Consulting Beyond Design

By Chuck Nixon

The author writes that changing roles of consulting architects and engineers involve a more holistic approach than merely advising on projects.

A consultant is defined as one who gives expert or professional advice. That basic definition hasn't changed, but what has is the depth and scope of the advice. Traditionally, a consultant was called in to provide services on a specific project. He or she came in at the outset of the project, provided guidance based on specific guidelines and completed the task, end of story.

What we are seeing now is the emergence of a new consulting architect and engineer whose role is more integral to a client's long-term core business. Taking a more holistic, long-term view, the new consultant is a trusted advisor, providing information earlier in the process, helping to define the goal or mission and offering expertise in areas beyond design and engineering.

The new breed of consultant brings a set of distinctive characteristics to the business relationship. He or she provides superior information and statistics and offers a wide variety of services and capabilities.

Proactive planning In order to maximize effectiveness, the new consultant is now joining a client's team much earlier in the process. Early, proactive inclusion allows the consultant to participate in the decision-making process.

Even before the client has identified the need for a specific project, a consultant can help determine what those needs are and help define a goal. When a consultant is called in, an initial survey is completed by looking into the client's operations, strengths and weaknesses. The result is essentially a road map that directs the company's short-, mid- and long-range planning. The next step is looking at what it takes to achieve the goal. The solutions may not always be traditional building projects, but studies, surveys, program management or other types of operational audit.

Providing the proper data It is the consultant's job to provide the right information to help the client achieve its goals. Technical information from a consultant can help when the project is still a 'gleam' in its creator's eye, when more specifics are necessary to move a project along or when preparing for a technical briefing.

Consultants may gather information on utilities' infrastructure, do an assessment of existing facilities or provide data on how building uses may evolve in the future.

Creating the right team Consultants can bring together a team with many capabilities, such as experts in finance, real estate, demographics or information technology. For example, a consultant may be doing space-planning work for a large financial services company that wants to build a new, campus-type headquarters. The financial services company has a need for a demographic consultant who can advise on the best location for its headquarters to have access to the right labor market.

Fiscally sound facility design The new consultant also looks at assets (i.e. facilities) from a business point of view. Assets must be designed beyond architecture and engineering, with an eye toward the bottom line. All industries - health care, hospitality, education, finance - need to evaluate their building stock to determine if it still serves their core mission. By being part of a client's team, consultants can provide this evaluation.

Trust is key The new consultant has the responsibility to be proactive and to anticipate issues before they can negatively affect the achievement of the client's business mission. Paradigms are changing so quickly that flexibility of design is important. The research lab, dorm or office building of the future will not look like the ones being designed today. The evolved consultant can look ahead at what the new dynamics might be, and bring that information to the process.

The new consultant is a trusted advisor. As with any relationship, trust between client and consultant takes time to develop. It begins perhaps with a small project, and develops over the years as larger and more varied projects are undertaken.