Project Quality Management Program

Volume 1, Chapter 7

INTRODUCTION

This chapter sets forth requirements and procedures for establishing a Project Quality Management Program.

Quality requirements for University construction projects are established first by The Regents, next by the President, and then by the Facilities. Quality is measured as conformance to requirements established by facilities management personnel. Project quality is ultimately appraised by the Facility client.

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7.1 PROGRAM GOALS

The goal of a Project Quality Management Program is to ensure that the design and construction of a project meet the quality requirements established by a Facility. To accomplish this goal, facilities management personnel should perform the following functions for the project team in order to ensure the desired quality of the constructed project:

  • Establish requirements (see 7.3)
  • Build teamwork (see 7.4)
  • Supply resources (see 7.5)
  • Evaluate performance (see 7.6)

7.1.1 Project Team Members

The project team usually consists of the following principal parties and their associates:

Owner (University):

  • Client
  • Owner's Representative
  • Planning staff
  • Programming staff
  • Budgeting staff
  • Facilities management staff
  • Project manager (University employee)
  • Project manager (outside professional)
  • Construction manager (outside professional)

Design Professional:

  • Architect or other design professional
  • Architect's consultants
  • University design consultants

Contractors:

  • Construction contractor
  • Subcontractors
  • Project manager
  • Construction manager (acting as contractor)

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7.2 PROGRAM SCOPE

A Project Quality Management Program includes the following:

  • Quality management planning and implementing policies, procedures, and requirements.
  • Quality control ensuring that work is being performed and that work is being checked prior to its acceptance.
  • Quality assurance verifying that quality control tasks are being performed.
  • Continuous quality improvement continually pursuing improvement in the quality of the project process.
  • Quality costs redoing a project item even when this increases the item's cost.

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7.3 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES

The first and most basic step in establishing a Project Quality Management Program is to formulate written requirements that specify the roles and responsibilities of project participants. The Facilities Manual establishes basic University requirements; additional requirements should be established by the respective Facility or by the project team through a partnering effort (see 7.4.1).

7.4 TEAMWORK

The total Project Quality Management Program applies to the following sequential project phases:

  1. Planning
  2. Programming
  3. Budgeting
  4. Design
  5. Construction Documents
  6. Bidding
  7. Construction

A Project Quality Management Program should not only address technical issues, but should also address people-related issues and encourage teamwork. Technical issues include checklists, inspections, interdisciplinary plan checks, other reviews, and value engineering. People-related issues include encouraging commitment to the project, building teamwork, defining expectations, and partnering (see 7.4.1). Cooperation within the project team should be encouraged as early as possible during the project process.

7.4.1 Partnering

In the context of a Project Quality Management Program, partnering means:

  • Defining expectations of the University (as Owner), the design professional, and the contractor.
  • Reviewing procedures ensuring that procedures reflect each project team member's expectations.
  • Resolving conflicts setting up a mechanism early in the project for resolving conflicts and for periodic progress reviews.

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7.5 PROGRAM RESOURCES

At minimum, the Facility should provide the budget, personnel, and time necessary to meet quality requirements for each project phase (see 7.3). This task is accomplished through decisions made by facilities management staff.

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7.6 EVALUATION BY THE PROJECT TEAM

During or upon completion of each project phase and upon total project completion, members of the project team should evaluate the team's performance as a whole. In evaluating a project for quality, the project team should:

  • Define expectations.
  • Define problems.
  • Determine what is needed to rectify problems.
  • Estimate needed resources.
  • Determine if the project cost or program needs refining.

Periodic project team evaluations will assess team performance in accomplishing project quality goals by considering the team's:

  • Effectiveness in relation to established quality requirements.
  • Efficiency (staying within budget).
  • Timeliness (remaining on schedule).
  • Compliance with imposed constraints as stated in policies, procedures, and programs.
  • Teamwork

Evaluations can be made by completing evaluation forms predesigned with questions and data-entry requests that have been developed on an objective basis.

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