RIBA Plan of Works - Overview

RIBA plan of work

The RIBA Plan of Work is published by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and sets out the key stages of a building project.

It was originally launched in 1963 to help illustrate the roles of participants in design and construction in a simple matrix format.

A key benefit for RIBA Plans of Works is that they split up the project into key stages and provide a framework that guides you through the design and construction.

It provides a process map as well as a management tool.

Architects and construction professionals use RIBA work stages to denote stage payments and identify team members tasked with different responsibilities.

They commonly show up in contracts and appraisals.

The Plan of Work has evolved through its history to reflect the increasing complexity of projects, including changing regulations and demands on the industry.

It has moved from a simple matrix representing just the traditional procurement route, to including multiple procurement routes, more diverse roles, multi-disciplinary teams, government gateways and to add stages before and after design and construction.

The newest edition, published in 2020, reflects an increased focus on sustainability and Building Information Modeling.