The Project Quality Review Process (PQRP)
Aims
Continuous improvement
Learning for the next project
Timely identification of issues and resolution during the project process
Affirmation of initial aspirations, continual review and redirection
Improved communication
Project ownership
Introduction
The University and particularly Estates Services is encouraging continuous learning from capital
projects whereby issues identified during the project process are addressed in a timely manner
before project completion, and the benefits of lessons learned are passed on to other projects. The
aim is to foster a culture of continued review and problem resolution, and constructive feedback
within the project teams and amongst the client representatives, consultants and contractors who
work within it, with the intention of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery
process, therefore ensuring the high quality of the resulting project.
The PQRP is a whole life project process of evaluating the design and construction of new buildings,
and the refurbishment of existing buildings whilst actively involving a wide group of people who
have responsibility for delivering the project, who will occupy the resulting construction or have
some form of responsibility for the building. The process involves four key stages, Pre-Project
Initiation (PPI), Pre-Construction Review (PCR), Post Project Evaluation (PPE) and Post Occupancy
Evaluation (POE). Each stage is equally valuable and to be afforded equal focus and effort.
The Project Quality Review Process is primarily concerned with reviewing and improving delivery by
undertaking continual:
Process Evaluations
Operational and Functional Reviews
Technical and Performance Reviews
The emphasis at each stage evolves throughout the project. At the start of a project the PQRP is
primarily concerned with reviewing, and if applicable adopting, lessons learnt from previous projects
including both problems encountered (and their mitigation) and project successes. Additionally, at
the start of a project, the focus is one of developing and agreeing the brief and aspirations and
conveying this to the team. As the project evolves the emphasis evolves to one of recording lessons
learnt for the benefit of others and to one of checking the brief and aspirations are being met, to
finally verifying the functional and technical performance against the original brief. The start of the
project sees the building of a team and adoption of best practice from lessons learnt with regards to
process. This then evolves through stage review of team performance to a final review of team
performance and onward communication of any lessons learnt.
Consistent throughout the process is a continual review and improvement cycle, whereby the
project is continually reviewed against original aspirations and the team reviewed for performance
in order that any unjustifiable deviations or problems may be addressed in a timely manner ensuring
quality is maintained or improved.
Methodology
The PQRP provides a tool to assess the design quality of buildings and the project process, adopting
lessons learnt, identifying problems and resolving them and passing lessons on to subsequent
projects. The process follows a clear structure that is linked to RIBA stages of a building project, as
well as OCG gateways and other processes including the KPI and benchmarking exercises. At each
stage there is a questionnaire gathering of data and a workshop where issues are discussed and
actions agreed.
Output
Each stage will produce a formal report detailing the findings of the review and the agreed action
plan to ensure problems are addressed or project successes implemented. In addition the
information gathered at each stage will form part of the output, including copies of presentations
given and the findings of the surveys. The output of each stage also evolves throughout the project.
At the start of a project the output will focus on the aspirations and brief as well as the lessons to be
adopted from other projects both good and bad. As the project evolves the output will record
progress against the original aspirations and brief and detail problems highlighted by the surveys and
workshops and the plans for resolution. The output of the final stage will formally record
achievements against the original brief and lessons learnt on the project, both good and bad for
subsequent projects. The final output takes the form of a case study detailing the project,
benchmarking and lessons learnt.
The Teams
The PQRP requires a team who will see the project and process through from the initial stages to
post occupation. A PQRP team takes ownership of the project, and as well as professional
membership requirements, certain members have other key roles such as the end user
representatives who have key role in communicating aspects of the project through to their
departments and encouraging participation in the Post Occupancy Evaluation. The following teams
have been designated for PQRP purposes:
The Client Team represents those that are responsible for determining requirements and
aspirations and those that will use the building or be affected by it and will have
responsibilities for the building function, operation, maintenance or safety. This will also
involve Stakeholders who have an active interest in the project as a result of their
requirements to discharge their own responsibilities.
The Project Team represents those who are responsible for the design, construction and
delivery of the building.
