The design of a building involves a lot of moving parts. To begin with, an architect is hired to develop the overall design of the building. Next, a structural engineer is required to ensure that the designs are robust and the building will remain upright.
All this before the building contractor steps in…
From a client perspective, one of the biggest drawbacks is the constant back-and-forth between companies.
It therefore pays to work with a consultancy that offers a range of different services under one roof. A one-stop-shop, as it were, for each stage of the design stage of a project.
Still need convincing? If so, let us explain how choosing to work with a multi-disciplinary consultancy can help save you time, hassle and money.
What Exactly is a Multi-Disciplinary Consultancy?
A multi-disciplinary consultancy is one that consists of multiple departments, each one specialising in a particular discipline.
The sort of roles you can expect in a multi-disciplinary consultancy vary. HLN Engineering Ltd, for example, is staffed by architects, structural engineers, CAD operators and environmental engineers, to name but a few.
Yet, despite the fundamental differences, each department is dedicated to achieving the same end goal: client satisfaction.
The Benefits of a Multi-Disciplinary Approach
There are three core benefits of working with a multi-disciplinary consultancy:
- More effective communication;
- Knowledge exchange;
- Time and cost efficiency
Let’s take a look at these benefits in more detail:
More Effective Communication
Whatever the situation, effective communication is the key to achieving optimum results.
Problems arise when separate companies join forces to work on the same project. Delayed responses, the impersonal nature of email, the way information gets ‘lost in translation’ – such fractured communication can often result in mistakes.
Such barriers are eliminated when everyone works together, in a cohesive manner under one roof. As an advantage, departments near each other can discuss project details with ease.
From a client perspective, why waste time communicating with lots of different companies when you can just keep in contact with one?
Ultimately, such effective means of communication lends itself to more efficient decision-making.
Knowledge Exchange
Effective communication not only boosts efficiency, it provides staff with an opportunity to gain supplementary skills and knowledge.
When different departments come together to work on a project, design ideas are discussed from a range of different perspectives.
As a by-product, knowledge and expertise is shared, resulting in a balanced workforce that operates with the working practices of other teams in mind.
This holistic approach to idea creation and problem solving generates more innovate solutions for the client and a better end-product.
What makes HLN Engineering Ltd unique is our dedication to furthering the skills and knowledge of our staff; keeping up to date with all current advancements in architecture and structural engineering sets us apart from the rest.
We believe in an interdisciplinary approach to our weekly continuous professional development (CPD) seminars, encouraging staff to gain knowledge and expertise in a range of disciplines.
Time and Cost Efficiency
For the client, deadlines and target dates are a necessity – they might mark a moving-in date, or the date a commercial client will begin trading at their new premises.
Budgets are also crucial. If the project isn’t costed properly, or the client’s budget is exceeded, this will delay completion. This can have a domino effect, whereby all invested parties and stake holders are affected.
A multi-disciplinary consultancy is more likely to undertake a project on time and within budget.
As all elements of the design stage take place in-house, multi-disciplinary consultancies are able to offer a cost saving as an incentive, provided the scope of the project or the level resource available remains constant throughout.
As far as time is concerned, it’s all a question of effective project management. There are many variables to consider, although the decision-making process is typically much swifter with one only chief at the helm.
When more than one consultancy is involved, time must be set aside for external meetings and delays can occur if one party is reliant on the progress of another.
An efficient and creative workforce that completes projects on time, within budget and to the exact specification of the client’s original vision can mean only one thing: a satisfied client. This is priority #1 for a multi-disciplinary consultancy.
Article credit: HLN Engineering
