Conference Day One: Tuesday, October 8 2024
7:30 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Case Studies Spotlighting Projects Demonstrating Exemplary Quality
7:40 am Case Study: San Fernando Valley Light Rail Project- Building an Integrated Quality Approach to Ensure Quality Excellence at Every Phase of the Project
Synopsis
- Establishing trust and transparency from the project outset to align expectations of Quality oversight beyond contractual terms
- Taking lessons learned from implementation of the LA Metro Quality program and systems of our project partners to refine and evolve the right system for this team
- Getting buy-in and implementation of Quality data tracking in the field to enable real-time assessment and problem solving of potential issues
- Discussing how owner engagement has driven Quality best practice across the whole team, and continues to drive project success as we enter phase 2 of the project
8:50 am Case Study: Evaluating The Success of Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Integrating Quality at Every Stage of the Project Lifecycle to Minimize Warranty Claims & How This Has Impacted Kitchell’s Quality Program Today
Synopsis
- Leveraging kick-off and progress meetings to elevate Quality as a cornerstone for project success
- Identifying Quality-staffing requirements for the successful implementation of the program
- Exploring resulting cost-savings and their influence on future client & stakeholder relationships
- Analyzing why Phoenix Children’s Hospital is a benchmark for Quality Excellence
10:00 am Speed Networking & Morning Refreshments
After The Morning Break, We Will Break Into 4 Tracks For The Rest Of The Day:
Track 1
Quality Program Management
Quality Program Management
Collecting & Utilizing Data
10:40 am Establishing Robust Metrics & Systems of Measurement to Evaluate Quality Program Success
Synopsis
- Identifying the right metrics to measure Quality in different market sectors
- Establishing integrated systems of measurement to consistently and accurately record metrics
- Improving alignment and collaboration across the industry to define standard metrics and metric tracking
11:40 am Case Study: Harnessing Data Collected to Inform System Improvements
Synopsis
- Extracting trends and lessons learned from metrics collected
- Creating dashboards to visualize trends easily
- Working with teams to understand root cause of quality issues and determine preventative measures that can be taken
- Transforming lessons learned into best practices for other project teams
12:40 pm Lunch Break
Improving Field Adoption
1:40 pm Integrating Quality Activities into Existing Field Workflows to Improve Quality Process Implementation
Synopsis
- Getting field staff bought-into integrating Quality into their daily tasks
- Integrating Quality into existing tools, such as jobsite reports, to reduce the perception of additional work
- Creating robust support systems to hold staff accountable to ensure effective implementation
2:40 pm Clearly Defining Responsibilities Across Quality & Operations Teams to Improve Cross-Functional Productivity
Synopsis
- Creating systems to support the implementation of Quality without dedicated personnel on project teams
- Scaling up resourcing as projects scale: When should you have more dedicated personnel?
- Working with operational leadership to set clear expectations and ownership over Quality related tasks
- Culturally integrating Quality as a support function, as opposed to a ‘policing’ function
4:10 pm Afternoon Refreshments
Enhancing Trade & GC Relationships
4:40 pm Panel: Establishing Support & Alignment of Trade & GC Quality Programs
Synopsis
- Evaluating the main frustrations and fracture points when aligning programs across general and trade contractors
- Improving bi-directional trust and communication
- Working with trades to understand how you can best support their teams to develop a more robust, integrated program
- Exploring the benefits of integrating accountability clauses into contracts to avoid ambiguity in expectations
Track 2
Quality Assurance Best Practice
Quality Assurance Best Practice
Promoting Early Action
10:40 am Clarifying the Role of Each Stakeholder Upfront in Ensuring Quality Implementation to Prevent Scope Ambiguity
Synopsis
- Fostering a collegiate atmosphere between owners, designers, contractors and consultants
- Aligning expectations with clients to ensure appropriate time is carved out for Quality within schedules
- Exploring best practices for avoiding scope gaps during project set-up
11:40 am Sharing Best Practices for Running Efficient Design Reviews
Synopsis
- Distinguishing the key differences between design and constructability reviews, both in terms of purpose and how they can be run
- Exploring best practices for managing and running a successful design review: What is the role of the process owner, and how can you effectively lead the team through the necessary components to optimize outcomes?
- Walking through the step by step process of conducting an effective design review to understand where you can improve with your own teams
12:40 pm Lunch Break
Optimizing Design Documents
1:40 pm Developing Effective Constructability Reviews to Reduce Rework & Ensure Cost & Schedule Certainty
Synopsis
- Getting buy-in for the completion of constructability reviews on your project
- Implementing benchmarks for assessing the Quality and constructability of designs
- Discussing best practices for running effective constructability reviews: What are the elements that commonly get missed?
