Multi-criteria evaluation model for the selection of architectural consultants

The selection of a competent architect is vital to the success of a development. Like in many developed countries, developers in Hong Kong select architects based on a set of criteria. Price is not the only consideration in the process, and decisions rely heavily on subjective judgement. By conducting a questionnaire survey, the research reported here identified the common criteria for selection and their relative importance for an objective selection. This involved the use of an evaluation method called the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Survey data from projects with similar characteristics were used to compute the criteria weights. Multi-criteria models for seven out of 27 categories of project were built with reference to the computed weights derived from the survey. In addition, a computer program, called the Architectural Consultant Selection System (ACSS), was designed to illustrate a logical approach for the evaluation of prospective consultant architects based on the models constructed.