Chapter 6: Design

A. Programming

1. Definition: Programming is the process used at initiation of a facility project to define overall goals, scope, needs and budget if not already established. The program is a written outline of issues to be addressed by the final facility design and construction. While the written program is not tangible design with floor plans, elevations, etc.; it serves to define initial boundaries in which a successful design will be accomplished. These boundaries include schedule, budget and master plan issues, and specific space requirements. Detailed architectural and engineering programming is more specific, detailing discrete elements, features, and quantities for each space and/or room to form the basis of design.
2. Responsibilities: The programming process is an intensive process for many campus entities. The information gathering process, while typically short, involves extensive contact time with the consultant. The Campus should create a Building Committee, pulling from both academic and administrative areas of the department. The Campus should name a committee chair, who shall serve as the liaison between the department and the University professional facilities staff. Facilities staff, representing both the campus and the University of Missouri System, bring essential campus history and facilities’ issues to the programming process. They will also assure that the programming effort is consistent with University requirements.
3. Process
   1. Consultant Selection: The use of a programming consultant is highly advantageous. The consultant can bring a broad range of information, a long term view and a full integration of all facility components to the process. The consultant should have a strong background in programming for higher education. A programming consultant provides a critical and objective perspective, asking necessary questions and testing basic assumptions, resulting in a complete analysis of programmatic needs. The consultant may be an architect, engineer or interior designer. Campuses may elect to use qualified programmers on staff, if available. Consultant selection will follow the procedure in Section V of this manual.
   2. Goal Setting: Setting project goals typically starts the programming process. A goal setting workshop should include all major stakeholders in the project and should define, through an interactive and consensus building process, the major goals of the project. The facilitation and team building skills of the programming consultant are an important asset to this process.
   3. Information Gathering: The programming team next sets out to gather information regarding specific project needs and requirements. This information is gathered in many ways. Typically, the programming team will interview individuals (such as Deans and Department Heads) to gather information such as faculty counts, student enrollments, student contact hours, and potential new academic plans. Information is gathered with respect to both current and future needs. Information also may be gathered through questionnaires and meetings with focus groups (like information technology or faculty offices). Research on facilities and standards of peer institutions, special code and regulatory requirements or special equipment needs may also be gathered to complete the project requirements. The programming consultant’s experience with similar projects and other institutions is a valuable resource in attaining this information.
   4. Analysis: The programming team will be faced with a tremendous amount of information from many sources upon completion of information gathering. A process of analysis, simplification and additional information gathering is used to refine, simplify and synthesize the information into a cohesive format. Programming consultants possess unique skills in these processes.
   5. Product: As a deliverable product at the conclusion of the programming process, the programming team will typically prepare a single document that summarizes the information collected. The information presented is typically the summary information, without all the detailed questionnaires, meeting notes, and research references. This detailed information may be collected in a separate appendix binder, but is typically left out of the summary document for clarity. Typical components of the programming document are outlines in the next section. The programming consultant’s product should be clear, concise and supplemented with graphic information (sketches, graphs, tables, etc.) where appropriate.
4. Programming Document Components
   1. Missions and Goals: The document should incorporate the mission statement and goals as they have evolved through the programming process. These statements can serve as benchmarks for the project team at critical points in the design.
   2. Space Standards/Needs: This information is the heart of the program. In its simplest form, the space standard is a tabular summary of room names, numbers of rooms, numbers of occupants, net square feet per occupant, net square feet per room and total net square feet. The total net square feet are then increased by an overall net/gross ratio (as defined in the Consultant Procedures and Design Guidelines) to establish the facility gross square footage. Often, a program will also include room summary sheets for major spaces in the facility. The room summary can include a sketch of room layouts, information on special equipment, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing needs, and a summary of room finishes.
   3. Relationships: The document should include a record of which spaces need to be physically next to other spaces in the new facility. This information is typically documented as bubble diagrams that graphically show the desired relationship or as a relationship matrix that shows adjacency requirements in a coded grid.
   4. Site Analysis: A programming document may include a preliminary analysis of site conditions that affect the facility design. The site analysis investigates existing circulation patterns (vehicular and pedestrian), major views, existing topography and vegetation, known master plan issues, utilities, easements and other external site influences.
   5. Project Schedule: The document should include a proposed project schedule. If project funding is in place, this schedule should include specific milestone dates for completion of project phases and onset/completion of construction. If project funding is unknown, the schedule may assign a duration to phases without definitive start and finish dates.
   6. Project Budget: Whenever possible, project budgets should be established prior to establishing design fees and selecting a firm to provide detailed architectural and engineering programming. Once the project budget is established and approved by the campus, the detailed architectural and engineering programming for the project will be done to keep the project within the campus approved budget. The consultant should prepare a programmatic construction cost estimate based upon the space standards tabulation previously discussed. This estimate assigns a specific construction cost per net square foot to different program areas. The total project cost, as prepared by the campus, should be included in the program. The project budget should clearly differentiate between construction costs and total project costs. It should also identify the assumed year of construction upon which the budget is based. A facility program may include financial feasibility studies for the project, although a separate consultant more often prepares this.
   7. Other Issues: The document may include other information as appropriate to the particular project. Example topics include funding strategies (revenue, gifts, grants, appropriations, etc.), disposition of existing facilities, analysis of new construction to renovation and analysis of comparator institutions programs and facilities.
5. Programming Review and Approval: The approval of the facility program and any related financial feasibility plans are a critical step in the individual campus approval process, and the Capital Budget Review Process. The information developed through the programming process often provides source material for the Program Planning Statement (PPS) and the Capital Appropriations Request. Having approval of the capital budget decision makers in the institution in the final programming product is critical.
6. Firms providing programming services for a given project, when the project budget is established through that programming commission, would normally not be the University’s A/E of record for the same project unless the project construction cost is estimated to be less than $5 million. Exceptions to this norm may include:
   1. Firms selected for a major project that includes some programming when the fees for both programming and project design can be established prior to the selection process.
   2. When firms are selected for programming and/or design services with the understanding they may continue to provide design services for a campus customer for a period of time and the continued use of this firm is cost effective and necessary for the timeliness and continuity of the project.

