Is it dull or dynamic? Is it something you wish for in your day-to-day or how about on your projects? For us and the clients we build for, predictability is energizing and a means to delivering outcomes that transform our industry. Whether it’s a 300-bed hospital wing or a smaller-scale tenant improvement, predictable outcomes are the key to building great things.

Predictable outcomes are about teamwork, planning and handoffs. Think of it like a game of football. Individual players may be fast, strong or athletic, but to achieve the desired outcome, each player must literally and figuratively hand off something to other teammates. They need to be able to count on those players to be there (predictability) and be ready for the next step. Whether it is handing off a blocking responsibility of a defender, or (literally) the ball, in either case the process of the handoff is critical. A football team won’t win if all the players aren’t handing off responsibilities in the right way.

Like any team, each construction project has many interconnected players. Each project team member must move in sync, getting and giving the right information to drive the most value. When we focus on information flow, critical data is no longer siloed within one phase of the project or within one company, or one trade. It’s available to everyone throughout the process. That process then becomes more predictable. And that’s a win for all.

As an example, too often in our industry Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) is not used early enough in the design phases of a project, and the builder’s details are not brought into the design early enough. Building Information Modeling at more finite levels of detail already excels in correcting many conflicts before breaking ground. What if the builder’s detailed information was brought in earlier in the design process, then used throughout the project lifecycle? The level of predictability would dramatically increase as the builder’s details could be incorporated much earlier. Detailed modeling information can be key to handoffs, and to identifying opportunities that can improve value and speed-to-market. It could equally transform building operations.

This is just one scenario among many. Think of the possibilities if we could innovate and incorporate the handoff process into everything we do throughout the project lifecycle. DPR’s ability to build process innovations allows us to consistently achieve more predictable outcomes for our clients.

The world continues to be a challenging place, but we can use those pressures as the impetus to make a true difference; to transform our industry and become better than ever—to be consistently predictable.

We appreciate all our employees, families, partners, customers and friends and all that we’ve been able to accomplish together. We hope the stories in this issue inspire you and remind you of the key role you play in making your team and our industry a better place.

Please keep the conversations going, and the innovations flowing.

Ever Forward.

- The DPR Leadership Team