Want a flawless building? Invest in strategy Strategy by definition is a game plan formulated to realise a certain goal. The strategic planning process on the other hand usually comprises creating a plan and that is executed accordingly. Or if you like, formulating a vision which then dictates the operations of the firm. This is quite the way the architecture process flows; designs are sequentially executed to realise completion of projects. For this reason, we appreciate the notion that the creation of a design goes through a series of levels of increasing complexity and detail. Just as the architect develops a design for a villa, he does it in stages of increasing detail. This would start with a concept developed from the client within the justification of culture, preference and law. This stage informs the next level of schematic drawings that help and assist in visualising the end dream. As it turns out in its comparison with strategy, this level of detail clarifies the vision and offers a platform for improving strategic goals. The detailing that follows thereafter is usually created carefully while preserving the vision. Any changes may require going back to the drawing board, and this usually comes at a cost. It’s thus advisable that erratic changes are avoided. This is a little like what goes on in the strategist office when they are expounding on the strategy and disseminating it to everyone. It’s the stage where meaning is created and all the small details are elaborated on. Assurance of clarity is key such that there is minimal misinterpretation. Moving on, the detailed designs are shared with other consultants for value addition. The quantity surveyor lists the resources and quantities as well as all financially relevant documentations. The engineers incorporate integrity of function and strength. That’s why in strategy the information is circulated to all functional departments so they may align with their activities. For marketing budget, for organisations goal setting as well as resource mobilisation. In the architecture process, this is an interactive stage that calls for lots of dialogue by the team. The consultants make query lists seeking clarification or further information. Finally comes the project implementations stage when the project is actualised. As it turns out, this may involve many issues such as contractor selection and financial planning. Schedules that inform the completion period and review stages are drawn. All design information is assembled and disseminated for implementation. And there is close supervision to ensure that there is preservation of the envisioned goal. A villa is to be realised just as it was envisioned. There may also be occurrence of challenges that were not foreseeable, issues that sometimes occur in real life and may point out key improvement areas. That’s allowed. It’s more like what the strategist encounters when the Value Added Tax Bill is enacted right after his financial budgets were in place. For this reason, strategic plans will usually have contingent plans or allowances that act as buffers on a worst-case scenario. The implementation stage is thus is very important. It tests the idealism of the office formulated plans and strategies. It’s also the very reason why such flamboyant plans are formulated because it’s nonsensical to incur so much cost formulating plans that are never to be executed. The same passion that went on the planning stage should be similar if not less than what’s employed during implementation. There should be also some form of evaluation, a sort of lessons learn’t scenario that comes at the end that will assure mistakes are not repeated in the future. This is because continuous improvement in results is all organisations thrive on. - By Jen Musyimi The writer is an official of the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 18:21:09 +0000
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