Practice Management Member Conversations

I am interested in developing a check-list of Quality Management Best Practices for Construction Documents. 

What works best for you and your practice?  Are there items / procedures that you use to increase the quality of your work product? 

I created a Google Moderator account to assist in collecting items.  Google Moderator allows users to add their own items, as well as the ability to vote on am item's popularity.  Please click here to participate. 

The information from this effort it 100% public - the goal is to share the fruit of this effort with as many practitioners as possible to increase the quality of our work. 

If the link above didn't work, please use this shortened URL:  http://goo.gl/mod/ZLFJ

Thank you very much!

Brad

-------------------------------------------
Bradford Prestbo AIA, CSI, CDT
Project Architect
SA, Inc.
-------------------------------------------

Brad,

From being QC Manager at Callison's Seattle office in the early 80's to QC and Project Delivery Manager at Architects Hawaii prior to my retirement at the end of 2009, I have been deeply involved in Quality Control for over 25 years.  It has been my experience that there is no one checklist that will work for all projects, firms or locales.

Several suggestions for improving Construction Document quality:

1.  Increase staff exposure to specification writing.  Many times, issues in the documents stem from inadequate understanding of the requirements and limitations of the materials and systems incorporated into the design.  Involvement in your local chapter of CSI, or at least studying for and taking the CDT certification exam (does not require CSI membership) should prove valuable in understanding the complex relationship of the construction documents.

2.  Increase staff exposure to construction administration, both office and field work.  Mentoring trips to the jobsite should bring the "light-bulb" look to the faces of less experienced staff, as they see how the materials and systems are actually installed and finished.  In-house brown bag lunch presentations of "lessons learned" at the completion of a project by senior construction administration staff with photos and explanations of both the good highlights and the difficulties encountered should help.

3.  Find a QC "champion" in your firm, and delegate both some responsibility and authority for document review.  Time and fee have to be budgeted for this task.  The reviews should be "de-briefed" with your complete in-house team so that all team members have a better understanding of how what they have contributed fits into the whole.

4.  If your staff capabilities and your client list allow, think about pursuing some "property services" type work: roof leaks, wall deterioration, material failures on projects designed by someone else.  These types of projects can be very educational, and can be utilized as "lessons learned" on your own future projects.

Hope this helps; good luck.

Alan Atkinson, AIA, CSI, CCS
Atkinson Quality Control
Honolulu HI
-------------------------------------------

Alan,

Your list is great.  I would add one thing.  I know this may sound crazy, but my usggeation is to find a way to expose staff to litigation involving a lack of quality control.  Sitting through an arboitration or court proceeding is not only extremely educational, but very sobering. 

If a practitioner only knew what could happen because of his actions, he would think twice about what he was putting on paper.

The lessons of cause an affect become very clear in this type of experience.

D

-------------------------------------------
David Brotman FAIA
Past AIA Regional Director
Sunset Consultants
Malibu CA
-------------------------------------------







Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2011 15:08
From: Alan Atkinson
Subject: Construction Document Quality Management: Best Practices

Brad,

From being QC Manager at Callison's Seattle office in the early 80's to QC and Project Delivery Manager at Architects Hawaii prior to my retirement at the end of 2009, I have been deeply involved in Quality Control for over 25 years.  It has been my experience that there is no one checklist that will work for all projects, firms or locales.

Several suggestions for improving Construction Document quality:

1.  Increase staff exposure to specification writing.  Many times, issues in the documents stem from inadequate understanding of the requirements and limitations of the materials and systems incorporated into the design.  Involvement in your local chapter of CSI, or at least studying for and taking the CDT certification exam (does not require CSI membership) should prove valuable in understanding the complex relationship of the construction documents.

2.  Increase staff exposure to construction administration, both office and field work.  Mentoring trips to the jobsite should bring the "light-bulb" look to the faces of less experienced staff, as they see how the materials and systems are actually installed and finished.  In-house brown bag lunch presentations of "lessons learned" at the completion of a project by senior construction administration staff with photos and explanations of both the good highlights and the difficulties encountered should help.

3.  Find a QC "champion" in your firm, and delegate both some responsibility and authority for document review.  Time and fee have to be budgeted for this task.  The reviews should be "de-briefed" with your complete in-house team so that all team members have a better understanding of how what they have contributed fits into the whole.

4.  If your staff capabilities and your client list allow, think about pursuing some "property services" type work: roof leaks, wall deterioration, material failures on projects designed by someone else.  These types of projects can be very educational, and can be utilized as "lessons learned" on your own future projects.

Hope this helps; good luck.

Alan Atkinson, AIA, CSI, CCS
Atkinson Quality Control
Honolulu HI
-------------------------------------------

Alan,
Thanks so much for this clear, straight-forward, and useful advice.  The lessons learned work is a  particularly interesting idea.

-------------------------------------------
Eugene Ely AIA
HMC Architects
San Jose CA
-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2011 15:08
From: Alan Atkinson
Subject: Construction Document Quality Management: Best Practices

Brad,

From being QC Manager at Callison's Seattle office in the early 80's to QC and Project Delivery Manager at Architects Hawaii prior to my retirement at the end of 2009, I have been deeply involved in Quality Control for over 25 years.  It has been my experience that there is no one checklist that will work for all projects, firms or locales.

Several suggestions for improving Construction Document quality:

1.  Increase staff exposure to specification writing.  Many times, issues in the documents stem from inadequate understanding of the requirements and limitations of the materials and systems incorporated into the design.  Involvement in your local chapter of CSI, or at least studying for and taking the CDT certification exam (does not require CSI membership) should prove valuable in understanding the complex relationship of the construction documents.

2.  Increase staff exposure to construction administration, both office and field work.  Mentoring trips to the jobsite should bring the "light-bulb" look to the faces of less experienced staff, as they see how the materials and systems are actually installed and finished.  In-house brown bag lunch presentations of "lessons learned" at the completion of a project by senior construction administration staff with photos and explanations of both the good highlights and the difficulties encountered should help.

3.  Find a QC "champion" in your firm, and delegate both some responsibility and authority for document review.  Time and fee have to be budgeted for this task.  The reviews should be "de-briefed" with your complete in-house team so that all team members have a better understanding of how what they have contributed fits into the whole.

4.  If your staff capabilities and your client list allow, think about pursuing some "property services" type work: roof leaks, wall deterioration, material failures on projects designed by someone else.  These types of projects can be very educational, and can be utilized as "lessons learned" on your own future projects.

Hope this helps; good luck.

Alan Atkinson, AIA, CSI, CCS
Atkinson Quality Control
Honolulu HI
-------------------------------------------