Project Quality Control

PROJECT QUALITY CTRL
1) "Quality Ctrl" (QC) aka "quality mgmt," "quality planning," & "quality assurance" is an organized set of:
2) Quality has 2 aspects, the 1st:

1) quality's 2nd aspect is:
2) quality doesn't have to mean high-cost finishes & an award winning bldg, it can mean:
3) b/c meeting the needs & expectations of the client is integral to QC, these must be clearly defined during:

1) a successful program will define the client's:
2) if oth firm prepared the program & goals aren't outlined then:
3) 2 methods exist for achieving quality for both client goals & prof. services:

1) achieving quality thru "process" means making sure tasks are:
2) ^ team members are (__) & the work of individuals is carefully (__)
3) achieving quality thru "checking" means making sure a finished product is:

* Practice Question: What are the basic goals of a QC program?
1) meeting the community's expectations
2) meeting the client's expectations
3) prov. the standard of care for prof. practice
4) reducing risk & liability
5) designing an award-winning project
6) using the best employees for the project

EST. A QUALITY CTRL PROGRAM
1) top mgmt must support & encourage the QC program
2) give one person or a small committee the responsibility to guide the daily efforts of the QC program

EST. A QUALITY CTRL PROGRAM
4) review past problem areas, correcting first those that cause the firm great difficulties or can hurt the firm
5) the QC program must be maintained & used continually & over time eliminate what doesn't work & replace w/ new tech.

QUALITY CTRL TECHNIQUES
1) good programming is crucial, the arch must have a written record defining:
2) the program is the doc the arch uses:
3) "checklists" are needed to complete a particular task & one of the most common:

1) checklists are useful for embedding corporate:
2) checklists serve as a:
3) checklists can be obtained from sources:
4) RFI's from contractors on previous projects are good sources of items for checklists b/c:

1) "process-based systems" automates a procedure so the task can be performed:
2) ex of a process based system in design is BIM is used to detect:
3) ex of a process based system in mgmt is using:

1) at regular intervals of a project the PM, designers, & principals should hold a:

1) quality depends on the staff engaged in project, so the (__) of staff is important for QC
2) although the best should be hired, it should be both exp. archs &:
3) a good in-house mentoring & training program, cont. ed are important like:

1) a "quality circle" is a small group of employees who:
2) these circles are important b/c employees often know better than mgmt about their:
3) additional benefits of quality circles include:

1) members of a circle should come from:
2) the structure of a circle is flexible & based on:
3) large offices may have multiple circles based on:
4) ea. circle should ideally be led by a:

1) if there are multiple circles a (__) oversees & coord.'s their efforts
2) ^(answer) their purpose is to:

-steps of quality circle resolving problems
1) problem areas/ specific projects should be identified
2) idea can come from anywhere/one
3) problems are discussed & defined so the circle has something def. to work on
4) after a problem is defined, it's analyzed & alt solutions are discussed

-additional quality circle guidelines =
1) concept & process must have support from top mgmt
2) circles must be ongoing activities, cannot run a bit & be forgotten after
3) circles cannot become gripe sessions, they're problem solving units

1) "corporate knowledge" is the documentation of info that an arch firm:
2) term also refers to the knowledge of:
3) b/c ppl come & go, the accumulated knowledge should be:
4) oth than checklists, another way to doc. corporate knowledge is thru:

1) what is most important accompanying the standard detail & why?
2) (__) can also be used to record corporate knowledge in a form that can be directly used in future const. docs

1) other ways to doc. corporate knowledge include:
2) info must be org. & indexed so that:
3) summary: the cornerstone of effective QC include:

PROJECT DOCUMENTATION QC

1) good documentation is needed for:
2) arch firms should maintain what 2 categories of documentation?

1) const. docs are unique to ea. project, but for most oth doc. it's based on standard forms like:
2) at the end of a project all doc. should be consolidated into a project file (electronic/hardcopy) and:

PROJECT FILES
1) "project files" should be a record of:
2) records should doc. the sequence of events of a project including the:
3) ^ this kind of record keeping is important to ensure that:

-records to maintain for standard design-bid-build project delivery method

GEN. ADMIN OF THE PROJECT
1) marketing info & proposals w/ all communications w/ client before contract is signed
2) contact info for client & their rep's + billing info

7) records of communication w/ client after contract is signed
8) fee & staffing allocations
9) invoices, statements, & backup docs related to client billing
10) records of accts receivable
11) records of expenses billed or assigned to the project including expense invoices & consultant's billing

PROGRAMMING
1) copy of the program, if done by an outside firm
2) complete program req's including functional groupings, occupants, individual space req's, furniture & equip needs, growth projections

7) revised project budget, if changed from agrmt
8) soil test info
9) survey info, including request for survey, comm.'s w/ surveyor, & billing info

SCHEMATIC DESIGN
1) sketches, models, oth dwgs & comp. files used to develop schematic design
2) final schematic design presentation, including budget & sch
3) client's written approval of schematic design & authorization to proceed

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
1) sketches, models, oth dwgs & comp. files used to develop design development
2) final design development presentation
3) approvals of applicable regulatory agencies
4) records of all changes, who made them & why

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION
1) supporting info for developing the const. dwgs & spec's
2) records of mat.'s & product investigation & selection
3) written approval of the docs by the client

BIDDING & NEGOTIATION
1) records of ea. prime bidder or negotiating contractor
2) record of issuance of contract docs
3) addenda records, including requests for info & distribution log

CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION

1) record of all prime contractors, including record of receipt of bonds, certificates of insurance, dates of approval, & contract signed

7) shop dwgs & shop dwg log
8) samples & sample submittal log
9) copies of test reports
10) field reports
11) photographs & videos

PROJECT CLOSEOUT & FOLLOW-UP
1) punch list & follow-ups
2) certificate of substantial completion
3) final certificate for payment
4) testing & balancing reports (if not part of commissioning)
5) commissioning reports

1) the list of project records for ea. phase includes a record of:
2) most doc. problems or lack of occur from the actions of the project participants in day-to-day progress when what hasn't been properly done?

