Who defines value?

Who defines value?

• A. Owner
• B. Contractor
• C. Architect
• D. Designer

Answer: (A)

In this context, value is defined by the owner. The owner sets what success looks like by outlining the project program, required performance, budget, and schedule, along with life-cycle cost considerations and risk tolerance. Those owner-defined criteria create the value framework that the design-build team must meet or exceed. The contractor, architect, or designer can contribute expertise and propose alternatives to improve value, but they don’t establish what value means for the project—the owner does. This is why early collaboration with the owner to articulate goals, constraints, and priorities is essential in design-build, so the team can align decisions with the owner’s value definition.

In this context, value is defined by the owner. The owner sets what success looks like by outlining the project program, required performance, budget, and schedule, along with life-cycle cost considerations and risk tolerance. Those owner-defined criteria create the value framework that the design-build team must meet or exceed. The contractor, architect, or designer can contribute expertise and propose alternatives to improve value, but they don’t establish what value means for the project—the owner does. This is why early collaboration with the owner to articulate goals, constraints, and priorities is essential in design-build, so the team can align decisions with the owner’s value definition.