Authors
Abstract
Quality has been emerged in the 1980s as the top strategic issue in industry.
Statistical process control (SPC) is an important element of total quality management
(TQM).Though SPC techniques were originally developed for manufacturing, they have
been successfully applied to certain administrative and service functions. The objective
of this research is to demonstrate the applicability of SPC techniques for quality control
and improvement in engineering organizations involved in construction (implementing
projects). One of the most important processes to be controlled in construction projects
(cost estimation process) has been focused on. The technique of controlling such a
process has been defined depending on reviewing the subject in the previous studies.
Adopting individual measurement charts is reached as the technique used to control this
process statistically. Practical data, represented as a list of projects implemented in 2002
by the State Company for Transportation Projects together with their estimated and
actual costs, have been obtained and considered for this purpose (through applying
individual measurement charts as a suitable technique for controlling processes
statistically) showing the applicability of SPC techniques in engineering construction
organizations which undertake projects along long period of time.
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