Design for manageability

Unmanageable complexity is a major source of chronic problems in building performance. Drawing evidence from studies of the performance of buildings in use, the authors explore the consequences of unnecessary complexity especially for usability and environmental efficiency. Briefing and designing for management and use raises strategic issues of how human and physical systems interact, how uncertainty and inefficiency in systems' operation and use can develop; how human behaviour is affected and how chronic failures occur. Attributes for more successfully briefing, designing, researching and evaluating buildings are discussed in terms of improving performance in use.