The Validation Phase is one of the most critical stages for Progressive Design-Build (PDB) delivery success. Too often, teams approach validation as an extension of schematic design or as an estimating exercise used to confirm a preconceived solution. Validation is where project success is either secured or compromised.

This 90-minute DB 201 session examines Validation as a disciplined, collaborative process focused on designing to the budget, not estimating the design. The material will be presented through a series of real-world “war stories,” with both successful and unsuccessful outcomes, illustrating how validation decisions play out in practice. These examples highlight where teams successfully aligned scope, cost, and expectations early, as well as where missteps during validation led to downstream challenges.

The program begins by clarifying where Validation fits within PDB and what it is and, equally as important, what it is not. It then explores the core principles that define effective validation to include:

• Big Room collaboration,
• Target Value Design,
• Transparent cost modeling, and
• The use of conceptual estimating to test feasibility as ideas evolve.

The session will speak to all PDB project participants, clarifying the distinct roles of estimators, designers, contractors, trade partners, and owners, emphasizing how collaboration replaces traditional handoffs during this phase.

A step-by-step validation framework anchors the discussion. Participants will walk through reviewing preliminary budgets, initiating design early, allocating funds using a simple “three buckets” approach, and aligning design ideas with actual budget capacity. Through candid lessons learned, this session equips teams to reduce risk, build trust, and make better decisions earlier in the delivery process.

Key Takeaways:

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the purpose, timing, and outcomes of the Validation Phase within the Progressive Design-Build delivery model.
2. Identify the roles and responsibilities of owners, designers, contractors, estimators, and trade partners during validation.
3. Describe the core validation principles, including Big Room collaboration, Target Value Design, and conceptual estimating, to support early decision-making.
4. Evaluate how aligning design concepts with budget constraints reduces risk, protects design intent, and builds team trust