Test design proposals against the briefDuring the design process, the brief should act at as an evaluation framework or touchstone for the assessment of design proposals. To what extent do design proposals meet the needs and ambitions as formulated and agreed in the brief? For the client, the purpose of such testing is quality assurance, making certain that requirements are not overlooked, misinterpreted or ignored in the design process. For the design team, systematic testing provides an opportunity to identify design errors or gaps at an early stage when issues can still be easily resolved without costly rework or redesign.Theoretically, there are two kinds of quality testing: validation and verification. Validation addresses the issue of whether the client is getting the right designa design that delivers the intended value and meets the clients strategic objectives. Verification is more practical and concerns the question of whether the building is designed right, or in other words, whether the design is error-free and in accordance with all the clients specifications.Validation tends to take place in the early stages of the design process when design proposals are still of a conceptual nature. Verification tends to take place in the later stages of the project and looks at whether requirements on topics such as acoustics, energy usage or daylight penetration have been met in the technical design.To manage the validation and verification processes, it is recommended that the brief be supplemented with a test plan (see also page 138). Such a plan outlines which quality tests are relevant for the different types of requirements and which test methods have to be used. It also stipulates at what stages the testing should take place and which party is responsible for it. On a cautionary note, it is important that quality testing should not turn into an administrative burden for a project. It is not necessary to test every single requirement at every single design stage. The level of detail should be appropriate to the design stage reached, and the focus should be on testing those quality aspects that are critical for the usability of the building and difficult to change at later project stages. Recommendations-When writing the brief, think ahead about how design proposals can be assessed against the formulated requirements. Relevant test methods include simulations, calculations, design reviews, inspections, evaluations of prototypes and document reviews.-Supplement the brief with a test plan that explains when, how and by whom design proposals will be tested.-Where possible, refer to standard test methods. For indoor climate, for example, there are lots of standardized test methods available.-Assign tests to specific parties. Verification tends to be the responsibility of the design team, whereas validation will require the active involvement of the client.-In complex projects, it can be a good idea to bring in an external, independent party for quality testing (a practice that is usually referred to as commissioning). 69