Design phases in Notion: tracking AIA and RIBA stages

How do you track design phases in Notion?

Add a select property called Stage to your Projects database and fill it with the phases from your appointment. Then use a board view grouped by Stage to see the portfolio. That is the minimum. Everything else in this article is optional depth.

Important: this is a tracking tool. Phase definitions, services and responsibilities come from your contract, your professional body and local rules. Check your contract and jurisdiction rather than relying on a Notion property.

What are the AIA phases and RIBA stages?

Names vary by contract version and country, so confirm against your own documents. Commonly cited AIA-style phases are:

• Schematic design
• Design development
• Construction documents
• Bidding or negotiation
• Construction administration

The RIBA Plan of Work 2020 uses eight stages numbered 0 to 7, which commentators list as:

Sources describe Stage 3 as replacing the 2013 name Developed Design and Stage 5 as previously Construction. If you work to the 2013 plan or a client's own version, use their names.

How do the two systems roughly line up?

They are not one-to-one, and I would not map them in a contract. For internal tracking, a rough mental alignment helps studios that work in both markets:

Treat this as a conversation aid only.

How do you set up the Stages database?

1. 1

   Create Stages

   A database with Name, Project (relation), Stage (select), Status (Not started, In progress, Complete), Start, End and Fee.

2. 2

   Generate stages per project

   Use a database template on Projects with a button or duplicate a set of stage entries for each new project.

3. 3

   Add deliverables

   In Drawings or Deliverables, add a Stage relation so each issue belongs to a phase.

4. 4

   Add a rollup

   On Projects, roll up the current in-progress stage. A formula that shows 'Stage in progress' keeps the board view honest.

If your fee is a percentage of construction cost, split it by stage in the Fee property and total it with a rollup. Our fee tracking article shows this.

• Fee tracking and invoicing in Notion

What belongs on a stage gate checklist?

A checklist at the end of each stage reduces rework. Put it in the Stages database template so it appears on every new stage. Example items you can adapt:

• Client approval of the stage output received in writing and logged in Approvals
• Drawing register updated and the issued set recorded
• Open questions and decisions logged
• Consultant information received and coordinated
• Fee invoice for the stage raised, if the agreement says so
• Next stage scope confirmed against the appointment

Your own list will differ by contract, jurisdiction and project type.

How do you handle changes of scope between stages?

Record each instruction that changes scope as an entry in a Changes or Decisions database linked to the stage, with date, who instructed it and effect on fee and programme. Then you can see at invoicing time what was agreed rather than reconstructing it from email.

• Decisions log guide

What does a worked example look like?

A house extension is appointed on a lump sum split by stage. The project record shows Stage: Design development. The Stages database has five rows: Schematic design (Complete), Design development (In progress), Construction documents (Not started), Bidding or negotiation (Not started), Construction administration (Not started). Each row carries its agreed fee and a gate checklist.

When design development finishes, you tick the checklist, set the stage to Complete, set the next to In progress, and the board moves the project automatically if the Projects stage is a rollup of the in-progress row. The fee line for that stage turns into an invoice prompt. Nothing here depends on whether the names are AIA, RIBA or your own.

One caution: if your appointment merges or renames stages, do not force it into a standard list. The tracker should mirror the contract, not the reverse.

Where ArchitectOS fits

ArchitectOS (we make it, $79) tracks a DRAW phase on each project (Design brief, Revisions, Approvals, Wrap) alongside seven project statuses and four fee types. These are its own phases, not AIA or RIBA names; if you need AIA or RIBA names, you would edit the select options, which Notion allows on any template.

• See what's inside ArchitectOS
• ArchitectOS pricing

Frequently asked questions

What are the AIA design phases?

AIA-style agreements commonly describe five phases: schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding or negotiation, and construction administration. Check the exact wording in your contract version, as terms differ.

What are the RIBA Plan of Work 2020 stages?

The 2020 plan has eight stages numbered 0 to 7: Strategic Definition, Preparation and Briefing, Concept Design, Spatial Coordination, Technical Design, Manufacturing and Construction, Handover and Use. Confirm against RIBA's current publication.

Can Notion replace my appointment or contract?

No. Notion tracks progress against the phases in your agreement. The legal definition of services and responsibilities comes from your contract and applicable rules in your jurisdiction.

Should stage and status be separate properties?

Yes. Stage says where design work is; status says whether the project is active, on hold or complete. Combining them makes boards and filters confusing.

How do I track a project that uses custom phases?

Edit the Stage select options to the phases in that appointment. If projects differ, keep a generic stage list and put the contract-specific name in a text property.