How we complement your team

Client Advisers are fundamental to the positive results of larger or complex projects, in the same way as design professionals are indispensable. Strengthening the client team from within the client organisation, Client Advisers help create the “intelligent client”, one that is capable to focus on outcomes, make realistic commitments and informed decisions  – some of the recommended key principles to project success.

According to RIBA Business Benchmarking only 2% of architect’s fees are earned through feasibilities and client advisory, although the early stages are well known to have the biggest impact on final outcomes, be it financial, functional or environmental. The lack of investment in advisory services often correlates to poor satisfaction with some aspects of the process or the product.

Client Advisers provide support where defining client requirements is a challenge, where operational concepts are not straightforward, where client organisations are complex or where the planning context is difficult. Amongst others, Client Advisers help set up the client-side team, undertake consultations, formulate briefs, advise on appointments and procurement options, scrutinise emerging designs, provide technical review during construction and handover – all to enable design teams, project managers and contractors to get on and deliver.

Ultimately the role is there to make the client’s life and the lives of the project team that little bit easier and more straightforward in the complex world of design and construction. Below are some examples of our services:

Supporting the Design Cycle

The final building is the answer to the project design. The project design is the answer to the detailed brief. The design process is an explorative process. With the exception of very small or off-the-shelf projects, organisations are seldom able to produce a full brief all at once. Briefing and designing occurs in a sequence of segments with increasing levels of detail with feedback loops between the briefing and design processes.

The development of a workplace strategy is a collaborative journey for your organisation, which we will facilitate and document. To capture the outcome, we produce visual reports that can be easily understood and signed off internally. As designers ourselves, we understand how to effectively communicate requirements to architects and interior design teams, to ensure the strategy can be delivered physically in the new office space and furniture choices are aligned with your organisational needs.

Consultation & Brief Development Stage 7/0/1 As Client Advisors, we focus on creating the right conditions for project success from the start. From the earliest ruminations of a project, we work with clients to define their project outcomes, capture the vision and then translate this into clear briefs. We test assumptions and brief others to take on the design challenge. As part of our services we:

  • assist with project governance and definitions of work streams
  • support client with organisational or stakeholder consultations
  • review feedback from relevant projects, undertake benchmarking
  • develop the vision and strategic requirements together with the client
  • advise client on need and scope for other appointments and surveys
  • contribute to the project program, budget and procurement options
  • provide input to the business case for board / cabinet approval
  • assist with site selection, visit site(s) and review site constraints
  • undertake feasibility and/or capacity or occupancy studies
  • develop the initial brief and test accommodation schedule
  • develop quality, sustainability and performance aspirational targets

Testing Concepts & Stage Reviews – Stage 2/3 During the design phase of the project we test and scrutinise the emerging design for its ability to achieve the project objectives for the client organisation.  As Client Advisers, we ensure client work groups are able to make informed decisions and feedback is channelled to the design team to incorporate into the planning design. As part of our services we:

  • review layouts for functionality and for adherence to brief
  • review accommodation schedule and agree derogations
  • advise on best value of options and budget impacts
  • attend design team meetings on behalf of the client organisation
  • coordinate and facilitate design review workshops
  • provide client feedback to design team
  • review stage designs including project strategies for client approval
  • help assess impact of changes on quality, cost, programme and risks
  • advise on planning process, procurement options and programme
  • update final project brief, including technical performance targets
  • provide stage client reports and recommendations for next steps

Technical Support & Handover – Stage 4/5/6 As Technical Advisers (TA), we aim to anticipate problems and prevent unnecessary compensation claims, site queries and delays during construction. We do this by ongoing assessing information in Stage 4 and 5 is for completeness and coordination and continue to support the client through construction to handover. As part of our services we:

  • contribute to value engineering
  • coordinate and facilitate design review workshops
  • contribute to, review and comment on construction programme
  • provide Stage 4 report including review of specifications and drawings
  • advise on completeness and coordination of tender documentation
  • assist with tender quality questions and contractor evaluation
  • attend bidder days and participate in tender interviews
  • help assess impact of change on quality, cost, programme and risks
  • attend client site progress meetings
  • undertake client site inspections and snagging at key stages
  • agree and assist in handover procedures
  • review and comment on building manual documentation

Workplace Strategy

We develop the workplace strategy alongside the spatial and personality concept, in deep dialogue with your workplace team.  We help formulate a set of guiding principles and illustrate how best to use available space to provide sufficient capacity for staff working in the office. As part of this exercise, we will look at scenarios and day-one space planning, as well as testing spatial relationships between departments to best promote organisational collaboration and innovation. Tasks and outputs include:

  • staff interview report
  • activity-based worker profiling
  • generic furniture & tool types
  • generic space planning for capacity
  • department adjacency planning
  • scenario planning & flexibility options
  • day-one space planning
  • communication strategy planning
  • support with moves planning

Personality & Interior Design

We will develop the design and personality concept,  through ‘mood boards’, palette of materials and key details, to set the visual  framework and communicate the proposed look and feel of the finished spaces to end users. We will work with you on incorporating ideas, materials, colours and textures that captivate the essence of your organisation as well as meeting your practical needs. This important step in the design process establishes the scope and visual direction of travel. Tasks and outputs include:

  • branded personality concept including staff input
  • design options & scoping
  • moodboard presentations
  • material and colour scheme
  • display of existing artwork
  • art briefing and selection for new art
  • graphic design for manifestation, wall graphics, wayfinding etc
  • room naming & numbering
  • custom joinery design
  • interface coordination with base building / team

Loose FF&E Services

Having worked with the client team to develop the interior concept and scope to define loose items required, and the proposals are approved, we will schedule loose FF&E as part of the tender process. On large commercial and hotel projects it is usual that designers are not responsible for procurement and professional furniture procurement agents are used.  We monitor and coordinate with the  basebuild and agent, assisting with the ordering, installation and handover processes. Tasks and outputs include:

  • storage needs audit & planning
  • showroom & fair visits
  • ff&e scoping & cost comparisons
  • staff furniture testing & sampling
  • ff&e scheduling
  • ff&e procurement support
  • existing furniture audit & adaptation
  • basebuild (floorbox & power) & installation coordination
  • order review & client sign-off support
  • storage, kitchen cabinet & locker applied graphics
  • snagging, as built information & handover support