Guide to Using the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 - Other - Page 11
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Why is a major update of the RIBA Plan of Work
necessary?
The RIBA Plan of Work has continued to evolve in response to changing
processes within the broader construction industry. For example, the RIBA Plan
of Work 1998 acknowledged the reduced use of bills of quantities by amending
Stage G to Tender Documentation and redefining the nature of Stage E. In a
similar vein, the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 has been created in response to a
number of drivers. The eight most important factors necessitating a major review
of the RIBA Plan of Work are considered below:
1. Previous editions of the RIBA Plan of Work related to one form of
procurement: traditional. The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 consultation process
confirmed the fact that many different forms of procurement are used. It is
now essential that the Plan of Work is relevant to any of the procurement
routes currently in use.
2. Time constraints inevitably place greater pressure on front-end design work.
There is a need to recalibrate the initial stages to ensure that the brief is
properly developed and the project team is properly assembled.
3. The RIBA Outline Plan of Work 2007 acknowledged the potential increase in
the scope of post-occupancy duties. The nature of post-occupancy duties
has certainly become more onerous, but a crucial factor is the need to identify
these duties at the outset of a project.
4. There has been a shift in emphasis from the design team to the project team
(consisting of client + design team + contractor) and the lead designer role is
frequently underplayed and misunderstood. The new RIBA Plan of Work must
address the concept of the project team and redefine and reinforce the lead
designer and project lead roles.
5. The RIBA Outline Plan of Work 2007 does not recognise the design work
undertaken by specialist contractors. For some time now JCT contracts have
acknowledged this subject by including a clause requiring such work to be
stated in the Building Contract. The RIBA Plan of Work needs to embrace this
common way of working.
6. The Information Age is fundamentally changing the way that we design,
communicate, store and harness information. The RIBA Plan of Work has
to address the implications of what some people call the ‘Third Industrial
Revolution’. While BIM is used as a catchall phrase for this important subject,
the RIBA Plan of Work must consider the broader context.
7. Many practitioners utilise terms such as C+ or D- to refer to the point when
a planning application is made. The RIBA Plan of Work must reflect these
cultural ‘norms’ as well as acknowledging the need for pre-application
activities or the increased importance of addressing any conditions attached
to a planning consent.
www.ribaplanofwork.com
