Assessing the Factors that Cause Poor Quality of Design and Contract Documentation and the Influence on Project Implementation in Ghana

Design and contract documentation processes which occur throughout the life cycle of the contract, is often mentioned an area that engenders contractual disputes in Ghana. This paper investigated the factors causing poor quality of design and contract documentation (DCD) and how this impact on successful project implementation in Ghana. It used questionnaire approach as the main method to obtain data which was analyzed using Relative Importance Index (RII) and Kendall’s concordance testing. Out of forty factors noted to contribute to DCD deficiencies, six were identified as critical: selection of designers on the basis of lowest price, unwillingness to pay fees commensurate with design services, last minute changes by clients, insufficient design reviews, inadequate clients’ briefs, slow payment systems and insufficient or missing input information from the client. To minimize or prevent DCD deficiencies in Ghana’s construction industry, the research recommends that briefs are adequate, clear and precise; consultancy fees are commensurate to the required service quality; consultants to ensure adequate review of design and contract documentation with all stakeholders and clients to select consultants based on merits. The measures suggested by the paper are believed to contribute to good quality contract documentation which can consequently improve project implementation in Ghana.