The teams are made up of the following team members:
Client Team Membership
Project Team Membership
Project Manager
Chairman, Senior Academic or Principal Investigator
Department Facilities Manager
End User Representatives
Area Safety Officer
Disability Advisory Service
Equality & Diversity Unit
Insurance Office
Estates Services Asset and Space Management
Estates Services Direct Labour Organisation
Estates Services Director of Capital Projects and Property Maintenance
Estates Services Electrical Maintenance Manager
Estates Services Estates Strategy Manager
Estates Services Facilities Manager
Estates Services Head of Capital Projects
Estates Services Head of Conservation
Estates Services Mechanical Maintenance Manager
Estates Services Project Support Officers
Estates Services Sustainability Manager
Safety Office
Telecommunications & Data
VAT Office
PSG Membership
Project Manager
Architect
Cost Consultant
Structural Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Civil Engineer
Sustainability Engineer
Fire Engineer
Landscape Architect
Ecologist
Security Advisor
BREEAM Advisor
Planning Consultant
CDM Coordinator
Acoustic Consultant
Client Team Members as appropriate
Further Participants and Contributors
Main Contractor (at PCR, PPE & POE stages)
Principal Subcontractors (at PCR, PPE & POE stages)
Further Participants and Contributors
End Users and Occupants (at POE stage)
Ownership and Facilitation
Each stage is owned by the Project Manager or the Head of Capital Projects. The workshop is
facilitated by the Project Manager for the first two stages (PPI and PCR), as these are primarily
learning stages. The Director of Capital Projects and Property Maintenance or the Head of Capital
Projects will facilitate for the final two stages (PPE and POE) as these are primarily review stages and
must remain objective and independent, although an external facilitator may be appropriate in some
cases.
The information gathered will primarily be available to the University and participants in the project.
Stages in Summary
There are the following four stages to the PQRP:
Pre-Project Initiation
Pre-Construction Review
Post Project Evaluation
Post Occupancy Evaluation
Pre-Project Initiation
Owner
Facilitator
Participants
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Team
Client Team
PSG Members
Stakeholders Invited
Associated Process Stages
KPI Process - Setting of KPIs by PSG
Benchmarks - review and setting of benchmarks
RIBA Stage B or C
OCG gateway 2 or 3A
Sustainability Aspirations Map
Objectives
Obtain an understanding of the Client's business
Review and application of lessons learnt from previous project case studies
Setting of project quality objectives and aspirations
Pre-review Preparation
Review and gather case studies and Project Quality Review Process output from other projects
Review of Project Quality Review Process database
Completion of PPI questionnaire by Client Team, Project Team, PSG members and Stakeholders
Collation and graphical representation of questionnaire responses
Set up review meeting/workshop, invite participants and issue agenda
Facilitator indentifies relevant issues and lessons learnt for discussion at review meeting/workshop
Client, Project Team and Project Manager prepare presentations
Review Activities
Presentation from Client detailing business operations, aspirations and goals
Presentation of brief by Project Team (Architect or Project Manager)
Presentation of questionnaire findings
Assessment of questionnaire findings against project brief, identification of issues and actions to be
implemented
Review and identification of lessons to be applied from previous project case studies
Detailing and recording of actions to be incorporated into design and process stages
Output
Output document detailing lessons adopted, actions needed to ensure lessons are incorporated into
design and project process, decisions made and action plans
Results of questionnaire
Feedback on Project Quality Review Process
Copies of all presentations given
Pre-Construction Review
Owner
Facilitator
Participants
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Team
Client Team
PSG Members
Main Contractor
Stakeholders
Associated Process Stages
KPI Process - KPI survey
Benchmarks - benchmark review
RIBA Stages D to J
OCG gateway 4 to 5
Sustainability Aspirations Map
Objectives
Reaffirm understanding of the Client's business for contractor benefit
Review and application of lessons learnt from previous project case studies
Review previous PPI output for this project
Identification of areas where delivery has worked well to date and where it has not
Investigate causes of these outcomes and set up actions to ensure mitigation of negative situations
in future projects and repeat successes (continuous improvement)
Review of questionnaire objectives and aspirations
Pre-review preparation
Review and gather case studies and Quality Review Process output from other projects
Review of Project Quality Review Process database
Completion of PCR questionnaire by Client and Project Teams
Collation and graphical representation of questionnaire responses
Set up review meeting/workshop, invite participants and issue agenda
Facilitator indentifies relevant issues and lessons learnt for discussion at review meeting/workshop
Review activity
Presentation from Client detailing business operations, aspirations and goals
Presentation of brief by Project Team (Architect or Project Manager)
Presentation of questionnaire findings
Assessment of questionnaire findings against project brief, identification of issues and actions to be
implemented
Review and identification of lessons to be applied from previous project case studies
Detailing and recording of actions to be incorporated into design and process stages
Output
Output document detailing lessons adopted, actions needed to ensure lessons are incorporated into
design and project process, decisions made and action plans
Results of questionnaire
Feedback on Project Quality Review Process
Copies of all presentations given
Post-Project Evaluation
Owner
Facilitator
Participants
Head of Capital Projects
Head of Capital Projects
or External Facilitator
Project Team
Client Team
PSG Members
Main Contractor
Stakeholders
Associated Process Stages
KPI Process - KPI survey
Benchmarks - benchmark review
RIBA Stage K
OCG gateway 6
Objectives
Review process and delivery to date
Identification of areas where delivery worked well and where it did not
Review of functional and technical performance of the building, has aspirational brief been met?
