6.1 Quality Management Principles

Quality management in the construction industry is often misunderstood as simply "building the best possible project" or "exceeding the owner's expectations." In the context of the Certified Construction Manager (CCM) exam, quality has a much more precise and objective definition: Quality is conformance to requirements. It means delivering exactly what the contract documents, specifications, and the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) demand—no more and no less.

Defining Quality vs. Grade

A critical distinction in quality management is the difference between quality and grade.

• Quality is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements (conformance).
• Grade is a category assigned to deliverables having the same functional use but different technical characteristics.

For example, if a project specifies standard-grade vinyl flooring, installing standard-grade vinyl flooring flawlessly is high quality. If the contractor installs premium marble flooring instead, it is a higher grade, but it may actually represent poor quality management if it deviates from the approved budget, schedule, or design requirements without authorization (a practice known as "gold-plating"). The CM must ensure the project meets the specified grade with high quality.

The Cost of Quality (COQ)

The Cost of Quality refers to the total cost incurred by investing in preventing non-conformance to requirements, appraising the product or service for conformance, and failing to meet requirements. The CCM must understand the four components of COQ, which are divided into two main categories: the Cost of Conformance and the Cost of Non-Conformance.

Cost of Conformance

Money spent during the project to avoid failures.

1. Prevention Costs: Costs incurred to keep defects out of the process. This is the most cost-effective area to invest in. Examples include:
   • Quality planning and developing a Construction Quality Management Plan (CQMP)
   • Constructability reviews during design
   • Worker training and certifications
   • Constructing mock-ups and sample panels
   • Pre-installation meetings
2. Appraisal Costs: Costs incurred to assess the condition of materials, processes, and products to ensure conformance. Examples include:
   • Inspections and testing (e.g., concrete slump tests, weld radiography)
   • Submittal and shop drawing reviews
   • Auditing the quality system
   • Equipment calibration

Cost of Non-Conformance

Money spent during and after the project because of failures. 3. Internal Failure Costs: Costs incurred when defects are found before the project or phase is handed over to the owner. Examples include:

• Rework (tearing out and replacing defective work)
• Scrap and wasted materials
• Schedule delays caused by rework
• Re-testing after a failed inspection

1. External Failure Costs: Costs incurred when defects are found after the owner takes possession of the facility. These are the most expensive and damaging costs. Examples include:
   • Warranty work and call-backs
   • Liability and litigation
   • Loss of reputation and future business
   • Facility downtime for the owner

A fundamental principle of quality management is that investing heavily in prevention and appraisal (Cost of Conformance) will exponentially decrease internal and external failures (Cost of Non-Conformance), resulting in a lower overall total project cost.

Deming's PDCA Cycle

W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of quality management, popularized the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, which is heavily utilized in construction quality management for continuous improvement.

• Plan: Establish the objectives, processes, and resources necessary to deliver results in accordance with the Owner's requirements. In construction, this involves creating the Quality Management Plan, defining inspection points, and establishing metrics.
• Do: Implement the plan and execute the work. This includes training workers, executing the construction activities, and collecting data on the processes.
• Check: Monitor and measure the processes and product against policies, objectives, and requirements, and report the results. This involves inspections, material testing, and comparing actual results to specifications.
• Act: Take actions to continually improve process performance. If a defect is found during the "Check" phase, the "Act" phase involves determining the root cause, updating procedures, and preventing the defect from recurring in the future.

The CM's Role in Quality Principles

The Construction Manager serves as the owner's advocate for quality. During the pre-construction phase, the CM ensures that the design documents are clear, coordinated, and constructible, which is the ultimate preventative quality measure. The CM also ensures that the contract documents include appropriate quality requirements for the contractors, such as requiring them to submit a project-specific quality control plan.

During construction, the CM transitions from planning to oversight, ensuring that the contractor is adhering to their approved quality plans. It is important to note that the contractor is ultimately responsible for controlling the quality of their own work. The CM's role is to assure the owner that the contractor's quality control system is functioning effectively.