Background

 The Design for Productivity workstream was established as part of the UK Construction Productivity Taskforce with a clear focus on improving productivity outcomes by integrating design decisions into the broader strategy for construction efficiency. The construction industry, traditionally slow to innovate, often faces significant challenges around cost overruns, schedule delays, and inefficiencies on-site, many of which stem from the design phase. Optimizing the design process to prioritise productivity can lead to considerable improvements in project outcomes, both in terms of time and cost.

As the Taskforce seeks to produce measurable, evidence-based improvements to construction productivity, it recognises the critical role that early-stage design decisions play in shaping the success of a project. While traditional design approaches have typically focused on planning approval, aesthetics, functionality, and compliance, design choices—from layout to material selection—have a direct and often underappreciated impact on construction productivity.

Purpose:

Key Objectives:

• Testing in Pilot Projects:
  Use ongoing pilot projects as real-life test cases to evaluate the impact of productivity-driven design decisions. Collect data on how design decisions affect key metrics like cost, schedule, waste, carbon and labour productivity.

• Productivity Design Principles and Processes:
  Develop and disseminate design principles and processes that prioritize productivity. These will focus on factors such as sequence efficiency, ease of construction, material selection, and modularity.

• Integration into Design Phase:
  Ensure that the principles of Design for Productivity are incorporated into the design phases of construction projects. Collaborate with architects and designers to implement these principles.

• Workshops & Training for Designers:
  Organize workshops and training sessions to educate designers, architects, and engineers on how productivity can be influenced by design decisions. Provide tools and frameworks for integrating productivity into the design process.

• Evaluation & Continuous Improvement:
  Evaluate the success of design-focused productivity initiatives and refine principles and processes as needed. Use data from pilot projects to understand how different design elements contribute to productivity gains.

The Workstream Group operates as a collaborative, cross-industry team consisting of experts from design, construction, engineering, and academia. The group’s role is to develop practical solutions that can be implemented across the industry, ensuring that productivity improvements in design are widely adopted and measurable.

The workstream feeds into the main Taskforce group by providing input into broader strategic decisions, particularly around the development of industry-wide best practices, guidelines, and recommendations that contribute to the Taskforce's objective of improving construction productivity. By aligning design-focused productivity efforts with other workstreams (such as data measurement, training, and testing), the Design for Productivity Workstream ensures that the Taskforce’s overall vision is achieved through collaborative action across all sectors of the construction industry.

Responsibilities

The workstream will regularly provide feedback and data to the main Taskforce group, particularly around pilot projects and the effectiveness of design-driven productivity improvements. This ensures that the Taskforce’s initiatives remain data-informed and adaptable.

Representation

 Output and learning from the Taskforce will be shared throughout the industry to increase the diffusion of best practice – identified by Be the Business, the Bank of England, and others, as critical to boosting UK productivity.

Membership / Terms

Co-Chairs: Phil Obyada & Bill Baker (SOM)

Members: nominations drawn from core membership & members of Playbook workstreams.  A core group is maintained for continuity purposes, by either attendance and/or contribution.

 Secretariat

Responsibilities: to be determined by workstream.

Frequency of Meetings

Meetings will be held monthly, In-person and/or virtually using Microsoft Teams. 

Timings: 1 hour will be allocated.

Defining timelines 

The workstream will be formed at the start of 2025 and will work on a 12-month lookahead programme, with quarterly reviews on progress and effectiveness.

The longevity of the group will be determined by and aligned to the overall strategy and timelines of the Taskforce.

Identifying Key Milestones 

Milestones and timelines for each of the deliverables listed above will be determined by the Workstream.

Specifying budget and resources

The financial allocation and resource needs for the Workstream will be dependent upon contributions of time and resources from the Taskforce members.

Confidentiality

Members of the workstream groups will maintain the confidential nature of the group’s deliberations.