Planning drawings

2.4 Planning and preparing the drawings

2.4.1 Introduction

This section provides a guide to planning, preparing and issuing production drawings. For ease of reference a key to the sections is given in the Table below, with an indication when the actions should be carried out within the project process.

Section	Item	Actions	Project Stage
2.4.2	Standard Methods and Protocols (SMP)	Produce Office SMP Agree Project SMP	Scheme design
2.4.3	Scope, arrangement and format	Prepare Drawings Schedule Determine arrangement of drawings set Determine format of drawings set Prepare Drawings register	Detailed design
2.4.4	Production sequence	Prepare Production Plan	Production information
2.4.5	Time and resource programming	Prepare Time and Resource Plan based on Production Plan	Production information
2.4.6	Revisions to drawings	Control the revision process Clearly note all changes	Production information
2.4.7	Document and data management	Establish office and project drawing management procedures	Production information
2.4.8	Roles and responsibilities	Define and allocate the roles Ensure responsibilities are backed with authority	Scheme design

2.4.2 Standard Methods and Protocols

Irrespective of whether the Drawings Overlay or Model Exchange method described in Section 2.3.4 is adopted, effective collaboration and re-use of data within a diverse group of designers and specialist constructors depends on establishment of an agreed electronic method of producing the drawings, together with a commitment to the discipline required to make it work. Design team agreement on Standard Methods and Protocols (SMP) should be reached at an early stage to allow consistent application throughout the project. This agreement should be formalised as the Project SMP. It should cover:

• The structuring of information;
• The methods by which it will be produced and its integrity assured;
• The means by which it will be exchanged.

In establishing the Project SMP the main problem to overcome is likely to be the exchange of CAD data between disparate CAD systems in the project team

There is a need to establish an Industry SMP for collaborative working using CAD. In the absence of such a Standard, design offices should establish an Office SMP incorporating the recommendations in this Code and BS 1192 Part 5. Design offices that work together on a regular basis should consider harmonising their respective Office SMPs so that the agreement of Project SMPs can be facilitated. The establishment of an Office SMP will offer wider advantages, e.g. transfer of data between projects, greater technical control, and training of new and transient staff.

The Project SMP (and Office SMP) will cover all or some of the following:

• Approved software - common or compatible systems.
• Arrangements for a common project model (Model Exchange method) if applicable - location of servers, Internet or Virtual Private Network.
• Arrangements for management and maintenance of data, if applicable. Who has access, to read, write and delete, or read only.
• Common grid, origin, orientation (see Section 2.3.3) and zoning (see Section 2.3.5).
• Model files for spatial co-ordination (see Section 2.3.4).
• Arrangement, sheet sizes, templates and scales (see Section 2.4.3 below).
• Drawing text fonts, dimensions, line types and line weights.
• Sub-models (drawn once, copied and used many times):
  • Principles and naming conventions.
  • Standard sub models for the project.
• File structure and naming conventions (see Sections 2.3.6 and 2.3.7):
  • Model file identification.
  • Drawing definition identification.
• Layering Standards (see Section 2.3.5):
  • Purpose and principles.
  • Layer fields.
• Collaboration and quality assurance (see Sections 2.3.3, 2.3.4 and 2.4.7 below):
  • Spatial co-ordination strategy
  • Model file and drawing definition check, comment and approval processes.
  • Client approval processes.
  • Request for information (RFI) processes.

The Project and Office SMPs may be extended to cover relevant specification issues:

• Planning and control (see Section 4.3.2).
• Procedure (see Section 4.3.3).
• Presentation (see Section 4.3.4).

To establish the Project SMP it may be appropriate to issue a questionnaire to all members of the design team - a sample questionnaire is given in Appendix D4. An example Project SMP contents list is given in Appendix D5. In practice it is likely that the main areas for discussion will be the file naming convention and layering standards.

