Professional practice
The term 'professional practice' refers to the conduct and work of someone from a particular profession.
Professions are occupations that require a prolonged period of education and training. They are often overseen by professional bodies who may accredit educational establishments and qualified professionals. Qualification may be recognised by the designation 'member of...', 'certified', 'chartered member', 'fellow', and so on. For example, a professional member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists may use the letters MCIAT after their name (member of).
Professional bodies may set standards of ethics, performance, competence, insurance, training and so on that must be met to remain within the profession. These are typically set out in a code of conduct.
Some professional designations are protected by law. For example, the term ‘architect’ is protected by the Architects Act 1997 which established the Architects Registration Board (ARB). Only qualified individuals that are registered with the ARB can offer their services as architects. However, rather peculiarly, the public tend to recognise the designation RIBA, denoting an architect who is also a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. This is not a legal requirement.
Professions will have specific practices and standards that they value, but in construction there are some general principles common to most professionals:
- Act with integrity.
- Adopt an ethical approach.
- Provide a high standard of service.
- Only undertake work for which there is appropriate competence.
- Have appropriate insurance.
- Ensure that terms of appointment are clear.
- Act in a way that promotes trust in the profession.
- Do not bring the profession into disrepute.
- Do not discriminate against parties on any grounds.
- Demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development.
- Offer a dispute resolution service.
Contracts may include terms requiring that the contracted party exercise 'reasonable skill and care', and in interpreting this, the courts may take into account the professional standard that might be expected. That is, a party advertising services as a professional architect would be expected to demonstrate the level of skill and care of a competent architect.
An architect offering services in a specialist field might be expected to demonstrate a higher level of skill and care, of a competent specialist. The more skilled a person, the more the care that can be expected of them. For more information see: Reasonable skill and care.
See also: Professional conduct.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Architect.
- BEIS Reforming Regulation Initiative.
- Best practice.
- Chartered institute.
- Chartered surveyor.
- CIAT.
- Corporate social responsibility in construction.
- CPD.
- Discipline.
- Ethics in construction.
- Fair payment practices.
- International Ethics Standards Coalition.
- Practice.
- Practice management.
- Professional.
- Professional body.
- Professional conduct.
- RIBA.
- Reasonable skill and care.
- The architectural profession.
- Types of construction organisation.
- What is a Chartered Practice?
Featured articles and news
Specifying rendered external wall insulation for fire safety
How to interrogate the evidence provided to the specifier.
The benefits of writing articles for your organisation
How to create a profile for your organisation and publish for free.
No Falls Week. The importance of safe working at height
What to expect and what is on offer to avoid accidents.
Scottish Government action to reach net-zero targets
Retrofit expert group highlight critical actions needed.
A forward thinking, inclusive global community of members.
From engineered product life-spans, to their extension.
Circular economy in the built environment
A brief description from 2021. Where are we now?
Mental Health Awareness Week with ABS
Architects Benevolent Society programme of activity.
CLC publishes domestic retrofit competency framework
Roadmap of Skills for net zero.
May 13-19: Moving more for our mental health.
Understanding is key to conservation.
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.
National Retrofit Hub unveils new guide
Digital Building Logbooks and Retrofit: An Introduction.
Enhancing construction site reporting efficiency
Through digitisation and the digital revolution.