22
ROUND TABLE REVIEW
“We need to have the mindset that there will be no physical or digital documents in future, there will only be data in systems” Chris Lees, Data Clan
The devil is in the details
Chris Lees of Data Clan changed the focus to look at practical needs of end-clients in the housing sector in particular, and what the data should look like them for them to manage buildings effectively. He said the Safety Regulator was requiring them to produce documents “that they couldn’t possibly understand.” He added that AI and machine learning “will help, but it won’t solve the problem.”
Lees said that in the Common Data Environment itself, project data needed to be “machine-led” as opposed to “people-led,” but had concerns that “at the moment we have all these systems which are people-first, which means nothing can happen without a person – there aren’t enough people for the amount of information we have.” Lees added that the standardisation that MMC enabled would support the machine-driven data aspects he was advocating, but also that there is a “middle ground” between prefabrication and bespoke, ie the “mass customisation” found in the world of PC design.
He bemoaned current best practice in this area as “very disappointing,” advocating ‘Connected Data Environments,” rather than the “repository of data” approach currently being seen.
Session 2: Addressing Attendees’ Questions The second session was focused around explorations of the questions submitted by our panel, and delved further into some of the issues already discussed more generally in the first session. These ranged from whether there could be a ‘single source of truth’ as called for by the Hackitt Report (Ben Wallbank), to whether architects would indeed be emerging as Principal Designers as well
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as Lead Designers in projects (Richard Harrison). Other questions included how smaller architectural firms should resource how they address these data challenges (Hannah Pinsent), and what specific competencies were required of project stakeholders in the operational phase.
Lucy Craig from Mace said that the “biggest challenge the industry faces is how do we ensure that the products and systems are compatible and safe. This requires a collaborative approach by all and recognition that more is required by all to get to a descriptive state, but how do we see this process working going forward, and who is the best competent discipline to lead such a complex approach? We also looked at the manufacturer’s role, and where it overlaps
with that of designers (and their liabilities). Subjects raised included the new CCPI product certification within the Golden Thread; will it ensure products are performing as intended, and how can the digital world help product designers ensure compliance? Richard Harrison added that new Principal Designer role carried the risk that it “would just be another role and increase the complexity, which was causing some of the problems – the lack of communication, misunderstandings, and so-called value engineering going on behind closed doors.” Lucy Craig agreed that architects taking the role of Principal Designer raised issues, as they will work “based on integrity,” and they “will have to be strong to maintain the integrity of the project all the way through.” Peter Sutcliffe commented: “I think we will see architects taking on more of that role, but not on their own.” Ben Wallbank said that he wasn’t convinced the Principal Designer role would strengthen architects due to the nature of Design & Build Contracts, but that
ADF MAY 2024
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