A construction contract administration (CCA) framework for graduate architects’ professional development

Abstract

PurposeConstruction contract administration should be carried out by a person (normally engineer or architect depending on the type of contract) with expert technical knowledge of the construction process, strong leadership quality, highly developed interpersonal skills and an understanding of contractual, legislative and statutory underpinnings. However, due to a shortage of architects, graduate architects have been assigned to perform a partial role. Architectural firms are disappointed with the quality of the graduates and still note that they have to mentor them to be competent for their jobs. This paper aims to develop a construction contract administration (CCA) framework for graduate architects that aids the smooth running of a construction contract.Design/methodology/approachSeven housing projects in Malaysia have been selected as case studies. Documentation review and semi-structured interviews relevant to selected case studies were conducted to collect data to develop the CCA framework. The draft framework will then be validated through a focus group study.FindingsA total of 5 themes and 11 sub-themes with core tasks were developed in the CCA framework. The themes involved are claims and legal matters management, communication and relationship management, project management, design management and quality assessment and management. Sub-themes are authority matters, building certification, meetings, coordination checklist, letter writing, contract documentation, building material, design brief, building sustainability and workmanship quality standards, contractors’ submission and building details.Originality/valueThe contribution of this study can be utilized for developing further models in the future that would improve the work performance of graduate architects. The framework assists the university by moving forward to the professional practice stage. In addition, it indirectly enhances the potential of graduate architects to perform efficiently and intensifies the bonding between project stakeholders.