Development / Project Brief - (L3)

Question 1

What is a project brief?

Answer 1

A project brief is a document that outlines the client’s objectives and how they will be acheieved. It is one of the first activities undertaken on a project, and respondes to the strategic brief.

Question 2

What are the contents of a project brief?

Answer 2

The project brief will usually contain:

1) Background and Context - The reason for the project (business case)
2) Project Objectives - What the project aims to acheive
3) Quality Aspirations
4) Budget & Funding - How much it will cost and how it will be funded
5) Programme - Target completion date
6) Site Information
7) Stakeholders
8) Risks & Constraints
9) Governnace & Decision Making

Question 3

What is the purpose of a brief?

Answer 3

The project brief has three main purposes:

1) Clarifies and establishes the objectives of the project.
2) A communication tool between the client and the team
3) A tool to monitor the progress and success of the project.

Question 4

What is a Strategic Brief?

Answer 4

One of the first activities undertaken on a project.

It focuses on what the project needs to acheive (sets the framework), and does not yet identify potential solutions.

It includes:

1) Objectives - based on the business case
2) Asset Class
3) Target Areas
4) Consideration of sites
5) Constraints
6) Budget
7) Programme

Question 5

What is a project brief?

Answer 5

How will the strategic brief be achieved, defining exactly what should be built, and how it will be delivered. Developed during RIBA Stage 1 and formalised during Stage 2.

Question 6

How do you capture the brief? How do you identify the client’s requirements?

Answer 6

Capturing the brief is an iterative process with the client to establish / test and clearly define objectives.

It can be done by:
1) Holding client workshops, to understand and review the clients drivers
2) Reviewing existing documentation, such as the business case
3) Playing back your understanding of the brief
4) Formally capturing this in a written document.

Question 7

What is the PM’s role in the briefing process?

Answer 7

The Project Manager has a key role in establishing the project brief. The PM should:

1) Identify with the client the contents of the brief
2) Organise and lead workshops to capture stakeholder requirements
3) Advise on objectives and test the clients requirements (ensure realistic)
4) Document the brief as a controlled document
5) Communicate with the rest of the project team
6) Monitor compliance
7) Set performance indicators

Question 8

How can the PM communicate the brief with the rest of the project team

Answer 8

1) Establish and lead briefing workshops - present and explain the brief to the team, giving them an opportunity to ask questions

2) Incorporate the brief into a PEP, so it’s embedded into how the project will be managed

3) Formally distribute to the rest of the team

Question 9

When is the project brief usually frozen?

Answer 9

The project brief is frozen when the client’s requirements are defined and agreed.

This usually happens at the end of Stage 2 (Concept Design).

From this point, the brief becomes a controlled reference document - any changes are managed through a formal change control process.

Question 10

What is a Change Control Procedure?

Answer 10

A formal procedure used to manage, assess, and approve changes to the project brief.

Question 11

Talk me through how you produced the strategic brief at 1 Triton Square? How did you communicate this with the rest of the team?

Answer 11

• The client appointed M3 at RIBA Stage 0.
• I attended several meetings with the Client’s Development and Asset Management teams to understand the project requirements
• Having discussed with the client, I documented the specific objectives in a clear strategic brief, which outlined what the requirements were:

1) Commercial objectives - delivery of an Affordable workspace for £200/sqft or less
2) Programming - Required to be complete in less than a year to comply with S106 planning condition
3) Quality - Ensure sustainability was met, targeting low embodied carbon in the fit-out (<150kg/c02/m2)
4) Constraints - fitting out with other retail units in occupation

I then played this back to the client to obtain buy in.

Question 12

Talk me through the change control process on 1 Triton Square?

Answer 12

• Having frozen the project brief at the end of Stage 2, I developed the change control procedure. The process was:

1) Change was raised by member of the design team

2) Log was raised on the change tracker I managed

3) Impact was assessed - QS reviewed cost impact, PM reviewed potential programme changes

4) Recomended whether the change should be approved / rejected

5) Approval / Rejection.

Question 13

What is a PEP?

Answer 13

A project execution plan is a comprehensive document that sets out how a project will be delivered.

It typically includes:

1) Project scope and objectives (the brief)
2) Roles and responsibilities
3) Programme
4) Budget
5) Risk Management
6) Communication and reporting protocals
7) Change control procedures

It is usually prepared after the project brief is finalised and before detailed design.

Question 14

Talk me through how you produced the PEP on the Affordable Workspace.

Answer 14

I produced the PEP at the end of Stage 2, following confirmation of the project brief.

1) I reviewed the project brief to ensure all the clients objectives were clear (programme, cost, quality)

2) Established the project organisational structure with an organigram

3) Developed the project programme with key milestones

4) Developed the change control process

5) Updated the risk register

6) Formalised this with my Director, and issued to the client for sign off.

7) Communicated with the project team

Question 15

Talk me through how you reviewed prospective VE proposals during the PCSA on One Exchange Square?

Answer 15

Example: Terrazzo tiles bought from a manufacturer in Italy - much cheaper.

Question 16

How does the Brief develop through the RIBA stages?

Answer 16

RIBA Stage 0 (Strategic Definition) - Establish the clients requirements via the business case. Establish the strategic brief.

RIBA Stage 1 (Preparation and Brief) - Client requirement are refined, options are analysed, and the initial project brief is drafted

RIBA Stage 2 (Concept Design) - Project team validates requirements, budget and programme and the brief is frozen.

