1. The Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) Process
Carol Warkoczewski, AIA, MSOLE
Senior Architect, TCI-Project Delivery-Vertical

2. so what’s the problem?
To Know Your “Space”…

3. …You Need to Know Your Requirements…
To better manage project constraints:
Cost
Schedule
Scope & Quality
…to increase your project control and influence.

4. Project Influence vs. Cost & Schedule Impacts

5. The BIG Challenge…!
Projects often exceed original budgets &/or schedules due to a failure to adequately identify project needs.
Therefor, we must:
Maximize early decisions that stick
Identify the priority needs of all stakeholders
This leads to minimal changes during detailed design and/or construction

6. This OPR process is AMAZING! I know - Why didn’t we do this, before?!
The BIG Solution!
Identify the priority needs at the beginning of the project…
This OPR process is AMAZING!
I know - Why didn’t we do this, before?!

7. OUR strategic objective: improve project definition and predictability
GOAL: Produce a document that clearly defines the Owner’s requirements, up front.
This document is referred to as the
Owner’s Project Requirements, or “OPR”

9. OPR & the Project Design Process
Design Details
What?
CD’s
DD’s
Why? How?
OPR & the Project Design Process
SD’s
Facility Program
Basis of Design
OPR
Project Budgeting
Statement of Need (SON)
Typical CoSA Project Design Timeline

10. the Owner’s Project Requirements:
Details project’s…
Needs
Functional requirements
Includes project’s…
Success measures
Goals
Performance criteria
Supporting information

11. The City of San Antonio’s Complex Stakeholders
Client Departments: Animal Care, Aviation, Convention, Fire, Human Services, Library, Metro Health, Parks and Recreation, Police, Solid Waste, Planning
Other City Stakeholders/ Regulatory:
SAWS, CPS, DSD, ITSD, BESD,
Office of Sustainability,
Environmental, OHP, OMB, CCDO
… SOMETIMES THESE ROLES OVERLAP

12. OPR Process Requires that…
Requirements are gathered holistically
Project needs are agreed-to
Document is approved by executives
The OPR becomes a basic project execution reference & briefing document
OPR Process Requires that…

13. Gathering Requirements

14. Interaction/Activity:
“Describe your ideal car”
POINTS OF VIEW:
Car Owner
Spouse
Child
Dog
Mechanic

15. Documentation & Reviews
Transfer Post-it notes into statements
Follow-up on Next Steps & Resolve any Non- consensus items
Compile other research, budget, and schedule information
Combine all information into the OPR written document
Review by all participants
Incorporate review comments
Sign-offs
Recommend it as a prerequisite to seeking BOR CIP Approval

16. Utilizing the OPR Document

17. …anticipate Change Revisions may be necessary Primary reasons:
Keep revisions to a minimum (think Strategic Plan)
Use a formal change approval process
Primary reasons:
Assumptions / constraints are invalidated or change
Requirements cannot be met
Project scope changes
Audience Question
How do you think you should handle a situation where a Requirement can be exceeded?
…anticipate Change

18. Continued success at UT
Other Advantages
Resolved lingering scope definition issues Identified stakeholders & uncovered existing and potential issues Technical stakeholders became more vested in the project Emergence of institutional standards (Facility Design Guidelines and Standards) Improved mutual understanding
Continued success at UT

19. Henceforth…
The City of San Antonio has added the OPR process to its project delivery “best practices” on key projects.

20. The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.
Eleanor Roosevelt

21. Thank You! Carol Warkoczewski, AIA, MSOLE
You want what, by when, for how much?!
Carol Warkoczewski, AIA, MSOLE
Senior Architect, TCI-Project Delivery-Vertical O: E: