Achieving exemplary quality in the construction professions

Explores the nature of quality management in professional practices regarded as exemplary by experienced clients. Ten case studies of projects carried out by such firms were selected. Focuses on three areas: the view of professional clients; the approach to quality management taken by exemplary practices; and the approach taken to managing change taken by these practices. Reaches four main conclusions: quality culture was regarded by both clients and practitioners as more important than a formal quality system; clients tended to devote more effort to initial selection of professionals than to subsequently monitoring their performance; exemplary professionals were guided by their own strong principles rather than simply reacting to client instructions; briefing was a key element in project success.