RIBA Stage 3 Onwards - Brief becomes the reference guide by which success is measured.

Question 17

What are the key steps in the change control procedure?

Answer 17

1) Identify the change
2) Log the change on a change tracker
3) Assess the impact - cost, time, quality
4) Recommend action - present to the client for review
5) Approve / reject
6) Implement and communicate

Question 18

Give me an example of a change that was raised on the AW?

Answer 18

1) Client requested that an additional meeting room should be included at the start of Stage 3

2) Change request was logged on the change tracker

3) Design team assessed the implications - would result in a +3 week delay and cost £100k

4) Client approved the change, as it was a requirement for an affordable workspace provider

5) Change was implemented

Question 19

DEVELOPMENT / PROJECT BRIEF - Talk me through assisting the production of the Strategic Brief on 1 Triton Square?

Answer 19

CONTEXT:

• On 1 Triton Square, my Company had just completed the basebuild works. There was a S106 obligation for an Affordable Workspace to be provided.

ACTION:

• I assisted the production of the Strategic Brief by:
  1) Establishing workshops with the Client, Planning Consultant, and FM team to understand the requirements
  2) I structured the brief to outline deliverable objectives (the workspace had to constitute 10,000sqft as part of the planning permission, and needed to be complete within 2 years to comply with the S106 condition)
  3) Engaged with relevant companies (such as leasing agents and cost consultants) to provide a target tenant list and construciton cots
  4) Formalised in a high-level strategic brief to share with stakeholders.

Question 20

DEVELOPMENT / PROJECT BRIEF - How did you ensure there was a full understanding of each team members role in delivering the project brief?

Answer 20

• Organised workshops with the key stakeholders following fornalisation of the brief (inc. Client, Design Team, QS)
• Issued a concise brief to each
• Identified a roles and responsibility tracker

Question 21

DEVELOPMENT / PROJECT BRIEF - What was the Change Control procedure on 1 Triton Square Affordable Workspace fit-out?

Answer 21

Change Control process was formalised at the end of Stage 2.

• Changes raised were logged in a Change Control Tracker
• Changes were assessed on a case by case basis, against the core project objectve (i.e. cost impact, sustainability impact, programme impact)
• Information was sought from the relevant profesional (i.e. cost impact sought from the cost consultant)
• Following assessment, this was issued to the Client for approval.
• If approved, change control tracker updated, design team informed and information updated.

Question 22

DEVELOPMENT / PROJECT BRIEF - Can you give me an example of a specific change that was reviewed? How did you review?

Answer 22

Change to the AV screen in the event space mid-way through construction.

Future tenant requested a larger screen, with additional high-level speakers.

Change request issued to the Contractor.

Highlighted that the works costs would be 50,000, as well as an additional 1-week on programme to commission and test the software.

Reviewed with the Tenant, decided not to progress given the programme implications.

Question 23

DEVELOPMENT / PROJECT BRIEF - How did you produce the PEP? What was the process?

Answer 23

CONTEXT:

A project exeuction plan is a tool used to define how a project will be delivered.

On 1 Triton Square, after having established the Project Brief for the Affordable Workspace fit-out, I produced the PEP.

ACTION:

• I reviewed the project brief, which outlined that the clients core objectives which was to deliver an Affordable Workspace fit-out within a budget of £3m (total development CapEx), prior to March 2024.
• I drafted the structure of the PEP, which included a (1) Project overview and summary of client objectives (2) KPIs (sustainable >less than 170kg/C02m2 fit-out, within budget £3m and by March 2024) (2) Project Governance - RACI, Communication Protocal and Decision Making process (3) Agreed procurement strategy (4) Project Control procedures (change control, risk register and programme).
• I then reviewed this with my Director and issued to the Client for initial approval.
• I then held a workshop with the Consultant Team to ensure they were aware of their obligations, and issued a formal copy to each consultant team.

Question 24

DEVELOPMENT / PROJECT BRIEF - What is a VE proposal?

Answer 24

A process which seeks to reduce costs whilst maintaining a projects functions.

Question 25

DEVELOPMENT / PROJECT BRIEF - Can you give me an example of a VE proposal that you reviewed?

Answer 25

CONTEXT: During the PCSA on One Exchange Square, the Contractor was tasked with issuing some VE proposals to help limit project spend and ensure the budget was maintained. One such proposal was by changing some of the projects triple glazed units to double glazed units. ACTION: * Once the submission was received, I, alongside the relevant consultant team (QS. MEP engineer etc.) reviewed the VE proposal against the Clients brief objectives (programme, cost, sustainability accreditation impacts) * The QS highlighted there would be a c.30% upfront cost saving for the change. * However, the MEP engineer said that the change would likely impact the projects NABERS ratings, as the DGU had about double the U-value of the TGU. This would increase the HVAC requirements of the builidng more generally, which would lead to higher operational costs, as well as requiring more intense energy requirements which would impact the projects targted NABERS accrediation * I presented the findings of the analysis to the Client against their objectives with my project Director, recommending that the change was not pursued, which was accepted by my Client.

Question 26

DEVELOPMENT / PROJECT BRIEF - What is a U-Value?

Answer 26

A value measures how much heat passes through a building element per sqm, per degree of temperatute difference between inside and outside. The lower the U-Value, the better the insulation qualities. Part L requires new dwellings to acheive a high performance DGU.