CCM Quality Management Principles 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'fitness for use' mean as a definition of quality in construction?
- The product meets the lowest contract price
- The completed work fulfills its intended purpose and satisfies the end user's needs (Correct answer)
- The work passes visual inspection only
- The project finishes ahead of schedule
Correct answer: The completed work fulfills its intended purpose and satisfies the end user's needs
Fitness for use, as defined by Joseph Juran, means the product or service successfully serves its intended function for the end user.
Question 2: A scatter diagram in quality management is used to:
- Show the sequence of quality inspection steps
- Examine the potential relationship between two variables, such as temperature and concrete strength (Correct answer)
- Track cumulative defect counts over time
- Display the organizational structure of the quality team
Correct answer: Examine the potential relationship between two variables, such as temperature and concrete strength
Scatter diagrams plot pairs of data to visualize whether a correlation exists between two variables, aiding root cause analysis.
Question 3: In the context of construction submittals, the primary quality purpose of reviewing shop drawings is to:
- Approve the subcontractor's schedule of values
- Verify that proposed materials and fabrication details conform to design intent and specifications (Correct answer)
- Determine the subcontractor's markup percentage
- Confirm labor productivity rates
Correct answer: Verify that proposed materials and fabrication details conform to design intent and specifications
Shop drawing review ensures that the contractor's interpretation of contract documents and proposed methods meet design requirements before fabrication or installation.
Question 4: Which quality principle states that a relatively small number of causes typically account for the majority of quality problems?
- Central Limit Theorem
- Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) (Correct answer)
- Law of diminishing returns
- Normal distribution principle
Correct answer: Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)
The Pareto Principle holds that roughly 80% of defects or problems stem from 20% of causes, helping teams prioritize improvement efforts.
Question 5: What is the key difference between a 'witness point' and a 'hold point' in construction inspection?
- Witness points require written approval; hold points do not
- At a witness point work can proceed if the inspector does not attend; at a hold point work must stop until the inspector approves (Correct answer)
- Hold points apply only to safety inspections
- Witness points are conducted by the owner; hold points by the contractor
Correct answer: At a witness point work can proceed if the inspector does not attend; at a hold point work must stop until the inspector approves
A witness point notifies the inspector to observe if available, but work can proceed; a hold point mandates an inspection and sign-off before work continues.
Question 6: When a CCM develops a Quality Management Plan, which element ensures that corrective actions from nonconformances are tracked to closure?
- Risk register
- Corrective Action Tracking System (CATS) or nonconformance log (Correct answer)
- Cost breakdown structure
- Environmental management plan
Correct answer: Corrective Action Tracking System (CATS) or nonconformance log
A corrective action tracking system or nonconformance log records each issue, assigned owner, required action, and closure verification to ensure resolution.
Question 7: The concept of 'zero defects,' associated with Philip Crosby, means:
- It is mathematically impossible to have any defects
- The goal is to perform work right the first time by building in conformance rather than inspecting it in (Correct answer)
- All defects must be eliminated before a project starts
- Inspectors should approve work with minor defects
Correct answer: The goal is to perform work right the first time by building in conformance rather than inspecting it in
Crosby's zero defects philosophy drives prevention-based quality by striving to do work correctly the first time, reducing reliance on after-the-fact inspection.
CCM Quality Management Principles 5
What does 'fitness for use' mean as a definition of quality in construction?