Why DBIA?

For the last few months, design-build companies and professionals asked me “why should we join DBIA” and “what’s in it for us”. My reply is people, projects and profit.

 

People and Relationships

 

One of the strengths of the Institute is, as professionals, we work, socialize, and play with the same groups of people, at DBIA activities, which we work with later in the office or on the job site when we deliver an owner’s project. Whether it’s at the monthly breakfast, steering committee meeting, or national and local conferences and programs we’re discussing design-build and interacting with owners, contractors, subcontractors, designers, lawyers, insurance and bonding companies, suppliers and vendors, etc. It allows people and firms to build the personal and professional relationships that are necessary for successful design-build projects.

 

Whether you’re a politician, developer, marketing person, or project deliverable person and it doesn’t matter; you’ll meet and get to know each other at a DBIA function. It’s the one very unique and fun part of being a member of this organization.

 

Project Delivery Tools and Processes

 

After 10 years, design-build is a preferred delivery method by both the public and private business sectors. From the federal to local governments and commercial to industrial markets, design-build is being used to deliver new vertical and horizontal construction projects. All of this experience or “learning curve” is available from DBIA through the designation program, publications, and other educational programs and conferences.

 

Large firms, over this same period of time, have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop and implement the design-build tools and delivery processes that are used for the design and construction of design-build projects. DBIA offers these same tools and processes through the designation courses and other national and local chapter programs and materials.

 

Profit and Performance

 

When the right project is combined with the right people or project team the design-build delivery method adds significant value to the owner’s capital improvement investment. The value translates into a more satisfied owner and because of a more efficient and effective performance more profit for the entire design-build team members. The added value includes improved communication and integration of the project deliverables and construction such as improved design materials, equipment and a more efficient and improved “means and methods” of construction, in the field, by the construction team. Or the value may come from the vendor and supplier, of a specialty project process, and the equipment and materials that best fit this particular project application and process. By the way, specialty projects and the services required are one of the best ways to add value to design-build projects for owners.

 

As you can see, because of all the project members working together on the same goals of the owner, the opportunity to add value and improve the quality and performance of a design-build project can be unlimited. When design and construction value is added, the results include a more cost effective and profitable project for the owner and the design-build team members.

 

One firm told me, “joining Mid-America DBIA is like taking out an insurance policy or providing a safety net for the firm’s next generation of leaders and company owners. Design-Build is becoming so popular we have to learn how to do it, as a service, if we’re going to serve our client’s future needs. If we don’t our competition will.”

 

In summary, if you want to learn how to pick the right people for the project team, join DBIA. If you want to learn how to integrate and communicate design and construction as a seamless process, join DBIA. If you want to learn how to add commercial, technical, procurement and construction value to projects for owners in exchange for higher profits, join DBIA. If you join DBIA and do all three you’ll find out “what’s in it for me”.

 

Until next time, Go DBIA and I hope to see many of you at a MAC-DBIA function. Please e-mail me your thoughts and comments at

jnovacek@NovaConGroup.com.

|

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

© 2003 NovaConGroup  •  Terms of Use  •  Privacy Policy    [ Site Hosted by www.SPRHost.com ]