Managing Quality: General cards

Question 1

What are quality management systems (QMS)?

Answer 1

Framework for delivering required quality standards in projects

Question 2

What does the QMS encompass and what does it do? (Clue: Think what it gives the performing organisation)

Answer 2

It encompasses processes, resources, and documentation for the performing organisation to achieve quality objectives.

Question 3

What two family of standards are fundamental in establishing a QMS framework for regulatory requirements?

Answer 3

BS EN ISO 9000:2015

particularly BS EN ISO 9001:2015

Question 4

What are the two primary purposes of ensuring quality and what do they depend on?

Answer 4

1. Satisfying stakeholders - this may require further individual requirements to be set out beyond BS EN ISO 9001
2. Compliance with standards - from BS EN ISO 9001

Question 5

What is the breakdown of how quality should be managed (Clue: To satisfy the projects quality, it needs to be controlled on a smaller scale)?

Answer 5

To satisfy quality at a macro scale on a project, quality of project elements at a micro scale all need to be satisfied.

Question 6

What is the four step philosophy for facilitating continuous improvement of quality and which philosopher devised the idea?

Answer 6

PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act)

Japanese business philosophy of Kaizen

Question 7

What is the funnel for a successful quality management plan?

Answer 7

Along with PDCA for continual improvement

Question 8

Satisfying quality requires satisfying both regulatory requirements and individual stakeholder quality requirements. Why is it important to understand the needs of individual stakeholders early in the process with an example?

Answer 8

Individual stakeholder quality requirements can vary depending on individual wants, needs, or even knowledge. Therefore stakeholders needs require assessing early in the process.

An example of how stakeholder quality needs may vary: High level analysis
Take the simple example of a C30/37 in situ concrete column and satisfying concrete strength. The client may be satisfied if the ASTM C109 cube tests performed on each batch is greater than the minimum strength of 37 N/mm^2. However, for users of the building during operation, satisfactory concrete strength for them may be a function of aesthetics as opposed to the ‘strength value.’ Therefore finishing is also critical to ensure satisfactory concrete strength in the eyes of the building user.

Question 9

What two things need to be satisfied to achieve quality requirements?

Answer 9

1. Regulatory requirements
2. Individual stakeholder requirements

Question 10

Who is responsible for organising quality on a project and why?

Answer 10

• Top management
• So entire organisation is aligned to quality aspirations

Question 11

What is the general 3 step process of managing quality?

Answer 11

1. Plan quality management (at a micro scale for all necessary items to achieve macro quality)
2. Manage quality
3. Control quality

Question 12

Define plan quality management

Answer 12

Identify quality requirements, standards, and document compliance strategies

Question 13

What 4 things do we need to do in the plan quality management stage?

Answer 13

1. Stakeholder register
2. Scope baseline (effects grade!)
3. Risk register
4. Quality management plans (requirements, risk, stakeholder engagements)

Question 14

What is grade and how is it different to quality using the example of paint?

Answer 14

• Grade refers to the quality level AND suitability for different applications
• Low quality paint is always a problem, but low grade is acceptable if it meets requirements

Question 15

What key tools and techniques do you want to write about in plan quality management?

Answer 15

1. Interview stakeholders
2. Meetings with stakeholders
3. Cost-benefit analysis
4. Digital twin (create a virtual digital version of the product so stakeholders can see quality standards before execution of the plan)

What is the cost of quality? Beneficial if prevents reworks.

Question 16

What example are we going to zoom into during the quality management stage and what assumption allows this?

Answer 16

In situ concrete is used in most projects!
Therefore use concrete strength as an example of how to devise a quality management plan

Question 17

What 3 things could occur if quality requirements are not met?

Answer 17

1. Threat to workers and users safety
2. Reworks incurring costs
3. Disputes and litigation

Question 18

At what stages should quality be considered?

Answer 18

1. Construction phase
2. Operation phase

Question 19

What stakeholders are interested in quality and why?

Answer 19

During construction:
1. Architects and engineers expect adherence to the design
2. Client wants compliance to safeguard investment
3. Contractor wants to maximise profit (could have conflict of interest!)
4. Residents want minimal disruption

Operation:
1. Users rely on satisfactory quality for safety

Question 20

What are the 4 general tools and techniques for managing quality?

List any extras and what must always be done when managing quality (Clue: Very boring work!!)

Answer 20

1. Alternative analysis (last selecting method!)
2. Process analysis
3. Root cause analysis
4. Cause and effect diagrams (first)

Pareto analysis ranking defects
Flowcharts
Audits (should always be done)!!

Question 21

What are cause and effect diagrams? List an example for concrete.

Answer 21

Breaks down the causes of quality issues

Question 22

What is alternative analysis?

Answer 22

Evaluates strategies to select most appropriate to use in correcting quality issues

Question 23

What is root cause analysis?

Answer 23

Determines underlying reason for quality variance

Question 24

What is process analysis?

Answer 24

Identifies bottlenecks and gaps in the quality management plan

Question 25

What 4 things can we do to control quality?

List any extra ones. Think obvious one about collecting information!

Answer 25

1. Performance reviews
2. Control charts (XBar-R charts and XMR charts)
3. Meetings
4. Root cause analysis

Run surveys to check stakeholder satisfaction

Question 26

When would you use an XBar-R control chart?

Answer 26

When you have multiple measurements per sampling point (e.g. concrete batch strength)

Question 27

When would you use an XMR control chart?

Answer 27

When you have a single measurement per sampling point (e.g. noise level in decibels)

Question 28

What does the scope baseline affect and why is it important?

Answer 28

Affects the quality requirements by changing the grade!

Question 29

What are the other benefits of the QMS? (Think Iron Triangle Time-Cost-Performance)

Answer 29

Lowers costs
Prevents delays and disputes

Question 30

What are the main benefits of the QMS?

Answer 30

1. Directs activities to meet requirements
   2.Organisation efficiency

Question 31

What is CAPA and what initiates it?

Answer 31

Corrective and protective action

QMS initiates CAPA to investigate issues

Question 32

How do you gather individual stakeholder quality requirements for the QMS?

Answer 32

Communicate with stakeholders early, adopting IPD (Integrated project delivery) to facilitate collective responsibility between stakeholders from the outset.