is where a platform with BIM coordination functionality comes into play: by being able to track issues and action items, address clashes in the model, and ensure successful design reviews, the whole project can be completed smoothly.
With Newforma Konekt, architects can save themselves a lot of grief with the shareable 2D/3D Viewer, which allows stakeholders to view designs in real time in the setting that best suits them. This reduces the ambiguities that necessitate many RFIs, which saves significant time spent in back-and-forth communications.
Maintaining a Proper Project Record
When your project finally comes to a close and you hand over the completed building to the clients, it’s the conclusion of a massive team effort. But sometimes, projects don't end precisely the way their stakeholders expected; post-delivery litigations remain an ongoing risk.
Newforma Konekt provides a full project record available at any time, which ensures that every decision can be tracked so that everyone knows what the stakeholders agreed on. Covering your bases from end-of-project litigation is a crucial, but necessary, part of architecture as a discipline, which is why project information management platforms can help keep firms in the clear.
The platform organizes and makes searchable all the necessary project data, such as emails, RFIs, submittals, rework orders, etc. By having all this on hand, users can easily track project decisions and documentation even years after it was delivered, or if members of the firm have moved on to other projects or companies.
Legal fees are quite a costly endeavor for any architectural firm, and having the right tools in place could help limit the need for legal battles and unexpected expenses down the line. With platforms like Newforma Konekt, firms can benefit from improved project productivity and optimized communication without risking the quality of projects.