ABSTRACT
It is well recognised in management literature that to manage and improve performance a company must initially have a clear and explicit set of objectives, against which performance can be measured, to establish whether the initial objectives are being met. Edwards Deming,1 one of the founders of total quality management, proposed a cycle of planning, doing, checking and action (Figure 6.1) as the foundation of successful problem solving. At the heart of quality management is:2
• an awareness of the need for quality and continuous improvement; • reporting progress (feedback); • communicating results; • measurement (keeping score); • process: ‘Do it all-over-again to emphasise that the quality improvement
The same is true in design; improvements result in learning from previous experience. Design and briefi ng are creative processes of proposing, testing, adjusting and reformulating the proposals. To achieve such advances requires well-formulated, measurable objectives that can be reviewed both at the design stage, during construction and at the completion of the project. The concept of measurement, evaluation and feedback is now well established in measuring business success, but it is surprising how the same principles are still relatively poorly implemented in building design and construction. This chapter sets out the focus and objectives for evaluation, the perceived benefi ts and alternative approaches for establishing a successful programme of feedback.