B. Design Guidelines

1. Consultant Procedures and Design Guidelines Manual
   1. General: All University of Missouri Design Guidelines are contained in the Consultant Procedures and Design Guidelines Manual. This manual is also the vehicle for briefing the consultant on University procedures and polices.
   2. Management:
      1. The Director of Facilities Planning and Development, UM, maintains and updates this manual.
      2. The Director Facilities Planning and Development will provide this manual to design consultants and appropriate Campus staff and maintain a list of authorized manual holders.
      3. Each campus will name a Standards Representative to assist the Director Facilities Planning and Development maintains the content of the manual.
      4. Campus or system staff can nominate changes to the content of the manual through their Standards Representative. Recommendations are made in writing accompanied by supporting information. The sponsor of the standard is responsible for justifying the standard.
      5. Proposed standards will be evaluated against criteria set out by the Director Facilities Planning and Development. The criterion includes, but is not limited to, an evaluation of the cost and associated benefit to the University. Standards may be campus specific.
      6. The Director of Facilities Planning and Development will coordinate review and approval necessary for proposed changes.
      7. Facilities Planning and Development will distribute updates to the manual to authorized manual holders at regular intervals, but no more than quarterly, unless conditions warrant an exception (i.e., a major change in procedure or design standards). During intervals between formal updates, Design Project Managers will issue updates to consultants on active projects.

C. Design Management

1. Ancillary Consultant Services: The Project Manager will coordinate soils testing, site surveys, third party code reviews and any other ancillary consultant services.
2. Cost Effective Design: The Project Manager will require the Consultant to analyze building systems and to provide cost-effective design. If an alternate building system provides a payback in less than seven years, it should be included in the design.
3. Review Submittals: The consultant is required to deliver review submittals for review as scheduled in the agreement. The Project Manager may withhold the Consultant’s fee until receipt of review and approval of submittals.
4. Energy Analysis: An energy analysis is required for all new buildings, building additions, and major renovations. The Project Manager may withhold the Consultant’s fee until receipt of the energy analysis.
5. Design Calculations: The Consultant is required to submit design calculations by the agreement. The Project Manager may withhold the Consultant’s fee until receipt of these documents.
6. Constructability Review: All Project Drawings and Specifications shall be reviewed for completeness and constructability by the Project Manager and any other University personnel who have an interest in the project.
7. Information and Approvals: The Project Manager will provide the Consultant information and approvals according to schedule, or make necessary adjustments to the project schedule.