Contribuições para o desenvolvimento de um modelo para a gestão do processo de projeto de edificações em empress construtoras incorporadoras de pequeno porte

The design process has a great influence over several processes in building companies
and also on the quality of the final product. However, there are usually many deficiencies in
design management. There are many actors involved in this process with different personal
cultures, functions and skills, and much information is needed to perform design activities.
Because of these factors, planning the design process is a difficult task.
One of the main steps needed to improve the design process is the development of a
model. The design process model consists of a general plan for developing the design process,
which includes the description of the main activities, their precedence relationships, the clear
definition of responsibilities, the general information flow between the actors and the feedback
within the process and to other projects.
This work presents the main elements that must be considered in the development of a
general model of the design process, focusing on small sized building companies. These elements
were established through the development of case studies in two building companies, in which
good practices identified in the bibliography and also in some companies from the construction
sector where considered.