- Harnessing technology beyond clash detection to ensure different design components function together
- Continuing constructability reviews on addendums and bulletins as drawings are re-issued
2:40 pm Panel: Improving the Quality of Design Documentation to Prevent Contractor Misalignment Regarding Project Cost or Scope
Synopsis
- Defining the characteristics of world-class design documentation
- Tailoring specifications to the scope of work rather than ‘copy and pasting’ of previous projects
- Understanding how you can ensure continuous improvement in specifications and design documentation to keep up with industry advancements
4:10 pm Afternoon Refreshments
Assessing Quality During Prequalification
4:40 pm Developing a Robust System of Prequalification for Suppliers & Manufacturers to Ensure Quality & Compliance of Deliverables
Synopsis
- Defining criteria for value-based procurement over lowest-cost
- Building systems to verify supplier’s Quality programs and compliance to regional standards ahead of procurement of product
- Exploring the role of factory witness tests to evaluate the strength of supplier Quality programs
- Strengthening relationships with suppliers to ensure they provide high Quality customer service and mitigate issues on projects
Track 3
Quality Control Best Practice
Quality Control Best Practice
From Critical Incidence to Best Practice
10:40 am Panel: Driving Accountability for Capturing Incidences of Rework to Inform Prevention in Future Projects
Synopsis
- Overcoming resistance to documenting issues: How can you convince field personnel of the value add? How can you ease concerns of increased client visibility?
- Improving the ease of recording incidences of rework to increase the adoption of this process
- Maintaining long-term focus and accountability for documenting rework
11:40 am Conducting Effective Post-Project Reviews to Ensure Learnings Are Taken Forward & Improvements Are Realized
Synopsis
- Understanding the most valuable questions to ask project teams to draw out lessons learned
- Ensuring the fundamental learning is captured and shared in a way that it can be adopted by other teams
- Holding teams accountable to implementing takeaways into future projects
12:40 pm Lunch Break
Transforming Inspections
1:40 pm Audience Discussion: Bolstering Tools & Training Resources to Enhance Effectiveness of Inspections
Synopsis
- Simplifying inspection templates for easier navigation and adoption by operations teams
- Discovering the role of advanced technologies for enhancing inspections
- Elevating the training being delivered to field teams on how to conduct an effective inspection
2:40 pm Benchmarking World-Class Inspection & Testing Plan (ITP) Templates to Ensure All Project, Material & Regulatory Requirements Are Accounted For
Synopsis
- Ensuring all regulatory and contract requirements, as well as client preferences, are well understood to feed into your ITP
- Creating a robust plan that incorporates client inspection requirements into preexisting internal inspection workflows, without increasing the burden on project teams and trade partners
- Integrating lessons learned into future ITPs to further enhance their effectiveness
4:10 pm Afternoon Refreshments
Upgrading Checklists
4:40 pm Building Easy-To-Use Checklists to Ensure All Scopes Are Effectively Accounted for
Synopsis
- Collaborating with teams to identify common challenges with implementing checklists and improving templates accordingly
- Helping teams create specific checklists for complex, unique project requirements, as well as routine jobs
- Harnessing technology to automate certain aspects of checklists and ease completion in the field
Track 4
Project Quality Lessons Learned
Project Quality Lessons Learned
Building Envelopes
10:40 am Understanding Water Intrusion Risk Factors in Different Climates: What are the Best Mitigation Strategies?
Synopsis
- Examining common failures at each transition point in the envelope during design evaluation: What are the mitigation strategies being most successfully employed for each?
- Identifying the most effective barrier products that can be used in different climate zones
- Ensuring robust coordination of all building envelope trades to adhere to installation instructions and minimize scope gaps
11:40 am Ensuring Envelope Materials & Air Barriers Work Seamlessly Together to Maximize Building Energy Efficiency
Synopsis
- Assessing common challenges with building wraps and connections that result in envelope gaps
- Judging the optimal permeability for an air barrier depending on the project’s needs
- Establishing clear timelines for when it is safe to add flashings and other additional elements post air barrier installation
12:40 pm Lunch Break
Industrial Products & Systems
1:40 pm Discovering Best Practices for Concrete Quality Review to Ensure Confidence in Structural Integrity
Synopsis
- Selecting the right type of concrete and additives for specific project types and geos
- Ensuring effective waterproofing, site drainage and joint and crack sealing strategies to prevent mould and structural deterioration
- Harnessing field technologies to continuously monitor and test of concrete levelling and overall health
- Educating field teams to stay informed on the latest material advancements and how to adapt quality testing accordingly
2:40 pm Benchmarking Best Practices for Testing of Industrial Piping Systems to Enhance Accuracy & Safety of Facility
Synopsis
- Evaluating the testing parameters for mechanical piping depending on different mediums
- Communicating safety protocols effectively to field teams to ensure adherence
- Examining the tools available for heavy industrial pipe testing and how these can be best used
4:10 pm Afternoon Refreshments
Working With Utilities
4:40 pm Understanding Existing Utility Systems & Connections to Streamline Integration of System Upgrades
Synopsis
- Reviewing documented issues with existing utilities to inform upgrades ahead of new system integration
- Understanding and managing common Quality issues when connecting to existing utilities