Investigate causes of these outcomes and set up actions to ensure mitigation of negative situations
in future projects and repeat successes (continuous improvement)
Pre-review preparation
Completion of PPE questionnaire by Client Team
Completion of PPE questionnaire by Project Team
Collation and graphical representation of questionnaire responses
Set up review meeting/workshop, invite participants and issue agenda
Facilitator indentifies relevant issues and lessons learnt for discussion at review meeting/workshop
Review activity
Note, agenda subject to modification depending on project.
Presentation of questionnaire findings
Assessment of questionnaire findings
Review and identification of lessons to be applied to future projects
Review and identification of problems and identification of solutions and ownership
Output
Output document detailing lessons learnt and project successes, actions needed to ensure lessons
are incorporated into or replicated in future projects, action plan for resolution of problems and
responsibility
Results of questionnaires
Feedback on Project Quality Review Process
Copies of all presentations given
Post-Occupancy Evaluation
Owner
Facilitator
Participants
Head of Capital Projects
Head of Capital Projects
or External Facilitator
Project Team
Client Team
PSG Members
Stakeholders
Associated Process Stages
KPI Process - KPI survey
Benchmarks - benchmark review
RIBA Stage L
OCG gateway n/a
Objectives
Review process and delivery to date
Identification of areas where delivery worked well and where it did not
Review of functional and technical performance of the building, has aspirational brief been met?
Investigate causes of these outcomes and set up actions to ensure mitigation of negative situations
in future projects and repeat successes (continuous improvement)
Review of strategic performance of the building (key stakeholder interviews)
Pre-review preparation
Completion of POE questionnaire by Client Team and End Users
Completion of POE questionnaire by Project Team
Collation and graphical representation of questionnaire responses
Set up review meeting/workshop, invite participants and issue agenda
Facilitator indentifies relevant issues and lessons learnt for discussion at review meeting/workshop
Review activity
Note, agenda subject to modification depending on project.
Presentation of questionnaire findings
Assessment of questionnaire findings
Review and identification of lessons to be applied to future projects
Review and identification of problems and identification of solutions
Output
Output document detailing lessons learnt and project successes, actions needed to ensure lessons
are incorporated into or replicated in future projects, action plan for resolution of problems and
responsibility
Case study
Results of questionnaires
Feedback on Project Quality Review Process
Copies of all presentations given
Estates Services Project Quality Review Process
PPI
Objectives
Participants
Review of lessons learnt
Setting of objectives and aspirations
Understanding Client’s business
Project Team
Client Team
Inputs
PPI questionnaire
Client business presentation
PM/Lead Consultant brief presentation
Previous project outputs and case studies
Owner
Project Manager
Outputs
Full briefing of team
Lessons to take forward for repeating or
avoidance
PCR
PPE
Review and application of lessons learnt
Review of process and delivery to date
Adoption of common objectives and
aspirations
Contractor understanding of Client’s business
Project Team
Client Team
Contractor
Project PPI output
PCR questionnaires
Client business presentation
PM/Lead Consultant brief presentation
Previous project outputs and case studies
Project Manager
Review and application of lessons learnt
Review of process and delivery to date
Review of technical performance (against
aspirations and objectives)
Full briefing of team
Lessons to take forward for repeating or
avoidance
Resolution of problems
Lessons to be applied to other projects
Resolution of problems
Project review
Project Team
Client Team
Contractor
PPE questionnaires
Lead Consultant project and brief
presentation
Head of Capital Projects
POE
Review of process and delivery to date
Review of technical performance (against
objectives)
Review of functional performance
(against aspirations and objectives)
Limited Project Team
Client Team
End Users
POE questionnaires
Lead Consultant project and brief
presentation
Head of Capital Projects/External
Facilitator
Lessons to be applied to other projects
Resolution of problems
Project review
Case study
Obtaining information
Returning information
Applying lessons learnt
Reviewing and providing
lessons for others
Developing brief and
requirements
Building team and
understanding aspirations
Checking operational,
technical and functional
performance against brief
Reviewing team performance