About Uss
Process
Our Work Process
The most characteristic thing about our work process is that we are your point of contact throughout the process, so you don’t have to deal or negotiate with any other party involved, if you don’t want to. This way you can concentrate on your own activities and leave this job to us. According to the kind of project we employ specific processes and methods, which will be chosen to meet the project’s requirements in a way to ensure our clients’ satisfaction. Our process is divided into four major phases, which apply to all projects, independently of the scope and size, with the level of detail and content varying accordingly. We can take care of your total project or part of it. Whenever one of these phases is partly or totally carried out by third parties, we can still coordinate this process and hereby ensure that the quality of the work is maintained in a high and homogeneous level. The four phases of our process are:
Program Definition
In the beginning of each project we establish objectives and goals with the client. After this we define strategies and activities to achieve these goals and objectives. A clear definition of the scope of the project, requirements and expectations, is the first step of a successful project. We call this phase the Program Definition Phase, which is crucial to define schedule, cost and quality goals and standards in a way to achieve a balance between them. This phase generates a document (preliminary proposal), which contains the scope of work, activities, study of possibilities, and estimate of resources required to achieve the client’s expectations. With this document the client can prepare a preliminary budget.
Project Planning
In the Project Planning Phase we prepare detailed plans, based on feed back from the client resulting from the Program Definition Phase. These plans enable a detailed cost estimate and definitions of specifications that will support the entire project team from programming studies to design development, through construction, move-in and follow-up, providing a high level of continuity. This phase will result in a document with all project’s definitions (design, materials, resources, suppliers, etc.) accompanied by a detailed cost estimate, based on our clients’ business objectives, on program, future growth and budget. This will serve as guidance for the internal or external design team in charge of the project development and design, as well as all suppliers. In this phase we can also prepare a request for proposal document for price bids or competitions.
Project Development
In the Project Development Phase we bring together a team of designers and creative thinkers to provide you with a solution. Our team of architects and interior designers are skilled to create world-class architecture and develop groundbreaking solutions for effective building use. Our approach is to translate clients’ business needs and visions into the workplace, by understanding and unbundling the complex issues of human resources, property, performance, IT and change management, associated to the corporate image. We can provide for the design of both the workplace and its surrounding environments, taking into account all aspects of the working environment. This is supported by continuous research on buildings and the built environment, new technologies and materials, environmental requirements, changes in business management, organizational structures and the economy.
Project Management
This is the phase when all the previous documents will be materialized and transformed into reality. If you don’t have your own project management team to dedicate to the implementation of a project, we can provide you with one. Our team of project managers is trained in the multiple areas of expertise required to manage complex projects. We have project managers for each type of project: interior design, architecture, landscape design, relocation, construction, planning, etc. This allows us to match the right sets of skills to each client’s requirements, in small or large scale projects. The project managers are responsible for implementing the project as determined, keeping it on schedule and on budget. During this phase they are the person in direct contact with the client and the ones to report the progress of the project in predefined products and dates.