Design criteria are the requirements and assumptions a team uses to develop and evaluate a project design.
Definition
Design criteria can include adopted codes, owner standards, performance goals, site information, loading assumptions, operating needs, and agreed constraints. They give the project team a reference for design decisions, estimates, reviews, and explaining why a solution meets the stated requirements. Criteria should be coordinated across disciplines and documented at a level that fits the project phase and contract. Firms may use different formats, levels of detail, or internal review steps, so owners should make sure the project record explains key assumptions and who supplied them. Design criteria are not the finished design, and they are not a substitute for a complete scope of services or contract. They may change when the owner, authority, or project conditions introduce new requirements. The International Code Council publishes model codes that may inform criteria when adopted by the relevant authority.
How owners use it
- Use the criteria to align discipline teams on requirements and assumptions before design work advances.
- Compare proposed changes with the documented criteria to identify scope, fee, or schedule effects.
- Reference the criteria in quality reviews so reviewers assess the design against agreed requirements.
- A project team records the owner’s performance goal, applicable code provisions, and site assumptions in the design criteria before advancing the design.
