A Study of Design Change Management for Infrastructure Development Projects in New Zealand

Abstract

Design changes seem to be an inevitable part of engineering, procurement and construction EPC projects. Such changes create a need for a proactive approach to adjusting project scope, cost and time (the triple constraints) for efficiency and effectiveness in overall delivery. This study investigates the causes and implications of design changes in order to improve design change management practices. Data for the study were obtained through online interviews with New Zealand industry practitioners. Thematic analysis was used to collate the results into meaningful data. The study found that design changes were predominantly caused by clients’ inadequate strategic planning, insufficient attention to design, EPC contractors’ inadequate design ability, and on-site variations. There were three categories of such design changes: direct impact on the project, the reciprocal and complementary effect on stakeholders, and the far-reaching impact on the community. The study concludes by suggesting improvements, such as strengthening the integration of project teams to enhance design quality, strategic alignment of stakeholders at the planning stage, early contractor involvement (ECI) between the planning and design phases, and improving collaboration between design and construction teams. Further, a combination of high technical skills (e.g., design ability) and soft skills (can-do attitude, interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, documentation skills, etc.) are needed to generate the desired improvement in design change management.

Exploring Pre-Construction Activities in Infrastructure Projects That Can Benefit from Contractor Involvement

“…In Neste Steg terms, the literature identified sub-phase 2 as the most beneficial time for ECI in terms of design improvement, innovation, safety, cost, and time and sub-phase 3 as the most vibrant for technical solutions, whereas findings from interviews and workshops identify sub-phase 2 as the most beneficial time but do not identify any of the technical activities (late sub-phase 3 and sub-phase 4) as relevant for ECI. These findings are in contrast with findings by Wang [6] who concluded that between the planning and design phases, the client should actively promote ECI as it breaks contractors' traditional passive acceptance mode and replaces it with a win-win, mutually beneficial cooperation mode. A similar is supported by Lappalainen et al [5] who suggest that the earlier a contractor gets involved in the design, the more the quality of the design can increase.…”

“…Early contractor involvement (ECI) refers to the engagement of the contractor at the early stage of project development, before construction commences, through a wide range of approaches [4]. Among other things, the early involvement of the contractor has proven to have a positive impact on the quality of the design in many respects, and the findings suggest that the earlier a contractor gets involved in the design, the more the quality of the design can increase [5,6]. Research shows that in ECI, the design process can benefit from the expertise and knowledge of the contractors in terms of buildability, construction methods, materials, and local practice [6][7][8].…”

“…Among other things, the early involvement of the contractor has proven to have a positive impact on the quality of the design in many respects, and the findings suggest that the earlier a contractor gets involved in the design, the more the quality of the design can increase [5,6]. Research shows that in ECI, the design process can benefit from the expertise and knowledge of the contractors in terms of buildability, construction methods, materials, and local practice [6][7][8]. Although some projects will benefit from contractor input as early as the project inception, others will benefit more during the feasibility or investigation phase, whereas some projects will only benefit during the design phase.…”

Subcontractor Engagement in the Two-Stage Early Contractor Involvement Paradigm for Commercial Construction

“…Early contractor involvement (ECI) across project planning and design phases can reduce conflicts and improve cost and time certainty [15], significantly reducing the number of requests for information (RFIs) and subsequent contract instructions [16], and improve team integration [17]. Usually, the same contractor is awarded the construction contract, utilizing the more extensive early planning for a better-executed project [14].…”

Characterizing Harbor Dredged Sediment for Sustainable Reuse as Construction Material

“…Requiring large volumes of raw materials [40,41], the construction industry is disadvantaged by the scarcity of natural resources [42,43]. As future construction projects are planned to expand [44][45][46], it is critical to adopt development plans that promote the use of responsible production channels, including waste materials recycling [47][48][49][50]. From this perspective, sustainable reuse of harbor dredged sediment may provide a valuable alternative to the overexploitation of the non-renewable natural resources needed for construction [51,52].…”