Briefing the Team: A Guide to Better Briefing for Clients(CIB reports)

This guide defines the briefing process, examines the factors affecting the quality of briefing and considers the criteria by which good briefing can be judged. It also reviews the guidance already available and considers what further guidance is needed for both public and private sector clients. The working group for this guide was chaired by Frank Duffy from the Construction Industry Council. Aims of this guide This guide is written for clients and potential clients of the construction industry. It is designed to help potential clients work out whether or not they need a construction project, and if construction is the option chosen, to improve the briefing they give so that the project team fully understands their needs and they secure the product and outcome they require. Status This guide is part of a co-ordinated set of documents designed to improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of construction projects. It should be used in conjunction with the lead code in the set, Constructing success: code of practice for clients of the construction industry1 which explains the clients' role in the whole process of developing a project and identifies the roles the project team must play. Briefing Briefing is the process by which a client informs others of his or her needs, aspirations and desires, either formally or informally, and a brief is a formal document which sets out a clients requirements in detail. The outcome of any project relies on the quality of the briefing provided. Briefing for construction is an iterative process, involving regular feedback throughout the project between clients, advisers and the project team. All projects require a series of briefs, each taking the preceding one to a greater level of detail. All construction projects can be divided into a number of key steps, irrespective of the procurement route: Getting started - during which the client s needs are identified and assessed and a decision is made on whether construction is an appropriate solution. Defining the project - when the clients needs are developed into an agreed output specification, i.e. as a strategic brief. Assembling the team - when the appropriate project team is selected. Designing and constructing - when the strategic brief is developed into a detailed design brief from which design and construction can be instigated and managed. Completion and evaluation - when the completed project is compared with the original identified need. For clients who construct frequently, post-project evaluation should be a standard process by which clients can obtain important information to help improve the briefing of the next project. In practice the sequence and overlap of these steps will vary depending on the procurement arrangements chosen. However, whatever the sequence, the clients requirements and necessary outputs will be defined in a series of documents and briefs

Table of Contents:
* The initial stages: Getting started, defining the project and assembling the team * Designing and constructing * Completion and evaluation