In this episode of The Engineering Quality Control podcast, I talk about a five-part framework for quality control for engineering professionals and discuss the first part of this framework, known as Gather.
Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Quality Control for Engineering Professionals:
- Gather is more than likely second nature for many experienced professionals. This phase emphasizes determining the expectations for the deliverables. It is a step toward understanding what the end goal is. It focuses on federal, state, and local regulations, such as counties, municipalities, townships, boroughs, etc. Each has its own set of rules. Perhaps they have specific details, rules, and expectations. They may require things based on code at different phases than others that might be in the same area. You must know what the regulations are from a jurisdictional and a regulation point of view, which could add more rules and more expectations. When this happens, you may become less focused on what needs to happen to meet their expectations while trying to meet expectations that do not necessarily apply.
- Client expectations can range from timeframes, to costs, to specific desires in producing their product. Engineering is a professional services industry, but we almost always create a one-of-a-kind product for a client to use and make decisions about. These decisions almost always include spending money and are usually centered around the client’s preferences, formatting, drawing standards, etc.
- Firm standards are important so that there is some form of expectation, and when someone sees your product, your reputation matters. Firms want their plans to be consistent and similar in appearance. So, it doesn’t matter who did it, but that it has a united appearance. If a client’s preferences supersede a firm’s standards, it is important to then interlace the expectations of the client, the design team, and your firm.
- Engineering and Architectural Principles is the standard of care for engineering. It is asking yourself if another engineer with similar training and experience would do the same thing. Are you being true to this or working outside these boundaries? Are you not giving your best to every client and project that you work on? The highest quality of work that anyone can do is work that exceeds the expectations of every client. Be ethical and responsible in every project you work on. To accomplish this, you must understand what the expectations are in every project.
More Details in This Episode…
In the Power of Experience segment, I talk about how we must paint pictures in the work that we do as engineers.
About Brian Wagner, P.E.
Brian Wagner, P.E., is an engineer who specializes in civil site design and plan implementation. In addition to a career spanning nearly two decades of civil engineering, he has experience in Emergency 911 Communications, law enforcement corrections, and fire/rescue services, including K9 Search and Rescue. This different and diverse range of experiences has not only prepared Brian for his career, but also positioned him to be an excellent speaker with a wide range of valuable experiences. He strives to motivate others to change their world and wants to do the same for you.
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