Understanding how architects specify building products

What is shaping construction

Construction materials are chosen by a chain of people: engineers, contractors, masons and individual homebuilders. Site conditions, credit and word-of-mouth all matter.

• Masons and contractors strongly influence material brands
• Individual homebuilders rely on trusted advice
• Site safety and quality standards are rising

A building facade systems company in Europe, working in London, Paris, Berlin, Zurich & Milan. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.

Organisation

A building facade systems company in Europe

Sector

Construction

Team engaged

Market Research

Services

Qualitative research, Business panel, Content marketing

The company’s products were rarely specified in early design stages, leaving it to compete on price later.

• Deliver on the brief: understanding how architects specify building products.
• Understand the views, needs and behaviour of architect.
• Uncover the motivations and barriers people do not state in a survey.
• Give the client evidence it can act on within 7 weeks.

The work focused on 35 architect.

• architect35

Audiences we typically reach in construction

Contractors and masonsCivil engineers and architectsIndividual homebuildersMaterial dealersSite workers

Coverage: London, Paris, Berlin, Zurich & Milan. Markets: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

• United Kingdom
• France
• Germany
• Switzerland
• Italy

A qualitative design, built to uncover motivations, decision processes and the language people actually use.

1. 1Brief
2. 2Architect interviews
3. 3Specification content
4. 4Insight

We interviewed architects and facade consultants about how and when they choose systems, what information they need and which sources they trust.

Qualitative researchBusiness panelContent marketing

architect

35

• Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
• Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
• Telephone contacts were dialled from verified lists, with quotas tracked live by the field team.
• Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.

• Telephone interviews were run from our CATI centre, with calls monitored for quality.
• The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
• Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.

• Live call monitoring and recording review
• Call-back verification
• Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
• Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
• Review of open-ended answers
• Recordings and transcripts for every session
• Re-screening of qualitative recruits
• Logic and range checks on the final data
• Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures

• Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
• Journey and decision mapping

• Architects wanted ready-to-use technical details, test certificates and design guidance early.

Being present early in the design process changed the sales conversation.

• Build on the core insight: being present early in the design process changed the sales conversation.
• Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: architects wanted ready-to-use technical details, test certificates and design guidance early.
• Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.

• The company created a specification library and design-support service.

What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.

• Insight report and management presentation
• Cleaned data file and data tables
• Interview summaries and key verbatims

• Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
• A natural follow-on question: who decides the cement or steel brand on site?