Worth Repeating. . .
Why are some design team members left out of the communication pipeline? Schedules, deadlines, important findings from site visits, landlord requirements or owner preferences should all be shared with the entire design team, regardless of their direct or indirect impact on each discipline. In this age of emails, Zoom calls and automated/app generated field reports, distributing information to everyone involved in planning and designing a restaurant should be a no-brainer.
Unfortunately, many project managers don’t understand this. They work through the project architect and his staff thinking that they will share what is needed with the appropriate parties. This assumption relies too heavily on a subordinate to manage a complex venture. To meet schedules and deadlines, information from the specialty consultants and designers (food service, sound, IT , POS systems, etc.) requires coordination with other design disciplines. And each discipline in turn, needs time to review and incorporate this information into their documents. There are numerous instances where interior design impacts kitchen, bar and server station details. Sharing conceptual ideas and critical dimensions is essential. This takes time and often requires collaborative design efforts. If due dates and deliverable requirements are not clearly defined, schedules slip and owners are justifiably frustrated.
Coordination is the most essential aspect of managing design and construction. If the team is not communicating effectively and timely, if decisions, field issues and owner revisions are not shared with all parties, there will be mistakes.
Most restaurant design projects conduct weekly meeting of all parties to share information, review progress, discuss design issues and address unresolved or newly discovered items. While often longer than needed and your personal involvement may be very limited, they allow for everyone to understand the overall project and share information.
It is easier, faster and cheaper to make changes on paper (or on screen) than in the field. It’s not difficult to keep everyone informed, share drawings and schedules and save your team and the owner a lot of unnecessary stress. Be proactive. Communicate frequently and share information. If the construction documents are not well coordinated and complete, everyone loses.