It may not be possible to agree every detail of the Project SMP at once, but this should not prevent partial agreement followed by completion later. The Project SMP should, like any other serious piece of project information, be subject to revision control because it is clearly essential that all parties hold, and work to, the up-to-date agreed version.

Compliance with the Project SMP should be checked using appropriate software, so that the integrity of the structure and content of the information within the electronic files can be assured. Commercial software is available for this purpose.

2.4.3 Scope, arrangement and format

Before detailed planning of production can take place, the drawings required for the project need to be decided and set down in a Drawings Schedule (see Figure 2.14). All drawings to be prepared by all design disciplines should be included. Preparation of the schedule will involve close consideration of the proposed building, the nature of its construction and the number of model files required for coordination, together with the following:

• Arrangement: On medium size and large projects helpful grouping of the production drawings will contribute significantly to the efficient retrieval of information, but the arrangement should be kept reasonably simple and easy to memorise - see Section 2.2.4.
• Sheet sizes: The critical factors are ease of handling and filing. The number of different sizes should be strictly limited - see Section 2.2.5.
• Scales: Should be large enough for clear interpretation. Drawings that need to be compared should be of the same scale. 'Intermediate' scales should be avoided - see Section 2.2.5.
• Drawing numbers: Should reflect the chosen arrangement, be visually separated into 'fields', and be relatively simple - see Section 2.2.6.
• Drawing titles: Should strike a good balance between comprehensiveness and brevity, and use consistent terminology - see Section 2.2.6.
• Compliance with SMM: If a bill of quantities is to be provided, a check should be made to ensure that all tender drawings required by SMM are included - see Appendix D6.

 

Building parts	Notes	Drawings
Floors and galleries	2nd to 4th repeated layout Mezzanine	4 No. plans
Stairs and ramps	3 x 2 No. Type conc. 6 No. Type timber	2 No. GAs, 4 No. Details 1 No. GA, 2 No. Details
Roofs	Upside down details as DSS job	1 No. Plan, 6 No. Details (standard)
Frame	Co-ord with structural engineer	8 No. Details
External wall openings	6 No. Window types Auto entrance doors	Window schedule 20 No. details 7 No. component dwgs
	Standard linings Fire checks	Door schedule 10 No. Details

Figure 2.14 Example drawings schedule (part of)

The Drawings Schedule should then be developed into a Drawings Register, listing the complete set of production drawings, with numbers, titles, etc.

2.4.4 Production sequence

As far as possible, detailed design of the building should be complete before production information is commenced, and drawings and specification should be complete before tender action and construction. However in practice the preparation of production information will often overlap both detailed design and construction.

Sometimes overlap can be advantageous, for example in compression of overall project programmes and making best use of the design skills of specialist constructors. But overlap can also give rise to poor technical and dimensional coordination resulting in wasteful reworking and defects.

Design is a highly iterative process, with many complex dependencies between elements and many 'review and revision' cycles. A basic principle is that the production information for any given element or type of work must be free from subsequent design dependencies before it is prepared and used for construction.

This principle should be fundamental to the preparation of a detailed Production Plan for the preparation of the drawings listed in the Drawings Register. The plan should follow the principle of multi-disciplinary build-up of drawings described in Section 2.3.4. It should consist of a sequential series of actions, each stating the information to be added, in order to guard against omissions and wasteful 'backtracking' during preparation of the drawings.

The plan should thus define the required model files, structured to give the required degree of flexibility and potential re-use of the information. The transfer of files from one design discipline to another should be shown, together with the times for drawings overlay checking (if used, see Section 2.3.4). The plan should take into account the required sequence for completion of drawings for 'work packages', if used. The completed plan should be checked to ensure that it provides for the completion of all drawings in the Drawings Register.

The multi-disciplinary build-up of drawings follows a similar pattern from project to project, and there will be much commonality between the Production Plans for different projects of similar type and size. Design offices may find it useful to prepare template checklists to help ensure that all items of information to be added at each stage are remembered. Wherever possible such templates should be multidisciplinary.

