Why Are Design Drawings Getting Worse?

Igor Goriatchev, owner of ESD Solutions explains more

Over the last couple of years, the sad truth has come to light, observed by professionals at every level of the construction industry: today’s construction drawings simply are not what they used to be.

Comprehensive, integrated drawings have given way to incomplete, conflicting, and fragmented sets. This is frustrating for those working out in the field and affects the efficiency and quality of projects from start to finish.

For a sense of what’s driving this change, we reached out to experts from the various corners of the construction world: architects, engineers, steel detailers, and project managers. Here’s what they said regarding why quality is slipping and what might have been done to fix it:

1. Loss of Practical Skills & Hands-On Knowledge

There’s no getting away from it: technology has changed how we all work, but it’s also changed the skillset needed to create the construction drawings. Today’s design teams might be sharp on software, but they often lack practical experience in construction.

Gone are the days when people used to work their way up, learning the nuts and bolts of construction before moving into design roles. Nowadays, most team members come directly from schools with technical skills but without field experience.

This shift suggests that drawings may look polished, but they do not consider practical challenges arising on-site. The slip-up occurs in the small, crucial details, bringing about many avoidable problems on-site.

“We’re seeing design teams that know the software but are out of touch with the realities of construction. This disconnect creates designs that work on paper but can fall apart on-site.”

-          Structural and Mechanical Designer, United Kingdom

2. Over-reliance on Automation and BIM Tool

Automation was brought in to make the design process smoother; however, its unwanted side effect has been a lack of critical thinking when it comes to drafting. Taking view creation as an example, automation can drive technically correct drawings that may miss the big picture.

Other professionals in the field argue that perhaps we rely too much on automation while creating drawings that are not always real-world need-sensitive.

Yet, BIM can also be a huge crutch. Without a proper construction-practice foundation, the drawings often become muddled when using such potent software, and misunderstandings occur in the field. For a long time, competent pros could catch this. As these professionals become more scarce, mistakes are making it through.

“Automation has made the design process faster, but at the cost of accuracy and context. We’re relying on software to do the thinking for us, which often backfires.”

-          Project Manager, Canada

3. Speed vs. Quality

The construction industry moves a lot faster today, and with firmer deadlines, teams are being pushed to complete more in less time than to take their sweet time. When designers and detailers race against time, the quality of drawings suffers.

Modeling on such a rushed timeline may lack review and check details in which mistakes are caught. These mistakes then appear on site when the work actually starts.

Key information that otherwise may have been checked to meet a deadline is skimmed over, leading to costly rework or delays. Many business professionals feel this frenetic pace is hurting the quality of projects at every level.

“Constant deadlines mean teams are churning out ‘half-baked’ drawings that look complete but lack the detail needed for construction. Quality is sacrificed in the name of meeting deadlines.”

-          Project Designer, United States

4. Remote Work and the Loss of In-Person Mentorship

While the rise of remote and hybrid working has brought many benefits, it’s also changed how we receive training and mentorship.

Gone are the days when junior members of a team learned on the job, receiving feedback straight from experienced colleagues. Remote working has given way to online meetings and emails, none of which can replicate the same learning experience as face-to-face mentorship.

Without that daily interaction, most junior designers never had the opportunity to acquire the practical knowledge that would have made their drawings accurate. The result is drawings devoid of the depth and cohesion they previously had.

“Remote work has cut back on the in-person learning that kept drawing quality high. When juniors aren’t learning from seniors, the overall quality of work goes down.”

-          Senior Project Manager, Australia

5. Budget Cuts and the Push for “Cheaper, Faster”

As costs rise, several clients seek lower design fees. When budgets are cut short, quality is mostly sacrificed. Less time, fewer resources, and much pressure affect drawing quality.

Many say, “You get what you pay for,” as reduced fees result in rushed, incomplete, or inconsistent drawings.

Budget cuts also cut down on the time available for quality control. In order to deliver results fast and cheaply, there is pressure to override key checks that leave incomplete or error-riddled drawings.

“When clients push for lower fees, it almost always means cutting down on quality. Rushed, inconsistent drawings are the result.”

-          Principal Architect & CEO, United Arab Emirates

6. Communication Gaps in Global Teams

With projects increasingly becoming international, communication has become easier and more complicated. While technology allows various teams worldwide to share a single project, it does throw up some new challenges.

Such obstacles include language barriers and cultural differences that may result in misinterpretations and inconsistencies in drawings. Inconsistencies in different standards and methods of drafting in different countries add more twists, making the alignment of documents difficult or impossible.

Many professionals’ challenges include imparting communication and ensuring everyone is on the same page regarding quality expectations.

Quality suffers greatly when there is no consistent communication and coordination regarding making drawings.

“International projects are struggling with communication gaps that lead to inconsistent drawings. Different standards and language barriers make it hard to maintain a uniform quality.”

-          Structural Engineer, Finland

7. “Just Get It Done” Mentality

The industry is increasingly leaning toward a “just make it work” perspective, where teams are forced to deliver projects without having nailed down all of the details.

Unfortunately, this results in incomplete drawings being rushed out the door to meet deadlines, followed by endless RFIs from the field.

Instead of thorough, coordinated models, we’re left with drawings that require additional clarification on-site, slowing down progress and adding costs.

Understandably, there is a rush to deliver, but when those crucial little details get left by the wayside, it costs more later on. Many in the industry argue that projects would run smoother and go easier if the teams would just put in more time to get things right at the design phase.

“The ‘just get it done’ mindset leads to mistakes and delays because essential details are ignored. The rush to finish ends up costing more time and money.”

-          Architect & Interior Designer, Russia

What Needs to Change?

It’s clear that the quality of construction drawings is being impacted by a mix of factors: over-dependence on automation, a loss of practical knowledge, budget pressures, and the unique challenges of global teams.

These issues can make it tough for construction teams to work efficiently, and ultimately, they impact the end quality of projects.

More investment in training by the industry, realistic timelines, and a higher emphasis on communication and mentorship will do a lot of good if we want to improve.

By addressing these challenges head-on, we can bring back the quality and precision that used to be the standard in construction documentation.

What are your thoughts? Have you seen these issues in your own projects? And what steps do you think the industry needs to take to improve the quality of the design?

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