Quality Is a Team Effort

The design lab is an applied-research process that aims to develop and experiment with new methods of conceptualization, spatial planning and occupancy of a place.The solutions proposed are tested using prototypes. The learnings generated during the process are documented and can then more extensively benefit a subsequent project.     

How it works 
A design lab is an initiative implemented autonomously, outside the context of any specific project. It aims to develop innovative solutions to a recurrent challenge (e.g., winter climate, mitigation of disruptions caused by worksites, street furniture ergonomics or modularity). Each lab proceeds according to a custom-designed methodology based on the nature and complexity of the urban issues under study. The key steps usually follow this sequence: study of the case, field observations, generation of ideas for potential solutions, prototyping, testing of prototypes, observation of the results (with iterations if need be), documentation, and communication to peers. The prototypes tested may be tangible (physical) or in the form of digital models that allow testing of different scenarios among stakeholders or conducting of more in-depth technical analyses. The lab process can be broken down into multiple stages according to the capacities, the resources and the conditions for its execution. Depending on the degree of development and detail sought, the outputs of a lab can extend to the production of detailed plans and specifications. 

The stakeholders
Depending on the nature of the subject being studied, the lab may be a commissioned process engaging only a promoterand a team of seasoned experts via a call for candidates or a tender (e.g., in the private sector). In the case of a public project, the lab should engage a broader network of stakeholders, including municipal unitsand representatives of the decision-making authority. In all cases, when the subject involves the urban experience, users and the community should be invited to express their thoughts and opinions. If planning and co-ordinating the laboratory is complex, a professional consultant can be appointed to assist in the process. 

The design workshop is a planning process used upstream of a public procurement to explore and validate new ideas that are subsequently incorporated into a projectprogram. There are two main types of workshop: the participatory workshop, which is aimed at and engages the eventual users and neighbouring communities, and the professional (or university) workshop, which involves professional (or emerging) design teams.

How it works
The design workshop takes place prior to or during the project planning phase. Being a charrette-type process, it lasts a few days only. Thisintensive pace aims at immersingthe participants in the ideation process,stimulating their imaginations and exploring the vast range of programmatic and conceptual possibilities. The workshop is a vision exercise that enables a better understanding of the specific constraints and opportunities of the project, and that makes it easier to plan. The ideas developed serve as inputs for consolidating the project program and aligning the initial conceptual steps. The participants use various mediums of expression to convey their ideas (e.g., text, diagrams, schematics, models). In a participatory workshop, invited experts can assist participants in shaping and illustrating their ideas, without exerting professional influence. The difference between the two formats, participatory and professional, is the degree of realism and applicability of the ideas put forward. A participatory workshop might well be followed by a professional one. In both cases, the outcome is an activity report that compiles the results and issues recommendations. 

The stakeholders
A design workshop usually relies on local expertise, although international experts may be invited, depending on the goals of the workshop and the type of expertise sought. In a participatory workshop, a call for participants is issued to solicit interested parties, while a professional workshop engages experts by invitation or via a call for candidates. With the first method, no compensation is offered apart from symbolic attendance prizes. With the second method, compensation is offered for professional service offerings. In both cases, it is good practice to provide participants with a degree of visibility to highlight their contribution. 

At the beginning of the workshop, the project data are presented by a representative of the project owner (the promoter), who then takes part in the workshop and inquires as to the results. In a professional workshop, it is also good practice to invite a representative of the decision-making authority to advise on the applicable regulatory framework, and in so doing ensure that the recommendations are feasible. Planning, co-ordination and facilitation of the workshop are the responsibility of a professional consultant. In a participatory workshop, this role can be assigned to a community organization.

Design and architecture competitions enable a decision-making authority to select one of several concrete proposals in response to a design challenge. The proposals are assessed impartially by a jury, using a set of qualitativecriteria. There are two major types of competition: the ideas competition and the design competition. 

How they work
A competition is launched during the planning phase or at the start of the conceptual stage, to explore various design approaches. As its name implies, it is a process that promotes a competitive mindset among teams of designers. 

An ideas competition is used primarily when a promoterseeks to open up its perspective on complex issues during the project planning phase. It is conducted in a single stage and the deliverable is comparable to a preliminary sketch. The ideas competition is generally open to any professional wishing to participate, with prizes awarded to the best proposals. An ideas competition does not necessarily lead to a contract being awarded, since the main objective is to enrich thinking around the definition of the project. In that aspect, an ideas competition is fairly similar to a design workshop, the difference being that the latter has more of an event status. 

A design competition is used when the key project challenges have been well identified and the program well defined. It is initiated at the start of the conceptual phase and consists of two or more stages; the competitors are narrowed down and the jury assesses progressively more refined concepts. The final submissions are more detailed, extending to plans, cross-sections, models, etc. Normally, the competition winner is awarded the contract to complete the project, and the other finalists receive a financial reward for their work. 

