DBIA NW Western Washington Chapter Validation: The Foundation of a Successful PDB Project

About this event

How the first phase of Progressive Design-Build sets the ceiling for everything that follows This session examines the validation phase and why the work completed here determines the trajectory of a Progressive Design-Build project. Validation confirms that program, budget, schedule, and risk align before the team commits to full design. Influence over cost and function peaks during this window while the cost of change remains at its lowest, which makes validation the most efficient place on the project to make or revisit a decision.

Drawing on owner, design-builder, and architect perspectives, the panel walks through what they do first when validation begins, what they wish they had known earlier, what teams routinely overlook, and what happens when the program exceeds available funding. Attendees will gain practical guidance on establishing a defensible scope, budget, and schedule baseline, documenting assumptions that hold up later, and producing a Validation Report the owner and the team can rely on through design and construction.

Learning Objectives

-Understand how validation establishes the scope, budget, schedule, and assumptions baseline that every later decision measures against

-Identify the owner inputs, studies, and investigations that must be completed during validation to prevent downstream change

-Recognize what belongs in a Validation Report and how its approval path affects the project schedule

Join us for a candid discussion of the practices, lessons learned, and decisions that make validation the foundation of a successful project.

Presenters:

Kiel Lunsford, Project Executive, Lease Crutcher Lewis (Moderator)

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Lisa Rihtar, AIA, Assoc. DBIA, Principal, McGranahanPBK (Moderator)

Lisa Rihtar leads McGranahanPBK’s Seattle studio as Managing Principal, bringing over 15 years of enthusiasm for educational spaces and integrated project delivery. Lisa excels at turning big design ideas and ambitious sustainability goals into practical, buildable realities, using progressive design-build principles to spark creative problem-solving and keep schedules on track. Her supportive communication style helps multidisciplinary teams stay aligned, energized, and focused on delivering exceptional environments for school communities.

Carly Parkins, Capital Projects Manager, Lake Washington School District (Speaker)

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Ty Thornton, Sr. Preconstruction Manager, Lease Crutcher Lewis (Speaker)

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Dion Serra, AIA, Principal, McGranahanPBK (Speaker)

For Dion Serra, successful school design begins with genuine teamwork and active listening. As a Principal and Client Executive at McGranahanPBK with over 18 years in educational planning, he thrives on creating supportive spaces for students and educators through his clear communication and strong organizational skills. Leading the Norman Rockwell Elementary School project, Dion championed the validation process by partnering closely with local neighbors, the City of Redmond, and trade contractors to make sure all voices were heard while ensuring the District’s goals were integrated at each step. He tackled complex logistics by scheduling heavy construction during school breaks so classes could continue without disruption, ultimately delivering safer pedestrian pathways, upgraded indoor and outdoor learning spaces, and a project completed right on schedule.

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