What if IPD is not an option?

There have been several interesting articles recently about the merits of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). For the purposes of this discussion, I am defining IPD as the approach implemented through an Integrated Form of Agreement (IFOA). Certainly, there are elements of IPD that can be used outside of an IFOA but we will save that topic for the next blog.

IPD has been shown to be a very effective approach to complex project delivery in achieving optimal outcomes for the Owner. However, not all building Owners that are embarking on large capital projects fully understand IPD and may just not be comfortable with that approach for whatever reason. Oftentimes it is the Owner’s internal legal team that is not familiar with IFOA’s and are not supportive of using an approach they don’t understand.

Hence, I am taking somewhat of a contrarian view of what it really takes to deliver a project successfully outside of an IPD contract structure. I have experienced several projects that were extremely successful without any form of IPD agreement. What are the common denominators that result in successful projects?

I have always found it interesting that a typical IPD agreement includes provisions that the team is contractually obligated to collaborate. Really? Why do we have to have the team sign an agreement that they will collaborate with each other? I believe that culture shapes behavior more than agreements do.

A friend recently said to me, you can’t legislate collaboration. The team members need to have it wired in their DNA that they will be easy to work with, pursue excellence in all that they do and seek the best outcome for the Owner. If people are wired in this way they will collaborate naturally because that is who they are. People will make and keep reliable promises if that is who they are as people while leaving their egos at the door.

I do think it can be very effective to create a project Mission Statement to document and memorialize the goals of the project for the Owner and the team. Goals would include the obvious things such as budget and schedule objectives but could also include such things as eliminating waste, improving HCAHPS scores, lower HAI rates, quality and safety goals, etc. But, the bottom line is, we do not need to employ IPD through an IFOA to be successful and doing so does not guarantee success anyway.

In my next blog we will take a look at what specific measures can be taken to achieve the goals set forth in a typical IFOA without having to execute one.