The stakeholders
While the ideas competition is a formula open to all, a design competition is usually limited to a number of professional teams selected following a call for applicants. In an ideas competition and in the initial stage in a designcompetition (the call for applicants), submissions are anonymous, to eliminate reputational bias and ensure that the submissions are evaluated solely on the basis of quality. Competitions present an opportunity for many firms to position themselves in the market. They may involve local or international entries and are usually multidisciplinary. For international designcompetitions, the rules often requirea partnership with a local firm to ensure, among other things, that the winning project is executed efficiently. Being a public procurement mode, the designcompetition is standardized, and requires the preparation of official public documents that form the basis for the contractual agreement with the winning team. A professional consultant is assigned to support the competition steering team and facilitate the competition’s implementation. A technical committee and a jury of experts are responsible for evaluating the proposals: the technical committee makes recommendations to the jury members, who have the decision-making authority for selection (both of finalists and the winner). The jury’s reports are made public to ensure the transparency of the process. 

A design panel brings together multidisciplinary experts as panellists, whose mandate is to ensure qualitative monitoring of a project. The panel is a consultative entity, not a prescriptive or decision-making one. The objective is to validate and fine-tune the conceptual solutions proposed by the designers, which are submitted for reviewby the invited experts, all with a goal of enhancing the outcomes of the project.

How it works
The panel is set up during the conceptualization phase, once the driving concept is ready to be submitted for discussion. Openness and receptiveness are required from the project team. The panellists reflect on the project vision and quality objectives to issue recommendations. The composition of the panel and the frequency of meetings vary depending on the nature and complexity of the questionsbeing studied. One proven format at the Ville de Montréal involves three panellists and approximately three sessions of three hours each, at two- or three-week intervals. Another method currently being testedfor quality monitoring of city-funded projects involves engaging a handful ofexperts to study ten or so similar projects. Working groups are assembled based on the priority needs to be addressed in each project. The panel meets for intensive half-day sessions, which are followed by on-request counselling services to help clarify any ideas that remain superficial (a provisional time bank of about 5 hours per project). The entire process is normally completed within a few weeks. The decision as to whether to incorporate the panellists’ recommendations following the exercise is up to the project team. In both formats, the panellists do not replacethe professionals assigned to the project and they do not produce any deliverables. Having experienced experts contribute to a panel is seen as a simple, effective and inexpensive method. 

The stakeholders 
The panellists are chosen for their complementary expertise and are called on to participate by invitation, for a fee (often paid at an hourly rate). When a project has involved a competition, some of the competition jury members may continue in the process as panellists. A professional consultant meets the promoterand itsteam to determine the key challenges to be reviewed by the panellists. The consultant subsequently acts as a co-ordinator and facilitator. Representatives of the decision-making authority (district decision-makers) or of influential partners and organizations may also take part in the discussion. The panel should be kept small and dynamic and should include only the key players. For a panellist, the interest of this kind of involvement is the opportunity it provides to collaborate with new players in the field and to apply his or her expertise. 

The goal of the integrated design process is to develop, progressively and in collaboration, design solutions that build on group knowledge. The approach is iterative and emphasizes interdisciplinarity. In public commissions, use of an integrated design process is increasingly a requirement. In addition to broadening the scope of the conceptual research, integrated design uses project data modelling and co-ordination tools (e.g., the Building Information Modelling, or BIM, tool) that enable all parties involved to more proactively identify risks and contingencies and in turn to more effectively develop mitigation and reframing plans. These digital tools also offerthree-dimensional navigation through projects, enabling validation of the effectiveness and responsiveness of the proposed solutions. The result is a virtual model built and optimized continually by all of the stakeholders. 

How it works
The integrated design process is continuous throughout the entire design phase. It typically follows an implementation plan, co-ordinated by a facilitator, including milestones, deliverables and quality monitoring points. Orchestrating and linking the various disciplines involved in the project ensures that the project moves forward with a mutual understanding of each party’s objectives and realities. The potential solutions are therefore developed inconcert and deemed optimal by the majority. 

The stakeholders
The integrated design process involves the experts assigned to the project (e.g., architects, engineers, and specialized experts). Others may contribute as needed (e.g., users, specialists, decision-makers). A professional consultant or facilitator is normally tasked with planning, co-ordinating and facilitating the working sessions. In that capacity, they work with the promoterand the project managers from the key disciplines to shape the implementation plan and the meeting agendas. Minutes are taken and approved at the end of each working meeting to guide subsequent steps.

Value analysis, also called value engineering, is an agile process for prioritizing and optimizing investments. Value in this case is understood as the relationship between the function of a good or service and its cost. In design and architecture, this value measurement is often influenced by perceptual or emotional assessment factors (e.g., a project’s value in terms of health and wellness). In this process, the design and technical decisions are studied and optimized over the full project life cycle to satisfy the commission at the lowest cost and with the maximum desirable benefits for the built and living environment.

How it works
Value analysis is initiated once the first detailed budget estimates are known. At that point, the priority cost items to be submitted for expert review are identified and the teams are tasked with attempting to optimize the solutions. The work plan is established based on the nature and complexity of the issues being studied. Participants are asked to illustrate the proposed changes directly on the plans and specifications and comment on their impact on project value. While the value analysis process is collaborative, it also involves a great deal of individual work for each of the disciplines involved, as it requires hours of studio time to redraw and redo the estimates. 

The stakeholders
As with the integrated design process, this approach to analyzing and optimizing value mainly involves the key project players with, if required for the subjects under review, participation of invited external experts. The builder (or manufacturer) and the estimator are pivotal players, as they are involved in the idea-generation process for the new solutions. The final decisions are made by the promoter, taking into account the team’s recommendation.