Abdullah MusazayAssistant Managing Director| Global Vision for General ContractingDhahran, Eastern, Saudi Arabia
The clients who are most guilty of this are the ones who you are designing their house. They are never satisfied with the design, and when you accommodate their change requests they aren't satisfied either. I've seen this go on for months, even a year, when it should have taken only 4 to 6 weeks.
I have not yet had the opportunity to be the project manager in these cases. But I will be very soon the manager of a design office, and I don't want to make the same mistakes as my previous bosses did.
So my question is, how do you architects deal with clients who are never satisfied with the design of their house? Saving Changes...
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saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
Hello Abdullah,
I am not expert on house designing, but since your query deals with change management, I think I can give my 2 cent of comments.
Client will be difficult to handle, and changes too come in regularly. For this your team/company should have a formal change management process in place. And for every change cost should be communicated to client. If changes will be free then surely they will go on for a year or more. Plus every change should be analyzed first and approved if feasible (along with the cost approval). If there is change again before the first change is implemented then start the same process again.
I have mentioned it in very short. You can read on change management through books/blogs/google/etc.
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1 reply by Chandrashekhar Thatte
Feb 07, 2017 4:55 AM
Chandrashekhar Thatte
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Saurabh,I agree with you .Change management process should be taken care under a contract variation forming one of the conditions of contract.Normally a less potential client approaches a reputed Architect while potential client undergoes process of floating an inquiry by issuing RFP document.Problems generally arise with small /individual client requiring the services of an architect.In such cases,the Architect should initially discuss the basic requirement with the client ,understand the requirement ,put up his terms of service,sign MOU/Contract and only then proceed with his assignment.With all the requirement from both the parties well defined in MOU/Contract document ,there would hardly be any scope for any confrontation.Hope this helps !
I am not expert on house designing, but since your query deals with change management, I think I can give my 2 cent of comments.
Client will be difficult to handle, and changes too come in regularly. For this your team/company should have a formal change management process in place. And for every change cost should be communicated to client. If changes will be free then surely they will go on for a year or more. Plus every change should be analyzed first and approved if feasible (along with the cost approval). If there is change again before the first change is implemented then start the same process again.
I have mentioned it in very short. You can read on change management through books/blogs/google/etc.
Saurabh,I agree with you .Change management process should be taken care under a contract variation forming one of the conditions of contract.Normally a less potential client approaches a reputed Architect while potential client undergoes process of floating an inquiry by issuing RFP document.Problems generally arise with small /individual client requiring the services of an architect.In such cases,the Architect should initially discuss the basic requirement with the client ,understand the requirement ,put up his terms of service,sign MOU/Contract and only then proceed with his assignment.With all the requirement from both the parties well defined in MOU/Contract document ,there would hardly be any scope for any confrontation.Hope this helps ! Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Abdullah,
Changes are inevitable in projects. However, when we usually complete the design, we present it to the client whom in their turn they sign off on the drawings for acceptance. Later on, any changes required, should be formally approved so from our end, we do present for them the facts:
1- Give our recommendations if it is doable or not.
2- Cost and Time Impact.
It is up to them if they want to move forward or not. They are the client and you have to accomodate their requests as long as you are doing the right thing and going through official pricedure and not doing Gold Plating.
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1 reply by Chandrashekhar Thatte
Feb 08, 2017 1:47 AM
Chandrashekhar Thatte
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Agree with you Rami.Anything that glitters is not Gold ! Must avoid Gold Plating !
Changes are inevitable in projects. However, when we usually complete the design, we present it to the client whom in their turn they sign off on the drawings for acceptance. Later on, any changes required, should be formally approved so from our end, we do present for them the facts:
1- Give our recommendations if it is doable or not.
2- Cost and Time Impact.
It is up to them if they want to move forward or not. They are the client and you have to accomodate their requests as long as you are doing the right thing and going through official pricedure and not doing Gold Plating.
Agree with you Rami.Anything that glitters is not Gold ! Must avoid Gold Plating ! Saving Changes...
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