Development of a value management framework for the formation of project briefs

Project briefing/architectural programming is the procedure of gathering, analyzing and synthesizing information needed to inform decision-making and decision implementation at the project planning stages of the construction process. Previous research revealed that there are limitations in the existing framework for briefing. This paper describes an international research project which seeks to establish whether a value management framework for project briefing can systematically identify and clarify client requirements, and represent these requirements precisely and explicitly to facilitate the design process. The research methodology first involves the establishment and validation of a theoretical framework for the briefing process. Based on a literature review and the established theoretical framework, a practical framework using the value management approach in project briefing will be developed. The proposed framework will comprise two major elements: a structural job plan and a functional hierarchy to identify, define and represent client requirements. A practical "how-to" guide will also be produced to provide practical solutions to critical issues frequently encountered in project briefing. The final stage of the research project will be completed with the validation of the value management framework for project briefing through real-life case studies.