Evaluation of Design Effectiveness
The research identified the following seven criteria as most suited for an initial evaluation of design effectiveness. These criteria can be evaluated both during and after completion of project construction, but before the project team disperses. Detailed discussions for each of these criteria are included in the research. The seven criteria are further developed as a “Design Evaluation Matrix” where scores and weights for each criteria may be provided by the project team to create an overall design performance value. The Design Evaluation Matrix can be used for any project type or area of a project. (RS8-1, p. 5)
- Accuracy of Design Documents
- Usability of Design Documents
- Cost of Design
- Constructability
- Economy of Design
- Performance against Schedule
- Ease of Start-Up
This research indicates that projects may be divided into seven phases:
- The Conceptual/Preliminary Analysis
- Project Initiation and Organization
- Basic Engineering
- Detail Planning
- Production Engineering and Procurement
- Construction
- Commissioning
Input variables occur in the first five phases, but those having a major influence occur primarily during Phases I and II.
Source Documents SD-16 and SD-22 provide supporting research details for Key Finding #1.
This evaluation matrix is a composite indicator of total performance during a measurement period(s). It can be used to track and compare performance over time, including trends while design is in progress. An example of the use of this matrix is included in the research material. (RS8-1, p. 9)
