How to assign Roles to Architects, interior, and MEP designers systematically? -An Illustration

 

This blog aims to provide essential insights into the process of assigning roles to designers vis a vis 225 identified core design activities performed by designers as summarised below and included in the handbook mentioned at the end of this blog.

·       By Architects=118- For designing Design of structure+ Architecture+ Façade+ external development +softscape works

·       By Interior designers =37 -For designing Finishing works +Furniture, fixtures, and equipment for interiors +Artwork

·       By MEP designers =70 -For Electricals (external and internal) +Airconditioning and Basement ventilation works  

This requires a basic understanding of four concepts as highlighted below

i)Segregation of duties (Abbreviated as S-O-D) to avoid conflict of roles

 

ii)Development of Authorisation Profiles or simply called profiles in this Handbook

 

iii) Understanding the concept of roles

 

iv) Attaching Profiles to Roles

Four concepts

i)Segregation of duties S-O-D:

The aspects related to S-O-D have been covered in one of the earlier blogs on my website and hence are not being duplicated (please refer to https://www.ethicalprocesses.com/blog_detail/49 ). Implementing S-O-D can enable avoiding conflict of roles amongst designers at different levels.

ii)Development of Authorisation profiles -Accessing Core activities -1 illustration

The author proposes developing five authorization profiles for performing each core activity, and illustrations are given below

It is suggested that, for each design activity (within each design stage), there must be a distinct option to choose from any one or combination of the following five activities

·       Create or initiate the design activity e.g., initiate concept design or draw sanction drawings or make a tender, and so on)

·       Edit or modify the above design activity

·       Delete the above design activity

·       View the above design activity

·       Approve the above design activity

An illustration for the “Design of Architecture function”, is captured below in a tabular form with a suggested profile code numbering scheme (given in the handbook, chapter 9 and hence not covered here), which of course, can be changed by the reader at their absolute discretion.

Function: Design of Architecture Name of Core process vis a vis activity for SOD development: Design of Structure
Design Activity Description:  Developing Concept designs and schemes (based on design calculations of PCC/Reinforcements requirements based on a factor of safety/Earthquake zone etc.) and using software like STADD or ETAB. Risk Classification for accessing this Core Activity:  High. Profile numbers Proposed for accessing this Core Activity: PC02001 to PC02005(Compiled in Annexure 30A in the book mentioned below)
Description	PC02001	PC02002	PC02003	PC02004	PC02005
Key “Rights” vis a vis this activity (RHS of this row) Column 1	Create or   Initiate Column 2	Edit/ or Modify Column 3	Delete   Column 4	View   Column 5	Approve   Column 6
Function assigned Name (RHS of this row)	(Design of Architecture	(Design of Architecture	(Design of Architecture	(Design of Architecture	(Design of Architecture
Team assigned Number & name(RHS of this row)	T-5 Architect For all areas	T-6 Functional Risk Coordinator	T-6 Functional Risk Coordinator	T5 Architect For all areas and  other designers	T-7 function head
Employee Level Proposed (RHS of this row)	Middle	Higher	middle	middle	Higher
Position who can Perform (RHS of this row)	Sr. Mgr.	GM	Sr. Mgr.	Mgr.	Project Head
Thus for 1st illustrated design activity, 5 Profile numbers have been generated using the SOD concept as PC02001 to PC02005 to each set of Combination of Function +Team+ Level +Position vis columns 2,3,4,5 & 6, respectively. Team name, Positions & levels mentioned in this table are hypothetical for simple understanding of readers and can be suitably modified at the absolute discretion of the organisation

 

Interior & MEP designers can directly develop similar tables per the above illustration for all other packages.

Such development of profiles is to be completed for each of the 225 design activities as identified in the handbook. It implies developing 1125 authorization profiles (@5x225 activities identified). However, before assigning rights /functions/levels/positions to each profile, each of the 225core design activities must be thoroughly studied and individually classified as having High, Medium, or low risks as per methodology given in a separate chapter 10 of the handbook and illustrations in annex 13C

The Number of activities can be much higher or enhanced as required based on the size of construction projects and design organisation. Thus assuming 400 design activities in each of Architect, Interior, and MEP design functions, 2000 profiles per design function (@5 profile per activity, i.e., @ 2000 profiles for each of 3 design functions totaling 6000 profiles, i.e., PC02001 to PC08000 as captured in the book. 

iii) Understanding the concept of “Roles”

Roles mean what a particular professional (here a designer) is authorised to do as per a few examples below.

·       Developing a concept design is one simple role say simple role 1

·       Simply drafting or generating drawings is another simple role say simple role 2

·       Developing sanction drawings for statutory approval is another example of a simple role say a simple role 3

·       Integration of designs say with MEP design is another role, which is a relatively complex role say a complex role 1  

·       Developing detailed design and also making tenders is an example of the complex role say a complex role 2

 

Based on the earlier tabulated illustration, the configured, “Authorisation Profiles” PC02001 to PC02005 so developed can be attached by the HOD-Architect function to simple “Roles” (with the help of the IT/ERP team) depending on the roles planned at the granularity level.

 Once all the 1125 authorization profiles have been developed (or higher say 6000 profiles as stated above), attachment of these profiles to various roles is proposed to be done in three steps as below, particularly when the design organisation is operating in highly digitalized/ERP environments.   

 

Thus, a role can have one or more combinations of profiles (out of 1125 profiles for 225 activities or 6000 expanded profiles) attached to it, to be called a “Simple or complex Role”.  

 

iv) Attaching Profiles to Roles

Although the number of profiles can run into thousands (as mentioned above), the number of designers in organisations is limited. It is, therefore prudent that before the final attachment of profiles to roles, thorough testing is done to see that design activities are carried out smoothly based on competency assessments at different hierarchical levels & positions who will perform such roles.

 

The steps are: 

 

a) Attach profile to roles in “Development computer server”

 

b) Test roles in “Test servers” by ERP teams and designers              

 

c) Upload roles to the “Production server” for implementation, after approval of testing of roles

 

To ensure that no incompatible or conflicting authorization profiles get attached, the roles, post-testing, can be attached to the production server by following P-D-C-A (plan-do-check-act) approach

 

Thus, the Number of roles can run into tens & hundred (as profiles may be in thousands) depending upon the following:

·       Size and complexity of the organization

·       the variety of Construction projects residential, commercial, educational, SEZ, etc

·       The skill level of designers

·       The multi-tasking role expectation of the organisation.

·       The technology of construction, design software,

·       The design organization structure and empowerment culture

·        Risk appetite of the company. 

 

 

 

Therefore, to enable the digitalization for developing thousands of profiles, some ERP Vendors, like SAP, offer profile generating software, wherein standards authorization profiles can be developed and attached to architects, interior, and MEP designers for carrying out design development. 

 

These roles can then be assigned to different positions, independent of the names of individuals after factoring following:

·       Number of teams & design functions

·       Number of employee levels

·       Types of positions in the hierarchy 

·       Competency level associated with roles (covered in earlier blog https://www.ethicalprocesses.com/blog_detail/46)

 

Such profile assignments can be done digitally but must be done diligently, and each role may have a multitude of authorisation profiles attached to it.

Soon, please look for separate blogs that will be prepared & published for assigning roles to Architects, interior, and MEP designers (titled “Assigning access rights” for performing other activities, such as statutory activities, accessing master data tables, and so on.

 

Handbook of the author 

A template illustrating assigning access rights to activities is included in chapter 11 (annex 26C) in the handbook of author and titled” ETHICS in the real estate and hospitality industry, Volume 1- Architectural, Interior design, and MEP services “