Design Quality Indicator
Encyclopedia
The Design Quality Indicator (DQI) is a toolkit to measure
the design quality of buildings.
Development of DQI was started by the Construction Industry Council
in 1999 and the toolkit was launched as an online resource for the UK construction industry on the 1 October 2003. In 2004 the DQI received recognition from the British Institute of Facilities Management
for the role of involving users in the design process. The DQI tool was made available to users in the United States in 2006, and an online American version was launched on 20 October 2008.
, the Roman author of the earliest surviving theoretical treatise on building in Western culture, who described design in terms of utilitas, firmitas and venustas, often translated as commodity, firmness and delight. DQI uses a modern day interpretation of these terms as:
in the briefing and design
stages of a building project, or on a completed building. Stakeholders who participate include:
DQI is applied in a facilitated workshop that is led by a certified DQI facilitator.
. New York City's
Department of Design and Construction has adopted the DQI tool as a mandatory step in the procurement
of city-owned buildings such as police stations, libraries, firehouses
, museums and clinics. The DQI has also been used to investigate the relation between building design, user satisfaction, and property financial and marketing performance in North America hotels.
DQI is a web-based assessment tool that helps define and evaluate design quality at all key stages in the building procurement process. Through a proprietary algorithm, the tool converts individual subjective perceptions into objective measurable results. Clients, designers and building stakeholders rate aspects of a project on a simple six-point scale by completing a short questionnaire. The quantification of these "design intangibles" is a unique feature to DQI. The spider diagram is the signature output of DQI. The “chunks” missing from the pie represent deficiencies in the building.
Measure
- Legal :* Measure of the Church of England is a law passed by the General Synod and the UK Parliament equivalent of an Act* Measure of the National Assembly for Wales, a law specific to Wales passed by the Welsh Assembly between 2007 and 2011...
the design quality of buildings.
Development of DQI was started by the Construction Industry Council
Construction Industry Council
The Construction Industry Council is the representative body for the professional bodies, research organizations and specialist business associations in the construction industry in the United Kingdom...
in 1999 and the toolkit was launched as an online resource for the UK construction industry on the 1 October 2003. In 2004 the DQI received recognition from the British Institute of Facilities Management
British Institute of Facilities Management
The British Institute of Facilities Management is a United Kingdom-based professional association for the facilities management sector. It was formed in 1993 and in July 2011 had just over 12,000 members....
for the role of involving users in the design process. The DQI tool was made available to users in the United States in 2006, and an online American version was launched on 20 October 2008.
Conceptual framework
DQI applies a structured approach to assess design quality based on the model by the engineer VitruviusVitruvius
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman writer, architect and engineer, active in the 1st century BC. He is best known as the author of the multi-volume work De Architectura ....
, the Roman author of the earliest surviving theoretical treatise on building in Western culture, who described design in terms of utilitas, firmitas and venustas, often translated as commodity, firmness and delight. DQI uses a modern day interpretation of these terms as:
- Functionality (utilitas) - the arrangement, quality and interrelationship of spaces and how the building is designed to be useful to all.
- Build Quality (firmitas) - the engineering performance of the building, which includes structural stability and the integration, safety and robustness of the systems, finishes and fittings.
- Impact (venustas) - the building’s ability to create a sense of place and have a positive effect on the local community and environment.
Methodology
DQI is completed by a range of stakeholdersProject stakeholders
Project stakeholders are those entities within or outside an organization which:# sponsor a project, or# have an interest or a gain upon a successful completion of a project;# may have a positive or negative influence in the project completion....
in the briefing and design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
stages of a building project, or on a completed building. Stakeholders who participate include:
- Building users (or potential users)
- Building clients
- Facilities managers (or future facilities managers)
- ArchitectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s - StructuralStructural engineerStructural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants...
and building services engineersBuilding services engineeringBuilding services engineering, technical building services, architectural engineering, or building engineering is the engineering of the internal environment and environmental impact of a building... - Quantity surveyorQuantity surveyorA quantity surveyor is a professional working within the construction industry concerned with building costs.The profession is one that provides a qualification gained following formal education, specific training and experience that provides a general set of skills that are then applied to a...
s (Cost engineerCost engineeringCost engineering is an area of engineering practice concerned with the "application of scientific principles and techniques to problems of cost estimating, cost control, business planning and management science, profitability analysis, project management, and planning and scheduling."- Overview...
) - Project managerProject managerA project manager is a professional in the field of project management. Project managers can have the responsibility of the planning, execution, and closing of any project, typically relating to construction industry, architecture, computer networking, telecommunications or software...
s
DQI is applied in a facilitated workshop that is led by a certified DQI facilitator.
Models and related approaches
There are two models of Design Quality Indicator:- DQI which is applicable to all building types
- DQI for schools which is applicable to school buildings. This model of DQI is being used on all current school projects in the UK and forms part of the Department for Children, Schools and FamiliesDepartment for Children, Schools and FamiliesThe Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
'Minimum Design Standard' for new school buildings.
DQI in the United States
Formed in 2006, DQI USA, LLC is the only company that is authorized to distribute the DQI tool in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. New York City's
Government of New York City
The government of New York City is organized under the City Charter and provides for a "strong" mayor-council system. The government of New York is more centralized than that of most other U.S...
Department of Design and Construction has adopted the DQI tool as a mandatory step in the procurement
Procurement
Procurement is the acquisition of goods or services. It is favourable that the goods/services are appropriate and that they are procured at the best possible cost to meet the needs of the purchaser in terms of quality and quantity, time, and location...
of city-owned buildings such as police stations, libraries, firehouses
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
, museums and clinics. The DQI has also been used to investigate the relation between building design, user satisfaction, and property financial and marketing performance in North America hotels.
DQI is a web-based assessment tool that helps define and evaluate design quality at all key stages in the building procurement process. Through a proprietary algorithm, the tool converts individual subjective perceptions into objective measurable results. Clients, designers and building stakeholders rate aspects of a project on a simple six-point scale by completing a short questionnaire. The quantification of these "design intangibles" is a unique feature to DQI. The spider diagram is the signature output of DQI. The “chunks” missing from the pie represent deficiencies in the building.
Other references
- Whyte, J and Gann, D (2003), Design Quality Indicators: work in progress: Building Research and Information, London: Spon Press.
- Markus, T. (2003), Lessons from the Design Quality Indicator: Building Research and Information, London: Spon Press.
- Thomson at al. (2003), Managing value and quality in design: Building Research and Information, London: Spon Press.
- Prasad, S.Sunand PrasadSunand Prasad MA , AA Dip, PhD , PPRIBA, FRSA, HonFRIAS, HonRTPI, HonFRAIC is Senior Partner of architectural practice Penoyre & Prasad LLP, a multi sectoral practice with an internationally recognised profile in health, education and civic buildings. From 2007 to 2009 he was President of the Royal...
(2004), Clarifying intentions: the design quality indicator: Building Research and Information, London: Spon Press. - Cole, R. (2005), Building environmental assessment methods: redefining intentions and roles: Building Research and Information, London: Spon Press.
- Kaatz, E., Root, D. and Bowen, P (2005), Broadening project participation through a modified building sustainability assessment: Building Research & Information, London: Spon Press.
- Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (2009), Case study: International Digital Laboratory, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (2009), Case study: Maples Respite Centre, Harlow, Essex
- Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (2009), Case study: St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Essex
- Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (2009), Case study: British Library Centre for Conservation, London
- Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (2009), Case study: Frederick Bremer School, Waltham Forest London