1) "contemporaneous documentation" is the recording of:
2) ^ this type of doc. should record what type of communication?
3) a project website offers a way to:
4) (__) should never be used to communicate project info or project records

GEN. DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES
1) comm. potential problems to the appropriate members of the team
2) avoid assigning blame for a problem, just give facts & indicate the problem must be further investigated
3) include the date of ea. communication, & make a note of the parties who are privy to it

1) from a legal standpt, follow guidelines w/ contemporaneous docs to avoid it being considered "hersay" which is:
2) in court, hersay is not normally:
3) project records can be considered hersay evidence unless:

1) to qualify under the "business entry rule," a project record must have been made during:
2) ^ ex - if the firm has made it standard practice to send ea. client a weekly letter reporting on progress/ pt-ing out existing or potential problems then:

1) ^ alt to ex - if no weekly correspondences were made then:
2) ^ solution to ex's - if firm must communicate to the client in btwn reg. comm.'s like reporting an urgent safety problem on site for ex., then:

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
1) const. doc's are one of the main sources of:
2) const. doc's are the most complex part of the project delivery process b/c:
3) (^ b/c of) it's important the PM:

1) no dwgs or spec's are ever perfect, but it's the arch's job to produce doc's that are:
2) the following are guidelines to use as the fnd for proper document production:

"a single source of ctrl"
1) 1 person should be in ctrl of const. doc. production & coord. among team members: client, consultants, firm mgmt, gov agencies, etc
2) ideally is is a PM who maintains continuity thru entire project delivery process - initial proposal to follow-up

"industry standards"

1) be aware of accepted standards of practice & trade customs in const. industry
2) stay current w/ standards of quality in industry

"professional standards"
1) design prof.'s must exercise degree of skill, knowledge, & judgment normally exercised by oth prof.'s in sim circumstances in sim communities
2) ^ one of basic legal concepts concerning liability & negligence

"communication & coordination"
1) if last min. design change isn't conveyed to the draftsperson, needless time & effort will be spent later correcting problems
2) firm's should have policies encouraging/ facilitating comm. among all team members

"work procedures"
1) all staff should use QC checklists
2) standard details should be used to save time & $, but are excellent ways to record knowledge the firm develops on how to build well

"research"
1) firm's should make an ongoing commitment
2) ^ this should include research into products, ways to improve spec's, design tech.'s, etc

"evaluation & feedback"
1) every firm should take time to learn from its successes & mistakes
2) a reg. process of eval. + feedback is integral to QC & necessary to improve

CONST. DOC CHECKLIST
1-2) 2 basic req's must occur before const. doc phase can begin, they are:

-before starting CD's, completion of:
1) "verify the design solution meets all program req's" - use the checklists developed in programming, correspondence w/ client, final programming report

3) "obtain from the client all the info needed for inclusion in the project manual"

-issues during production of const. docs
1) "prepare an outline of the scope of const. docs req'd" - working dwg sheet mockups, detail lists, the numbering system for the dwgs, a list of req'd technical sections of the project manual - can all save time & $$

3) "check dwgs at 50% completion" - submit these to client for review & approval, making it clear they're for checking the dwgs against the original program req's & DD approval, not time to make changes b/c any at this time are extra services & could req a time extension

- cost issues
1) "update the DD budget to reflect any changes or development of details (including mech/elec)" - if there's significant variance from previous cost budgets, advise client immediately, then review w/ them & obtain approval before proceeding w/ const. docs

- scheduling issues
2) "allow enough time at the end of doc. production to check for errors & correct them, as well as for reproduction" - when time runs short, checking for mistakes is often done in haste or not at all, avoid this at all costs

- coordination
3) supply consultants w/ a template for desired spec format, including the #-ing system, pg layout, & to follow arch's spec's to avoid confusion
4) hold reg. meetings w/ consultants & exchange progress dwgs weekly or biweekly as needed

- records mgmt issues
1) doc. all decisions & changes made by the firm & client during the const. doc. phase
2) obtain written approval of the doc's from the client
- when const. docs are complete:

COORD. W/ REGULATORY AGENGIES
1) if bldg project req's approval from planning agencies or oth gov. bodies before design can begin, the PM:
2) the work req'd to gain approval may include:
3) gen. there is an approved procedure &:

1) the PM is responsible to check that:
2) this work req's additional (__)
3) if the bldg presents unusual design challenges, it may req:

1) ^ if bldg req's zoning variances or unusual bldg tech.'s/ mat.'s, the arch will have to work w/ (__) in order to:
2) sometimes a code consultant will be needed to:

1) as design develops, it's the PM's responsibility to cont. check that:
2) ^ sometimes this is more often done by:
3) the PM should also check the const. docs contain all info req'd by:

DESIGN PROCESS REVIEWS SUMMARY
1) main goal of a QC program is to manage project so original design objectives of client are achieved
2) ^ to achieve this, team must keep original project design assumptions in mind typ formalized in the program including:

*Practice Question
-During which phase of a project should the project team review the code req's or interact w/ officials having jurisdiction?
1) end of CDs 2) beginning of SD 3) beginning of Programming 4) during a scope change 5) before the end of predesign phase 6) midway thru const.