Assessing Quality Performance Outcomes and the Relationship With Staffing: A General Contractor Case Study

Abstract

This paper describes a methodology for understanding how staffing projects may be assessed and considers how it may relate to project team performance when project teams implement a Systems Approach to Quality (SAQ). This paper expands on the 2021 paper "The Impact of Implementing a System Approach to Quality: A General Contractor Case Study" where the authors compared project performance outcomes and team cultural assessments for 11 projects that had implemented SAQ, the Intervention group, to a similar set of projects that had continued with a specification compliance -based approach to quality, the Control group. This study reflects organizational learning in a continuous improvement process and helps clarify distinguishing features of staffing for this General Contractor. The authors findings suggest that applying SAQ can help sustain a project team through the phases of ever-changing project life cycles and contribute to more reliable outcomes when staff is engaged earlier in the project and supported with Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) and outside project management resources.

Assessing Quality Performance Outcomes & the Relationship With RFI and PCI Processes: A General Contractor Case Study

“…The median value for the Intervention group was .09% and 19% for the Control group" (Gordon et al, 2022). The median value for time coded to VDC resources was approximately 3x more for the Intervention projects (Gordon et al, 2022).…”

“…The first paper measured project performance outcomes between the two groups for cost, schedule, change management, safety, quality, and cultural outcomes using Quinn's Competing Values Framework (CVF) and found that those that implemented SAQ had better performance outcomes more aligned with company objectives (Gordon et al 2021a). In follow-up research, Gordon et al, 2022 reviewed contract date relative to project duration and studied staffing and resourcing profiles between the project groups to understand if different inputs contributed to better performance outcomes (Gordon et al 2022).…”

“…The median value for time coded to VDC resources was approximately 3x more for the Intervention projects (Gordon et al, 2022). The Intervention projects also outsourced more project management work (Gordon et al, 2022).…”

Building Trust for a Stronger Construction Industry: Exploring the Role of Trust in Project Success

“…Detailed and thorough communication channels play a pivotal role in understanding the definition of quality requirements, integrating them into the project design, and measuring them. This process sometimes requires tools like product samples, mockups, or virtual reality for stakeholders to experience the project in real time (Gordon, 2023). Problem Solving Symptoms gap: The construction industry tends to prioritize treating symptoms over uncovering root causes (Abdelhamid, & Everett, 2000), posing challenges in identifying the actual problems within its complex network.…”

“…Knowing that others rely on our performance motivates us to complete tasks as promised, maintaining the expected quality level for the subsequent parties involved (Scarnati, 2001). Quality Before Construction: Teams must practice design quality of installation into the design of the product before the product is ready to be built (Gordon, 2023). There are two forms of expectations when it comes to the quality of products delivered in construction.…”