Architects, contractors, clients and consultants have been given a new way of working together. Through dialogue and creative exercises, they are getting to know one another better, strenghtening their cooperation, creating a joint image of the project and setting up a model which they can use if conflicts arise.

The method, which has taken a firm hold in the building trade, is called process consultancy. Until now the building trade has traditionally been troubled by wrangling, with engineers, clients and architects having a reputation for taking each other to court. In process consultancy they strive to make the project something special and to get those involved to work for the project, not just for their own company.

A common reference

"The exercises can provide a fun experience and a common reference. You see things from a different angle when you’re playing and arguing the odds. You may discover that some people are good at creating ideas, some are good at moving the process along and others are good at completing—qualities that can also come in useful in a project," says head of department at COWI, Steffen Gøth.

According to chief project manager Charlotte Nørbak, we are witnessing the trend because we live in a value-orientated society in which reflections often revolve around what is valuable in a particular project and heed is paid to soft values.

Soft values

"We are no longer in an industrial society. The message now is also about enjoying ourselves as we build. That’s why soft values are being factored in as part of the form of cooperation."

By Christina Tækker
Published 27.06.2005