The project manager's role in integrating design and construction

It is not uncommon for construction owners to separate the functions of planning, design, and construction. Such an approach to construction buildings, however, is the equivalent of a manufacturer isolating the engineering and production activities involved in creating products, an approach that would result in designing a product without thinking about how to produce it. This article examines the role the construction project manager plays in integrating the design and construction processes, an integration that seeks to improve constructability and deliver projects that more effectively and efficiently realize the owner's requirements. In doing so, it describes several definitions of constructability and the elements of improving constructability, elements such as early involvement and pre-construction planning. It then outlines an approach for improving constructability, an approach informed by a study sponsored by the Constructability Task Force of the Construction Industry Institute.