2.4.5 Time and resource programming

The Production Plan (see Section 2.4.4) should have determined the optimum sequence for preparing the drawings, and this should be the basis for allocation of resources and programming. These decisions will be based on the availability of suitably skilled personnel from the various design team organisations, and the requirements of the overall project programme. The outcome of this process should be a Time and Resource Programme (see Figure 2.15).

Historically, detailed programming has been based on estimates of time for each drawing, but this will be unrealistic for the multi-disciplinary build-up procedure recommended in Section 2.3.4. Estimating should be based on the activities set out in the Production Plan, grouped together as required to give an appropriately coarse 'grain' to the programme. A simplified but basically sound programme is far more valuable than a highly detailed but cumulatively inaccurate one.

The programme should make appropriate allowance for the detailed design and documentation inputs of all consultants and specialist constructors, and should be coordinated with the programme for producing the specification. It should be agreed with all parties, including the managing constructor (if known).

Figure 2.15 Simplified Time and Resource Programme

In order to make the change to the multi disciplinary Model Exchange method described in Section 2.3.4, normal planning of drawing production giving total number of drawings, production time and resource allocation should be used in the early stages of learning. However, as experience of the method is gained it will become apparent that drawing production is delayed whilst the model files are established and co-ordinated. The delay is more than compensated for by the generation of a large batch of good quality drawings in a short space of time. This is because the final stage of drawing activity consists of simply selecting, saving and annotating views and filling in title blocks. This methodology does not limit the drawing set to the initial Drawings Register: further drawings at greater or lesser scales can be produced swiftly from the same data. Experience will lead to improved time and resource programming.

2.4.6 Revision of drawings

All parties involved in a project should use the current version of drawings, both precontract and during construction. The Drawings Register identifying all drawings prepared by all parties and all revisions thereto should be updated constantly, and reissued to all affected parties. At the end of the project this should become the register of as-built drawings.

CAD systems facilitate the revision process, and there will always be the temptation to re-issue drawings in response to the smallest site queries and design changes. It is important to establish a thorough change approval process to control this, so that revisions are made only when appropriate.

It is most unhelpful if the revisions notes on a drawing are insufficiently specific, e.g. 'General revisions'. CAD software enables revisions to be highlighted by clouds and text on a separate layer, and these should be used to identify the parts of the drawing that have changed. The revision reference should be attached to the cloud and the revision box text should give a concise description of the revisions carried out - see Figure 2.16.

2.4.7 Document and data management

This Section deals with the collection, management and dissemination of data in the office and throughout the project. It emphasises the importance of good communication and a managed method of dissemination that will promote the production of better quality production information. Although the Section concentrates on the management of drawings, its recommendations apply equally to the management of specification and other documents.

Figure 2.16 Example title block with revisions

Control of the project is, in essence, control of the project information. To achieve this control a disciplined approach to the management of information is essential. There are basically two ways of establishing control; first, the simple method by translating good paper based practice to IT and, secondly, using a range of current Internet collaboration tools.

File management for small practices or small projects

In essence this is a filing cabinet based approach to IT. Data is stored in folders and sub folders according to need.

The first requirement is a Local Area Network (LAN) and an Internet e-mail facility. A LAN would typically be a minimum of 4 or 5 PC's linked to a PC acting as a central file storage unit. A single storage unit will hold the current, up to date data for all projects in the practice, simplifying the data back-up and retrieval procedures.

The system should include an issue and receipt procedure for data. This could be an electronic version of a simple paper based system in the form of a spreadsheet recording the current project situation, what is available, what has been received, what has been issued. See Figure 2.17 for a typical example.

If information is issued without the ability for tracking and auditing, no-one will know the current status of the information in their possession. Each drawing or data file must be issued with a purpose for use, that is:

• For comment - 'I want comment from you'.
• For information - 'This is the current state of the information'.
• For co-ordination - 'Use this to check against your own design'.
• For tender - 'Use this to price the works'.
• For approval - 'Is this acceptable?'
• For construction - 'You can build from this'.
  ('For construction' should mean that the drawing complies with all the functions and attributes noted in Section 2.2).

