5. The fitout project brief

The fitout project brief is a structured document that incorporates:

• the nature of the workplace (e.g. administrative, professional/technical, customer service centre, call centre or secured public interaction centre)
• the space schedule established as part of the space-identification process referred to in Guideline 1: Planning
• confirmation or revision of staff numbers and support space requirements
• functional adjacencies (the physical proximity of each office function, team or team-member to another)
• information technology requirements
• identification of special/non-standard inclusions or variations from guidelines and benchmarks (requires formal authorisation by Director-General or CEO)
• strategies for churn management.

The project design and documentation consultant will normally prepare the fitout brief in conjunction with the client agency's project team. In large and/or complex projects, a specialist consultant can be engaged if required, to work with the agency's project team to develop and prepare the project brief.

Developing and completing a fitout project brief involves substantial consultation between the client agency's project team and the end users as well as between the project team and the consultant. The brief for smaller fitout projects can be undertaken through a series of meetings but larger projects might also require presentations, workshops, site visits and substantial senior executive involvement.

The Department of Energy and Public Works (EPW) can provide advice about fitout briefs and professional consultant services.