Location: Laurentian Main campus, room C-204

1.5 ConEd Learning Hours
1.5 AIA LU
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Every project involves uncertainties and risks. Sources of risks in design-construction projects are often well-known; however, some, even though they have a high probability of occurrence, are managed poorly.

In the context of design-construction projects, a useful definition of politics comes from Open Education Sociology Dictionary: “the art of the exercise of power; the combination of individuals or parties (groups) making decisions that affect others.” Those in the architecture profession experience the “exercise of power” when negotiating with planning officials, stakeholders, or conflicts within complex client organizations. Some clients expect the architect to own a project’s political risks. Architects lament that when this happens, they may be blamed for delays and do not receive fees for the extra work involved.

Project’s political risks are owned by the client. The architect needs to educate the client to these risks. At the same time, it is neither in the best interests of client, nor architect, nor project for the architect to ignore these risks. The architect has a pivotal role
in supporting the client to manage project risk.
This workshop explores the sources of design-construction political project risk. It provides tools and processes to support the architect and client in managing political project risks.

Learning Objectives
1. Apply the stakeholder engagement matrix to identify a stakeholder’s agreement with project objectives and determine a strategy for movement to a more favourable state.
2. Accept that politics is a function of human interaction and cannot be avoided, should not be ignored, and is best managed.
3. Develop a strategy for communicating the ownership of project risk
4. Apply a risk matrix to a design-construction program.

Donald Ardiel, OAA, is an architect, educator, and generalist. Following 30 years in architectural practice, from 2016 to 2020, Don assumed the positions of Director of Practice Support and the Director of Syllabus at the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). In addition to architectural practice, Don has been an instructor and workshop leader in project and practice management for over 25 years. Don is a past councillor for the OAA. As an education consultant, he has provided curriculum development and instructional design services to post-secondary institutions and professional associations. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from Carleton University in 1987 and a Master of Distance Education from Athabasca University in 2008. Don continues his commitment to the architectural profession through his volunteer work with the OAA, CACB, and RAIC Syllabus Program.