Integrating Design Freeze in to large-scale construction projects in Sri Lanka

Change is inevitable in most construction projects due to uniqueness of projects and limited resources. Previous studies revealed that design changes are accountable for 78% of the total cost deviation in construction projects. Design Freeze (DF) is one method used during design development stage to mitigate the risks associated with change. This organizes and complies the design process, control changes, and force the completion of design stages on time. However, this is a novel concept to the construction industry. Hence, this study focused on investigating the DF concept in terms of its adoptability in large-scale construction projects to enhance project performance by minimizing changes. The present study adopted a mixed approach where the questionnaire survey and expert interviews helped to derive findings. Questionnaire survey was administered to hundred (100) industry professionals with a response rate of 87%. Further, an expert opinion survey was performed with nine subject matter experts. The quantitative data were analysed using SPSS software, whereas code based content analysis using Nvivo version 11 supported to analyse qualitative data. The findings revealed that the client and the consultant are the major parties causing design changes. Selecting an experienced and qualified design team, permitting adequate time frame for design development, and etc. are the significant factors to be considered when implementing a DF. Furthermore, the study identified the impracticability of adopting a 100% design freeze in large-scale construction projects, and the interviewees accepted the concept of partial design freeze by identifying strategies targeted to maximize the design percentage.