Abstract:With the closer integration of industry participants, contractors are accepting greater responsibility for managing the detailed design process. Successful management of the crucial and complex interface between design and pre-construction activities is becoming increasingly important. The different theoretical backgrounds to the design and construction processes described in current literature are examined, and their effects on the interface between the two processes in practice are discussed.Published work identifies a significant difference between the theoretical understanding of the design process and that of the construction process. What emerges could have implications for the management of the interface between them. In addition, a potentially significant impact on the design process created by the lack of access to specialist knowledge at the optimal time is also identified.The significance of conceptual frameworks in research is identified, and the conceptual frameworks for the interface between the detailed design and construction processes are developed. These could provide a basis for an improved model for the understanding and management of the interface that reflects the different theoretical foundations, and for an optimized process for the selection, appointment and input of specialist subcontractors.