“Design delivered with masterful coordination.”

The three pillars of successful project management – time, cost and quality – have also become three essentials of determining the design choices. Clients expect the design to be delivered on time at each stage, developed on budget, and of an excellent quality that delivers on their aspirations. To achieve these objectives, we embed design management techniques into every step of the process.

Over the years, the duties of the design consultants have increased significantly. Factors such as innovative products, sustainability targets, evolving legislative requirements and the need for seamless coordination across disciplines have increased the complexity of design development. In all truthfulness, many designers have the skills required to manage their own workstreams; however, their intuitive decision-making does not reflect the full scale and interconnected nature of a project’s design demands.

This gap is addressed by the role of an independent lead design manager, typically engaged by the client, who provides necessary oversight, agility and structure to steer the entire design process. We distinguish between tasks and outputs, helping to clarify design responsibilities and decision-making authority. By establishing the basis for critical design decisions and making transparent the underlying assumptions, we create a design process that is accountable, risk-aware, and outcome-driven.

On smaller projects, the roles of project manager and design manager may be combined; however, for medium to large-scale developments, we strongly advocate for the separation of these roles to ensure each function receives the dedicated focus it demands.