Interior Design Project - Case Study Example

Project Management Report of an Interior Design Project Project and activities involved My report is to describe the hypothetical application of Project Management techniques of planning, organizing and managing resources to an interior design scenario. We shall assume that the layout design is for an office suite. Our brainstorming session first identified the jobs/activities that are specific to interior design. The first task of all interior design projects is to define the project characteristics. The main focus as far as this report is concerned is to show the attention given to the right planning phase of the project life cycle. The following tasks were considered to be vital to an interior design project: 1. Architectural programming 2. Schematic design 3. Design development 4. Construction documents 5. Construction administration The Project Life Cycle 1. Conception/Initiation a. Project goals and objectives b. Identified constraints and resources 2. Planning a. Project workflow for execution b. Components of the design c. Important factors to consider d. Management of costs e. Management of time f. Management of resources g. Architectural drawings 3. Execution of project 4. Formal completion of project 1a) Conception: Project goals and objectives The objective is to design the interior of an office room within the timeframe and the allocated budget, and using the resources available. The project manager will be responsible for overseeing the entire project and accomplishing the stated objectives. 1b) Conception: Identified constraints and resources A specified maximum budget Work to be completed by a specified number of days Work to be compliant with the company’s established standards and policies, plus relevant local building and safety regulations Quantifying and identifying required manpower of workers Space: on-site completion of all manual tasks Communication: project guidelines have been clearly set out and explained to the workers prior to commencing; instant communication is possible via mobile phone in case of any issues Motivation: part of the budget can be allocated for bonuses if the whole project can be completed to the required specifications and standards within the timeframe Our project will seek to minimize the costs incurred and total duration, whilst ensuring that the work is completed to a high standard. At our disposal we have access to all the necessary provisions (material resources) that our budget can accommodate, besides the manual workers (human resources) who will be guided through complete and detailed layout and installation instructions and diagrams to complete the project successfully. A project charter may be devised to summarise the main parts of the conception stage. 2a) Planning: Project workflow for execution A workflow was devised to manage the whole process from defining the essential characteristics to actually executing the plan. 1. Define and characterise the floors and rooms 2. Manage list and details of the components such as furniture and equipment, and preferences for colours, styles, finishes, fabric etc. 3. Select the components to use i.e. assign them to the rooms 4. Calculate the furnishing characteristics 5. Report preparation of the project together with a cost analysis and time chart, and the architectural drawings 6. Presentation of the reports for information and approval 7. Layout the room(s) according to the design 8. Evaluate the layout based on the original requirements to determine successful completion Once the above is done, we would then move on to the review report stage that would wind things up and close the project. 2b) Planning: Components/Elements of the design This stage involves the greater involvement of the interior design professional to conduct the architectural programming, schematic design and actual design development. The components or elements that need to be placed appropriately within the space are the furniture and equipment. In addition the components of air, heating, lighting and acoustics need to be arranged for appropriately too. 2c) Planning: Important factors to consider The designer will work closely with the client in order to understand their needs, both for the business and in terms of the space, which is to be designed. We will consider the space strategy to be achieved, and the business processes and overall objectives. Value will be added to the organisation as well as the worth of the estate as a result of assisting the business in this way. Communication is thus also an essential requirement throughout the planning. The important factors that need to be considered are listed below. Important factors to consider: Health – Good air quality, lighting and acoustics, and above all a clean and environmentally sustainable workspace. Comfort – The distribution of the lighting, acoustics, furniture and other workplace components, systems and services must be situated at comfortable zones. Reliability – The workplace must be able to support efficient systems for air conditioning, heating, ventilation and so on. Also, the equipment used must require little maintenance, be energy efficient and minimise any disruption to service. Flexibility – This depends on the client’s needs and will seek to satisfy them as far as possible. For example, the client may wish to have furniture that can be moved around easily, have a multiple set-up that can be switched easily for a diverse workforce, or have utilities that are easily configurable and expandable. We need therefore to maximise the user control of the work environment. Ubiquity – Visibility of the company image or brand may be important for the business because it is a means of communicating the business philosophy or principles both to customers as well as in-house workers i.e. all users of the environment. Equity – The workspace must be designed with all the users in mind. This means trying best to cater to everyone’s aesthetic preferences and any privacy concerns. This could also entail a consideration of external views and maximisation of lighting. Safety and Security – Basic protection must be assured to all likely users of the environment from any potential physical risks, or natural hazards. This also includes the physical security of contents, and adherence to health and safety regulations. Technology – This is also an important consideration because the day-to-day success of many businesses is impingent on the information and communication facilities functioning effectively. The ideal situating of telephones, computers, monitors, printers etc. must be convenient so that the business can operate to its full capacity. A cost analysis of the project and a time chart would also be planned to manage both costs and time respectively. A business plan would detail these and all the above information that could then be presented for approval by both client and management. 2d) Planning: Management of costs Budgeting is an important part of the planning process so that all costs are controlled and no excesses are made. This will specify the budgeted cost of each and every item involved in the project that will be incurred. 2e) Planning: Management of time A gantt chart would illustrate the project schedule to ensure its timely completion. As some activities may depend on the completion of another in order, precedence may also be indicated on a more detailed gantt chart. For those that do not depend on another, the possibility of concurrence will be indicated instead. For an important or high profile project, the current schedule status may also be shown and updated regularly. A simple gantt chart for this project may look somewhat like the hypothetical one shown below. The activities in the planning stage correspond to the phases of the workflow identified in 2a above. 2f) Planning: Management of resources This will specify precisely who will do what part of the project and at which time i.e. the assignment of all the tasks to the human resources. Also, for a successful completion of the project, the collaboration and effective coordination of all members of the team, and a proper flow of communication between them, is essential. 2g) Planning: Architectural drawings These would detail the actual design for the workers to refer to and implement. This includes any models constructed to aid visualisation of what the completed project should look like. 3) Execution of project At this stage we need to ensure that all tasks are being conducted as efficiently as possible, and the interior design solution is being carried out according to plan. For large projects, a model or prototype may be prepared beforehand. During this stage also, others may be involved in preparation for the final testing and support. A risk analysis may also be conducted if necessary depending on the nature of the project. A scorecard may help to determine the most satisfying alternative if there is a set of conflicting objectives in deciding to choose the layout of the elements and considering the factors involved. 4) Formal completion of project This is the last stage in which the project manager will ensure that the project is brought to a successful completion. A review report would contain details of the formal acceptance of the design by the client, releasing of the project resources, a weighting of the critical measurements, and the rewards to the team members, and final project closure notification for the higher management. Also, inclusions of any lessons learnt and feedback from the client would be useful for future improvements and guidance. Read More