PartnerING – A Guide to Integrate Collaboration-promoting Elements into Construction Projects

The realisation of construction projects requires the cooperation of stakeholders at different levels. Measures to legitimise, promote or demand joint efforts to ensure the success of the project can only be effectively implemented when all stakeholders agree to collaborate. Nevertheless, the question remains: How can we organise collaboration in construction projects? This challenge requires responses in terms of contracts, technology, organisation and culture. The aim of this guide is to stimulate discussions, highlight possible solutions and encourage dialogues between those involved, with the ultimate goal of developing partnership-based cooperation further in the construction industry. To this end, partnership elements were identified through literature review, alternative project management models as well as expert involvement. These elements are particularly well-suited for the integration into conventional project management models. However, the guide is not intended to be a rigid, exhaustive list of partnership elements, but rather a basis for discussion and adaption. The partnership elements are intended to encourage joint and, ideally, early consideration of suitable instruments when setting structures and drafting contracts, and to facilitate their further development in a project-specific manner. While some partnership elements are relatively easy to implement, for others this guide can only provide initial suggestions. Furthermore, some elements are self-contained, while others should be combined. The application of partnership elements requires project-specific and personnel-related prerequisites. Those involved must have a high level of technical competence – partnership elements cannot replace or compensate any lack of skills. Furthermore, these elements also cannot compensate for a lack of decisions or defined requirements, insufficient planning depth, or poor performance in execution. Clear objectives, execution-ready and coordinated planning documents, and efficient construction companies are therefore further important prerequisites. The challenge of our time is to rethink the dynamic process of construction and create suitable foundations for it. This guide aims to stimulate this process and outline initial solutions.