The American Institute of Architects has put forth the concept of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) as an answer to the fragmented approach used in much of construction today.

With IPD the project delivery process looks kind of like the design-build process on steroids. The players all come together to work on the project at the very beginning. The voices of the owner, architect, contractor, subcontractors and others are integrated at the design phase, but their individual roles are much more meshed together than in traditional design-build. Right at the beginning, some sticky issues have to be dealt with that tend to force the participants apart.

Construction is often characterized as individual businesses focusing solely on their particular piece to the exclusion of everyone else. Contract and liability issues often encourage that mindset. With IPD the participants are asked to subordinate some of their self-interest in the interest of the common good, so the project can be accomplished more efficiently and cost effectively. I would be willing to suggest that another great potential outcome would be the fostering of lower-stress work environments. We could all use more of those, even those who thrive on high stress.

So the first step in IPD is to establish mutual respect and trust. This is a major departure for many in construction who see only their role and who have designed their processes to enhance only their role. I came face to face with this on one project with a subcontractor who had built multiple lines of approval into its change order process. The system was so time consuming, it began to threaten completion times on certain milestones. From the reaction I received when I questioned the procedures, it became clear it was more than an issue of just protection. It was an issue of survival, with a mindset of “us against them.”

Business, indeed anything to do with money, has within it the seeds of secrecy. IPD requests a change in thinking that encourages transparency, so that the common good can be considered at least as importantly as self interest. The idea being that they are intertwined enough to be equal in importance.

Whether or not you institute an IPD approach in your business, it could be instructive to look through the lens of your partners’ eyes to see where more transparency might foster greater trust in your business dealings. As trust increases so does sharing, and that in itself could lead to some efficiencies that will help all to stay competitive.

There is a guide for IPD here.