In construction sector, we adhere to the same philosophy, which was developed by Professor David Arditi and states that quality in construction is defined as satisfying the legal, aesthetic, and functional criteria of a construction project.
Before we go into the weeds of quality in the construction industry, let's take a look at the many aspects of quality. Professor David A. Garvin had identified and elaborated eight dimensions of quality based on the "eye" of the end-user, customer, or client that will be the final user of the product, services, or any construction project, which are as follows: -
1. Performance—the structure’s ability to do the function as it is supposed to do.
2. Features— additional item, equipment, system or process that add to convenience and ease.
3. Reliability—the ability to perform without defect over time.
4. Conformance—the degree to which the project meets requirements, specification or law..
5. Durability—the length of time the equipment will last until it is discarded.
6. Serviceability—the ability for making repairs easily, quickly, and at a reasonable time.
7. Aesthetics—sense appeal, such as color, sound, feel, and comfort.
8. Perceived quality—the impression the product creates in the customer’s mind.
The concept that quality has multiple facets and cannot simply be described in a single simple word or term is reinforced by Garvin's definition that was presented before, which can be found above. It's possible that various projects will give it a different meaning, and even within the same project, different users of the same project can give it a different meaning.
Let's say you are about to appoint a sub-contractor, or you are going to pick a product to be utilized or installed at one of your construction projects; in either case, what quality dimension are you searching for in the sub-contractor or product?
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