Many design teams are managed by architects or engineers. Management is a function of maintaining a schedule and meeting project objectives, milestones and budget goals. These are the skills of a Design Program Manager.
Several years ago I managed projects for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). The projects were large scale complex projects and sometimes had dozens of design firms working on a single multi-location project. TDCJ discovered that most architects are primarily designers. Their secondary role is sometimes to be a manager of designers. TDCJ found that management of a design effort could best be accomplished by a Construction Program Manager. The overall goal should always be to focus the team on the project’s design schedule, objectives, milestones and budget goals. Designers sometimes want to design, and design, and design. Construction Program Managers help to keep project team focused on the ultimate goal.