The eight stages of the RIBA Plan of Work have been devised to help anyone involved in a building project, from an experienced designer through to a client undertaking their first project.
It is published by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The Eight Stages under the latest version published in 2020 are:
- Strategic definition
- Preparation and briefing
- Concept design
- Spatial coordination
- Technical design
- Manufacturing and construction
- Handover
- Use
A print-friendly template can be found here: https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/resources-landing-page/riba-plan-of-work#available-resources
Stage 0: Strategic Definition
Outcome: The best means of achieving the Client Requirements confirmed.
Who: Only the client team is involved at this stage. The client team may seek advice from a wide range of professional advisers, such as RIBA Client Advisers to help them develop the Client Requirements and Business Case that will achieve these.
Recommendations: The process of developing the Client Requirements and the corresponding Business Case should involve all key Project Stakeholders within the client body.
Stage 1: Preparation and Briefing
Outcome: Project Brief approved by the client, and confirmed that it can be accommodated on the site.
Who: Stage 1 involves only the client team. The skills required will vary depending on the specific needs of the client and the project. Developing the Project Brief and the other outputs of this stage are skills that can be provided by specialists, such as RIBA Client Advisers who can also assist on selecting the design team. The Feasibility Studies might need architectural skills, and engineers or surveyors may be necessary to assess key Project Risks.
Recommendations: It is important to recognise that Stage 1 is not a design stage. This stage is about layering detail and requirements into the Project Brief, before the design process commences at Stage 2.
Stage 2: Concept Design
Outcome: Architectural Concept approved by the client and aligned to the Project Brief.
Who: The client team and the design team are the key players in this stage, along with any specialist consultants, whose contributions are required to achieve an Architectural Concept that is both robust and aligned with the Project Brief. Under some procurement routes, the construction team may also be engaged in this stage.
Recommendations: The crucial consideration at this stage is to determine which tasks and Project Strategies will contribute to the development of the Architectural Concept. The extent and nature of the tasks to be undertaken, and who should undertake them, will vary from project to project and from client to client.
Stage 3: Spatial Coordination
Outcome: Architectural and engineering information Spatially Coordinated.
Who: The lead designer and design team are key to this stage. The client team are involved where Stage 3 coordination requires client decisions. The construction team may also be involved if the selected procurement route requires early contractor or specialist subcontractor inputs.
Recommendations: Stage 3 results in a Spatially Coordinated design. It is crucial that the client team and design team understand the stage outcomes and the tasks required to achieve them, as well as the impact that preparing Employer’s Requirements or a Planning Application might have on the Information Requirements and tasks to be undertaken.
Stage 4: Technical Design
Outcome: All design information required to manufacture and construct the project completed.
Who: The design team and the specialist subcontractors employed by the contractor complete the design in this stage. Under some forms of procurement, a client monitoring team may be appointed to review the information that is produced.
Recommendations: All the design work required to manufacture and construct the building is undertaken in Stage 4, regardless of the Procurement Strategy. It is crucial to review the Responsibility Matrix before Stage 4 commences so it is clear who will be producing the Manufacturing Information and Construction Information and whether the design team will produce Prescriptive Information or Descriptive Information.
Stage 5: Manufacturing and Construction
Outcome: Manufacturing, construction and Commissioning completed.
Who: The construction team take centre stage at Stage 5. The contributions from the client team and design team will depend on the Procurement Strategy, and on how the client decides to review Construction Quality as construction progresses.
Recommendations: It is crucial that it is clear who is to inspect Construction Quality, so that the client can be sure the building will be delivered in line with the requirements of the Building Contract.
Stage 6: Handover
Outcome: Building handed over, Aftercare initiated and Building Contract concluded.
Who: The construction team and those responsible for administrating and closing out the Building Contract complete the project in Stage 6. The project team will be required for a Project Performance session.
Recommendations: Make sure that any Feedback on Project Performance is sought as soon as possible after Practical Completion, before the project team move on to new projects and knowledge is dissipated and lost. Do not underestimate the value of Aftercare in achieving successful building performance.
Stage 7: Use
Outcome: Building used, operated and maintained efficiently.
Who: Those involved in ongoing Asset Management and Facilities Management will support the users of the building. The design team and construction team will no longer be involved, but design team members may be appointed separately to carry out Post Occupancy Evaluation tasks and some clients may require longer term strategic advice from specialists such as RIBA Client Advisers.
Recommendations: Handing over a building is just the beginning for those responsible for ensuring its successful operation and maintenance, that it performs as intended and achieves optimal outcomes for its users until the end of its life.
On the majority of projects, the design team and construction team will have no Stage 7 duties to undertake. However, both teams will be interested in receiving ongoing Feedback, to help them understand how they might improve the performance of future buildings.
