ANTOINETTE:
Hi, and welcome. I’m Antoinette Trimble, a registered architect. In this video we’re
talking about something that every architect will encounter at some point in their
practice — delivering bad news to a client.
ALLISON:
Hi, I’m Allison, an organisation development practitioner. This video is part of a series
developed in partnership with the Architects Registration Board of Victoria to help
registered architects communicate more effectively — including in the moments that
feel most uncomfortable.
ANTOINETTE:
Today we’re covering two things: establishing a communication protocol early and
practical tips for handling common situations where you may have to deliver bad news.
ALLISON:
Antoinette, one of the most consistent themes that comes up when architects find
themselves in difficult client conversations is that the difficulty was made worse — by
the absence of agreed communication expectations at the outset. Does that match your
experience?
ANTOINETTE:
Completely. When there’s no agreed protocol — no shared understanding of how and
when the architect will communicate, what will be reported and when — clients tend to
fill that vacuum with anxiety. And anxious clients are much harder to have difficult
conversations with.
ALLISON:
And this isn’t just good practice — it’s a professional obligation. Under the Victorian
Architects Code of Professional Conduct, Clause 6(4)(j) requires that every client
architect agreement must include information about how the architect will inform the
client of progress in the provision of services. This must be agreed in writing, upfront,
before work begins.
ANTOINETTE:
And Clause 9 of the Code goes further. It sets out in detail what effective and prompt
communication with clients actually requires. Architects must keep clients adequately
informed about project progress, take reasonable steps to ensure clients have the
information they need to make decisions in a timely way, and most importantly,
promptly advise a client in writing of any circumstance likely to prevent the architect
from providing services as agreed.
ALLISON:
So, what does a good communication protocol look like in practice?
ANTOINETTE:
At minimum, it should cover three things. First, the cadence — how often will you
proactively update the client? Weekly? Fortnightly? At project milestones?
Second, the format — will updates be written, verbal, in meetings?
And the third, the trigger — what are the circumstances in which you will contact the
client immediately, regardless of the usual schedule? That third one is where bad news
comes in. Agreeing upfront that you will always flag significant changes as soon as they
arise — before they become problems — sets the expectation and removes the
awkwardness of raising it later.
ALLISON:
And it builds trust. When a client knows you will always tell them what’s happening —
including the difficult things — they feel secure. They don’t have to chase you for
information, and they don’t feel like they’re being managed. That security is the
foundation that makes hard conversations possible.
ALLISON:
So, let’s talk about the situations themselves. What are the most common types of bad
news architects have to deliver?
ANTOINETTE:
There are four I’d highlight.
The first is changes in scope — where what the client wants, or what the project
requires, has shifted from what was originally agreed. The second is timeline delays —
construction running over schedule, approvals taking longer than expected, contractor
issues.
The third is approval related news: where something the client loves isn’t feasible, or a
planning or building approval has come back with conditions that limit what’s possible.
and the fourth — and often the most confronting — is cost escalation.
ALLISON:
Let’s spend a moment on cost escalation specifically, because I know that’s been a
particularly acute issue in recent years.
ANTOINETTE:
It’s been significant. Construction costs have escalated dramatically in recent years — in
some cases, tender prices come in at double the estimates. That is genuinely shocking
for a client to hear, particularly one who has been planning and saving for a project for
years. And importantly, the Code speaks directly to this. Under Clause 6(4)(g), the client
agreement must include a requirement that the architect inform the client how a change
or amendment to services will affect fees and costs — and, critically, about when and
why professional fees & costs may escalate. This needs to be front-loaded into the
engagement, not disclosed when they have escalated.
ALLISON:
So, what are the practical tips for handling these moments well?
ANTOINETTE:
Three things. The first is tell them early. The moment you know something significant
has changed, that’s when you communicate it — not when you’ve figured out a solution,
not when you can’t avoid it any longer. Early disclosure gives the client agency. It allows
them to be part of the response, rather than a victim of the outcome.
The second is separate the facts from your interpretation. Tell the client what has
happened, and then tell them what it means. Keep those two things distinct. Clients
often react to information that feels mixed together — or where they sense the architect
is hiding something from them rather than being straight with them.
And the third is come with options, not just a problem. Architects are typically good at
this. Even if none of the options are ideal, giving the client a choice restores their sense
of control. But don’t just jump straight to solutions. Make sure you do steps 1 and 2
before this so they understand the problem and why you are proposing these changes
and then they have ownership in the decision-making process.
ALLISON:
And I’d add a fourth: wherever possible, have these conversations in person or by phone
before you put them in writing. A written message without context can land harder than
it needs to. The conversation first, followed by written confirmation, is usually the better
sequence.
ANTOINETTE:
To recap. Start with a communication protocol — agree with your client in writing, at the
outset, how and when you will keep them informed. This isn’t optional under the
updated Code. It’s a professional requirement.
ALLISON:
When difficult news arises — and it will — tell the client early. Separate the facts from
the interpretation. Come with options. And wherever possible, have the conversation
before you put it in writing.
ANTOINETTE:
Thanks for watching. We hope his video’s given you the tools you can use in your very
next difficult conversation.
ALLISON:
See you in the next one.
Updated