Your partner of choice

Your partner of choice

Thanks to the sophistication of digital design, consultants have a unique data-led perspective on projects and programmes.

They have been able to enhance their traditional offering of people-based expertise with supplementary data analytics and technology to model and draw out additional insight.

This means that where once they concentrated on design and development, they are increasingly being asked to use this insight to input along the lifecycle of an asset.

Lifecycle of an Asset - consultancy40Steps
1 Strategy Development & Planning
Strategy Development & Planning

Opportunities in advisory and data services.

2 Design development
Design development

Traditional offering: advisory, professional services and design products.

3 Manufacturing & construction
Manufacturing & construction

Opportunities in advisory.

4 Handover
Handover

Opportunities in advisory.

5 Operation & maintenance
Operation & maintenance

Opportunities in advisory, professional services, data services and maintenance.

6 Decommission & dispose
Decommission & dispose

Opportunities in advisory, professional services, and design products.

All of this means they are more and more viewed as strategic advisors to a project, rather than simply designers.

The Construction Playbook and Consultancy Playbook have recognised this shift in approach, outlining five client delivery models guiding procurement decisions at a government level.

Construction Playbook Quote - consultancy40Quote
Whether the delivery of a school, hospital or major infrastructure project, the principles and policies will transform how we assess, procure and manage public works projects and programmes

Construction Playbook

December 2020

Delivering with a new framework

Taking this thinking further, ACE has identified four new consultancy roles and 18 standardised consultancy services, providing additional options to tailor the client offering.

Below we showcase how our members are already delivering for clients within this framework.

Roles Tabs - consultancy40Tabs

Providing input and expert advice around the strategic challenges affecting a client’s asset base through system thinking expertise.

Examples could include masterplanning of cities, or tackling cross cutting challenges such as Net Zero.

Services - consultancy40Accordion

Combining technical know-how and cultural aspects, such as health and safety, to provide client assurances that quality on site is as designed, and any changes have been escalated to the appropriate designers.

Business case/design evolution maximiser. There is an opportunity to join the dots between early, and parallel, activities of value and solution development, drawing together disparate data sources in a way which can be more easily simulated and communicated to support client decision making.

Providing clients an independent review service in terms of their approach to business case development and assessment of their preferred option.

Mix of value modes driving value led strategic design/placemaking. Broader than cost and quality parameters. Broader than traditional ‘constraints. Thinking of what can be built. Much more transparent, objective and reflective consideration of what should be built as well as how that should be built. Placemaking and engaging multiple stakeholders with a voice has a big role to play.

Strategic controlling mind on design, integration and oversight of all detailed design packages. Ensures design stays true to programme outcomes.

Performance management services including baselining, benchmarking and measuring outcomes.

Provision of risk assessment, value definition and value measurement services to aid client in value-based decision making.

Support the client to assess delivery model, commercial options and offer skills to form part of the client’s team to do this. Alternatively, offer delivery model choice and associated commercial strategy directly.

Providing input and expert advice around operational challenges affecting a client’s asset base. This will include ongoing partnerships as well as one-off commissions.

Examples could include enhancing the productivity of an asset, or tackling cross-cutting challenges such as Net Zero.

Services - consultancy40Accordion

Streamline disparate asset management information to create one single useable asset information system. Draw insights to inform planning/budget and asset management, both in terms of use of data and business process optimisation. It could be delivered through a ‘software as a service’ type option.

Streamline asset management information collation via the use of tablets. More efficient, consistent, faster, and dovetails with improved asset management systems.

Combining technical know-how and cultural aspects, such as health and safety, to provide client assurances that quality on site is as designed, and any changes have been escalated to the appropriate designers.

Providing clients an independent review service in terms of their approach to business case development and assessment of their preferred option.

Retrofitting building stock with sensors to track performance in real time. Understanding heating and ventilation, adopting operational plans. Driving net zero and other strategic objectives.

Performance management services including baselining, benchmarking and measuring outcomes.

Provision of risk assessment, value definition and value measurement services to aid client in value-based decision making.

Support the client to assess delivery model, commercial options and offer skills to form part of the client’s team to do this. Alternatively, offer delivery model choice and associated commercial strategy directly.

Delivering defined products and solutions to a client, including design delivery, assessments and surveys, or business cases.

Services - consultancy40Accordion

Combining technical know-how and cultural aspects, such as health and safety, to provide client assurances that quality on site is as designed, and any changes have been escalated to the appropriate designers.

Business case/design evolution maximiser. There is an opportunity to join the dots between early, and parallel, activities of value and solution development, drawing together disparate data sources in a way which can be more easily simulated and communicated to support client decision making.

Providing clients an independent review service in terms of their approach to business case development and assessment of their preferred option.

Model different delivery scenarios working with ECI contractor to give confidence in schedule and programme and influence the detailed design. This can include exploring options for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

Strategic controlling mind on design, integration and oversight of all detailed design packages. Ensures design stays true to programme outcomes.

Design undertaken to a level of detail which supports clear delivery and cost planning – essentially down to component level to deliver a complete asset.

Capturing and presenting all of the detailed design and as built data into a digital asset for the client to use alongside the physical asset.

Adaption of a product design for site specific issues to accommodate modular / off site construction elements.

Development and ownership of a standardised, manufacturable design.

Performance management services including baselining, benchmarking and measuring outcomes.

Development of elemental design with specialist requirements to integrate with other standard elemental design products.

Provision of risk assessment, value definition and value measurement services to aid client in value-based decision making.

Full solutions and benefits delivered without the need for construction.

Examples could include digital solutions, or social solutions which influence behaviours.

Services - consultancy40Accordion

Business case/design evolution maximiser. There is an opportunity to join the dots between early, and parallel, activities of value and solution development, drawing together disparate data sources in a way which can be more easily simulated and communicated to support client decision making.

Performance management services including baselining, benchmarking and measuring outcomes.

Providing clients an independent review service in terms of their approach to business case development and assessment of their preferred option.

Provision of risk assessment, value definition and value measurement services to aid client in value-based decision making.

Providing the client with a full end-to-end solution, delivering the outcomes sought without construction. This could include provision of a digital solution or design and delivery of social change initiatives which achieve the same outcome.

In order to maximise value from our new roles, clients will also need to change their approaches to incentivisation reflecting the new role of consultants as true project partners.

Explore how new reward models are helping to create win-win relationships for all.