Displaying the production programme milestones, thereby showing current delivery status could further enhance the spreadsheet.

File management for larger projects

Where there are several design teams involved in the project the management methods should be expanded to cover collection, management and dissemination of all relevant project information. This should also include the delivery of health and safety, operations and maintenance and facilities management requirements.

An extranet is often used for this purpose, but should not be viewed merely as a repository for drawings, rather as providing the facility to audit and report on the project status at any given point. It should not be operated as a reactive process (i.e. 'drawings are available if you want to look at them'), but more as a proactive process, where information is delivered and its receipt registered.

It is unlikely that a single system or piece of software will cover the project requirements for drawing management, document management and collaboration. A suite of complimentary tools may be required for the needs of the design and construction teams. Considerations include:

Figure 2.17 Example Drawing Register and Issue Sheet

 

• Software to track and manage timing of design inputs.
• Software to track and manage comments and approvals.
• Software to track and manage requests for information.
• Methods for issue and receipt of data.
• Notification method (automated by e-mail).
• Software appropriate for the task (e.g. not a spreadsheet package used for a database).
• Who is the Document Manager?
• What is the responsibility and authority of the Document Manager?
• What read, write, upload, download rights should be given to individuals?

Underlying the data management software should be a single source of approved project information, which contains the latest approved data accessible to all authorised personnel. Avoid at all costs a data ‘dumping ground' and the traditional approach of each member being responsible for sending information to whoever is thought to require that data.

Guidance on this subject can be found in 'Project Collaborative Extranets for Construction - A Guidance Note' prepared by the CICA.

2.4.8 Roles and responsibilities

In the electronic age, traditional roles within the design team do not alter radically, but there is a need for more thorough and detailed management of the design and documentation process. Responsibility for this overall management should lie with the Design Team Leader.

The role of Design Team Leader is best held by the designer having responsibility for interpreting the client’s requirements, articulating these into a primary physical form and producing the major parts of the project specification. For most building projects this will be the architect.

Many of the roles and responsibilities of the Design Team Leader, especially on larger projects with several design disciplines, require expertise in IT particularly:

• Experience in the structuring of drawn information (CAD files).
• Technical 'know how' in computers and CAD.
• An understanding of how and why data needs to be managed.
• Facilitation skills to help identify the best solutions to difficult problems.

The Design Team Leader may have these skills personally, or may rely on a suitably qualified person from his office, or even an external consultant. On large projects document management may require special skills, justifying the appointment of a Document Manager, from the Design Team Leader's office or elsewhere.

The main roles and responsibilities of the parties are:

The Client:

• Ensure that the terms of engagement of all members of the design team are harmonised, so that closely related elements of the building can be designed in parallel and to a similar level of detail.
• Formalise the appointment of the Design Team Leader, with responsibilities based on those set out below.
• Be aware of the possible implications of data structuring for facilities management, and to contribute accordingly to preparation of the Project SMP.
• Participate in agreement of the overall project programme.

The Design Team Leader:

• Take the lead in agreeing the following, and ensure their completion in good time:
  Project SMP covering drawings and specification.
  Overall programme.
  Arrangement and format of the drawings set.
  Production sequence and production plan for drawings.
  Time and resource programme for drawings and specification.
  Arrangements for document management.
• Maintain and monitor compliance with the above.
• Adjust work practices and systems to ensure compliance.
• Carry out technical and spatial coordination.

Particular discipline designers, and constructor (if known):

• Contribute to the agreement of the project conventions and programmes.
• Adjust work practices and systems to ensure compliance.

Document Manager:

• Act as the first point of receipt, and control the dissemination of all project documents.
• Check compliance of data with the Project SMP.