Within the construction industry, it’s critical to establish appropriate standards for quality and jobsite conditions as well as closely monitor ongoing progress and the state of a project. For this reason, performing quality assurance checks, safety audits and tracking daily activities are critical to ensuring that projects are delivered safely, on time and within budget.
As such, quality control in construction has taken on increased significance in today’s business environment. High demand, particularly in the infrastructure sector, is running alongside challenges that include workforce shortages and supply chain issues. In fact, the failure to prevent construction defects, planning oversights or jobsite injuries can be costly to construction firms.
On every job, effective quality control is an essential component of operations. It’s the fundamental methodology by which a construction company ensures that a project meets industry standards. Accordingly, it ensures that materials and construction practices adhere to code requirements. Despite the importance of quality control, these activities are often still manual and paper-based, particularly in the field. While these quality management processes are important to follow, they can also be costly and time-consuming.
By leveraging improvements in technology, many firms have streamlined these construction processes, making them easier, more reliable and more cost-effective. Specifically, construction quality management software can help construction firms streamline and simplify these necessary processes and support best practices.
Top 5 Features and Capabilities to Look for in a Robust Construction Quality Management Software
Here are the top five features to look for in construction quality control software to help deliver real-time tracking and optimized quality control practices.
Centralized Document Management: Perhaps the most underrated value of any construction quality control plan is the centralized nature of the documentation. Either in the cloud or as an on-premises solution, a centralized database makes it easier to organize, distribute and share files from any device. This also provides visibility and easy access to relevant information.
Checklists: The records of compliance are the mainstay of any quality management process, managing personnel, subcontractors, materials and forecasts. Within a construction management solution, one of the best features of quality control functionality is automated checklists. From health and safety inspections to equipment and worksite safety, these checklists can be fully customizable ensuring they fit over the lifespan of a project. These task-oriented lists ensure that quality control procedures are followed, standards are adhered to, critical details are monitored, and any deficiencies are identified and documented per customer specifications — with appropriate alerts at that. Tailored templates that meet the specifics needs of a project, program or organization help standardize tasks, procedures and policies.
Daily Journals: Project logs — which list the activities and events that occurred on a given workday on a construction site — are essential to tracking activities, construction progress and safety incidents in real-time. As a result, subcontractors have visibility to each task’s status as well as the equipment and supplies they might need the next day — all in an easy-to-access application.
Issue Management: One of the best features of any construction quality control software is the ability to proactively identify, track and address safety and quality issues directly from a device. These digital databases help quality assurance managers identify and document problems and potential issues with ease. The communication tools embedded in quality control software can also help ensure that project teams are notified of critical issues and that these issues are properly documented, prioritized and addressed to minimize their impact on project delivery. After fixing an issue, Quality Control teams can inform Quality Assurance so they can take preventative measures to make sure the defect or problem doesn’t occur again.
Punchlists: Automated punch lists that track deficiencies ensure that subcontractors and vendors follow-up with and complete outstanding tasks. An advanced solution also lets users set default contacts and descriptions for individual trades to speed up the process of creating punchlist items.
Quality control measures — from checklists to punch lists — offer a metric to check the effectiveness and safety of a construction project. These measures also determine how closely a project meets expectations and customer specifications throughout the project’s lifespan. Technology can help streamline these efforts, which in turn minimizes the chance of construction defects, planning oversights, jobsite injuries, etc.
CMiC's Leading Construction Software with Robust Quality Management Capabilities
CMiC is the leading provider of unified, integrated, and innovative software solutions which are purpose-built for the construction industry. Their suite of solutions is designed to drive integrated project delivery, optimize workflows and heighten office-to-field communications.
CMiC’s ERP is comprised of a vast array of software applications within key product pillars: CMiC Project Management and CMiC Financials.
CMiC Project Management software enables teams to collaborate with project stakeholders, control project changes, manage subcontractor tasks, stay on top of material suppliers and simplify the bid process. Built to manage construction projects, with “layered-in” business intelligence software to help make data-driven decisions in real-time, key applications include Bidding & Procurement, Construction Documents, Project Controls and Quality & Safety.
CMiC’s Industry-Specific Quality and Safety Application
Here are the key use cases and key business benefits of CMiC’s Quality & Safety application:
Issue Tracking: Identify and document problems and potential issues directly from their application’s checklist execution screen.
Daily Journals: Keep the entire project team up to date by tracking daily progress and activities.
Trade Maintenance: Set default contacts and descriptions for individual trades to speed up the process of creating punchlist items.
Customized Checklists: Standardize tasks, procedures and policies with checklist templates which are tailored to the specific needs of your project and firm.
Issues: Ensure that project reams are notified of critical issues and that issues are properly documented, prioritized and addressed to minimize their impact on project delivery.
Linking Records: Provide visibility and easy access to relevant information.
What is clear is this: leveraging CMiC’s Quality and Safety capabilities will allow your teams to stay on top of project delivery by closely monitoring project performance and keep your teams safe by closely adhering to quality standards.