In a recent post, Mark Graban calls healthcare owners to action in three ways [verbatim]:

• Design your process BEFORE you design your space
• Analyze the existing process and layout to understand the waste and problems, so you can incorporate those lessons into new space
• Take control of your design process – don’t abdicate responsibility to the architects. Work with them, but realize it’s YOUR space that you have to live with for years after construction

He is telling us that it is up to project owner's to be a good customer. How? to do that is the question. (perhaps the wrong question). There is a Lean way to manage design. It is called Responsibility Based Project Delivery™ ( RbPD).

Within RbPD, roles are redefined; the voice of the customer is maintained by the Chief Designer™, as is the  client's target budget value. He or she can pull in all needed parties to assist with decision making. In addition this person prioritizes the work of the design team to meet the needs of all internal and external process customers.

This design process, preceded with operational design of the healthcare processes will make for an outstanding facility that provides the flexibility that clinical staff will need over time and for the current needs.

Hello,

I am doing a 2 minute survey on surveymonkey.com to understand better what your questions are. I've been making offers to come to your office for an hour to present and discuss Lean. With your help I would like to better focus and prepare. Please take a minute in the survey HERE (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5VFTGWX) to tell me who you are and what questions you have. I'll publish the results here on my blog. All is anonymous. 

Thanks,
Matt