Graduate architects are first mate in architectural practice when handling building construction projects. They had been authorized to run projects in construction industry due to limited architects in the country. The capability of graduate architect when manage project is critical in reducing performance barriers encountered.  The aim of this paper is to identify the most critical performance barriers faced by graduate architects during project implementation. A systematic literature review of credible sources in different databases, combining selected keywords and terms related to performance barrier, building contract administration, graduate architects etc. has been carried out. A data set of fifty articles has been analyzed by means of thematic analysis. The five most crucial performance barriers identified relate to: caused by external environment factors, poor project documentation management, lack of soft skill, inadequate knowledge of quality and assessment management and shortfall in design management. The outcome of the study is expected to facilitate graduate architects to devise proactive risk mitigation measures to reduce impact of these barriers and improve project delivery. This paper examined the performance barriers faced by graduate architects which is a timely study, as the increasing number of population and developments will provide ample opportunities for them to perform.

PurposeVarious studies have been conducted to explore the factors that are important to be considered for the effectiveness of construction contract administration (CCA) but lack in the context of graduate architects. The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects in CCA and possible methods to enhance their work efficiency through developing the relevant skills in a changing construction environment.Design/methodology/approachThis paper identified the factors that influence the effectiveness of graduate architects in CCA through the quantitative methods. General skill elements that are perceived as essential for the effectiveness of CCA had been investigated through a survey of graduate architects in the construction industry. One hundred and twenty-seven completed questionnaires returned were analyzed and tested using descriptive analysis and relative important index (RII).FindingsThe result from the study showed that the factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects as CCA are building construction skills, design management skills, project management skills, soft skills and dispute resolution skills.Originality/valueThe contribution of this study can be utilized for developing models/tools in the future that would improve the work performance of graduate architects in CCA. Educators may utilize this study to improve their syllabus to cater to the market's demand and facilitate students' entry into the labor market.