American Society for Quality

The 33rd National Energy & Environmental Conference

Tucson, Arizona
August 27-30, 2006
Session T21: Achieving Quality in Auditing Executing Projects in
Global and US-only Environments

Internal Quality Audits at HDR

The Evolution of a Quality Management System

QA/QC
Program

Dan Domalik, P.E., CQA

East Region Lead Auditor
HDR Engineering, Inc.

Introduction
Purpose of Presentation
HDR
HDR
My Background
Quality
Office
Quality Office
QA/QC Program
QA/QC Program
Audit Program
Audit Program
Summary
Summary

1. Introduce HDR

2.Our Quality Program

Who am I? Auditing
3.Quality
atand
HDR

Why am I here?
How does a consulting engineering
firm ensure design quality?
QA/QC
Program

Introduction
Purpose of Presentation
My Background

HDR
HDR
Quality
Quality Office
Office
QA/QC
QA/QC Program
Program
Audit
Audit Program
Program
Summary
Summary

Structural Engineer 10 years

BS Civil Engineering Technology
MS Civil Engineering
Professional Engineer (PE)

Lead Auditor 1 years

MBA?

QA/QC
Program

CQA?

OJT!

Introduction

HDR

Services
Quality
Office
Statistics
QA/QC
Program
Projects
Audit
Program
Awards
Summary
Growth

Transportation
Planning
Environmental
Architecture

HDR is an architectural,
Construction
engineering
and consulting
firm that excelsWater/Wastewater
at managing
complex projects and solving
Program
Management
challenges
for clients.
Consulting

www.hdrinc.com

Security

QA/QC
Program

Power & Energy

Introduction

HDR

Services
Quality
Office
Statistics
QA/QC
Program
Projects
Regional/Local
Awards
Audit
Program
Growth
Summary
Quality
Office
QA/QC Program
Audit Program
Summary

QA/QC
Program

Founded in 1917
More than 5,200 employee owners
Over 130 locations worldwide
$730 million in fees (2005)
Headquarters: Omaha, Nebraska

Introduction

HDR

Services
Quality
Office
Statistics
QA/QC
Program
Projects
Regional/Local
Awards
Audit
Program
Growth
Summary
Quality
Office
QA/QC Program
Audit Program
Summary

QA/QC
Program

Birck
Nanotechnology
Center

Cooper River Bridge

Ventana Medical
Systems
Corporate
Headquarters

Hoover Dam Bypass

City of Las Vegas

Water Pollution Control
Facility Expansion

Introduction

Engineering News-Record Rankings

# 17 - Design Firm
# 2 - Health Care
Services
Quality Office # 2 - Solid Waste
Statistics
QA/QC
Program# 5 - Dams & Reservoirs
Projects
# 7 - Correctional Facilities
Regional/Local
Awards
# 7 - Highways
Audit
Program # 8 - Bridges
Growth
Summary
Quality
Office # 9 - Treatment & Desalination

HDR

QA/QC Program
Audit Program
Summary

QA/QC
Program

# 10 - Sewerage & Solid Waste

# 10 - Transportation
# 10 - Water Supply
# 11 - Mass Transit & Rail
# 13 - Wastewater Treatment
# 15 - General Building
# 16 - Fossil Fuel
# 18 - Transmission Lines &
Aqueducts

Introduction

HDR

Services
Statistics
Projects
Awards
Growth

Quality Office
QA/QC Program
Audit Program
Summary

growing
How
does a consulting engineering firm
ensure design quality?
continuously improve

QA/QC
Program

Introduction
HDR

Technical tools

Quality Office

QUALITY
OFFICE
Standards
& Specifications

2008 Strategic
Plan
QA/QC
Program
QMS/ESS
Audit
Program
Summary

Client Satisfaction

The HDR Quality Office:

Leading Managements
Reviews
QA/QC Program
Commitment to Quality
Project Management
Training

QA/QC
Program

Technical processes

Introduction
HDR

Quality Office
2008 Strategic Plan
QMS/ESS

QA/QC Program
Audit Program
Summary

QA/QC
Program

Quality Management Services (QMS)

QA/QC Procedures
Internal Audit Program
Best Practices
Peer Reviews
Client Report Cards

Engineering Support Services (ESS)

Internet/Intranet
Document control tools
Software support
Standardization
Project Management Tools/Training
Construction Administration

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office

QA/QC Program
History
Audit
Program
Components
Summary
Procedures
Training

Work Well Done.

1980s Created
QA/QC Program
Gradually ignored

Documenting
our
1998 Reestablished
approach toQA/QC
delivering
Program
Quality
Updated 2002-2006
2005 Established Quality
Office and Audit Program

QA/QC
Program

Regional Quality Directors

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office

QA/QC Program
History
Regional/Local
Components
Audit
Program
Procedures
Summary
Training

Audit Program
Summary

Program Documents
Quality Assurance Procedures
Quality Control Procedures
Technical Procedures

Steering Committee

Regional Leaders
Technical Leaders
Marketing
Construction
Ad Hoc

Program Implementation Responsibilities

Defines roles and responsibilities
From the President to all employees

Internal Audits

QA/QC
Program

Evaluate compliance with QA/QC Program

Identify opportunities for improvement
Share best practices

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office

Policy & Definitions

Establishes basis for authority
Creates a common language

QA/QC Program Project Guides

History
Regional/Local
Components
Audit
Program
Procedures
Summary
Training

Audit Program
Summary

Project Management tool

Project Communications
Originating and maintaining correspondence

Project Filing
Paper and electronic files

Project Reviews
Inform management, mitigate risks

Drafting Standards
Standardize computer drawing production

Quality Control Reviews

QA/QC
Program

Senior independent reviewers

Verify quality of deliverables

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office

QA/QC Program
History
Components
Procedures
Training

Audit Program
Summary

QA/QC
Program

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office
QA/QC Program

Audit Program
History
Summary
Roles
Process
Results
Issues

Audit Program white paper

Quality Office and Audit Program launched
Lead Auditors selected
Draft audit processes developed
5 pilot audits conducted
Audit processes finalized
Formal Audit Program rollout

The missing piece

of the puzzle
Accountability

Year-end reports developed

First repeat audits conducted

QA/QC
Program

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office
QA/QC Program
Regional/Local
Audit Program
History Program
Audit
Roles
Summary
Process
Results
Issues

Summary

Quality Office Director

Reports to President
Develops, coordinates, monitors

QA/QC Program Director

Establish, implement, maintain
Promote awareness

Audit Administrator
Overall logistical support to Audit Program

Lead Auditors (East, Central, West)

Coordinates and leads quality audits

Auditors
Part-time 1 or 2 audits per year

Regional Quality Directors

Audit follow-up, root cause analysis
Development of action plan

Office QA/QC Program Coordinators

QA/QC
Program

On-site logistical support for audits

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office
QA/QC Program
Regional/Local
Audit Program
History Program
Audit
Roles
Summary
Process
Results
Issues

Summary

QA/QC
Program

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office
QA/QC Program
Regional/Local
Audit Program
History Program
Audit
Roles
Summary
Process
Results
Issues

Summary

QA/QC
Program

We review individual projects

We report on a business group and office level

Introduction
HDR
Observations Findings
Quality Office
Facts Conclusions
QA/QC Program
Regional/Local
Audit Program
History Program
Audit
Roles
Summary
Process
Results
Issues

Summary

QA/QC
Program

Areas for Improvement

Issues to Work On

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office
QA/QC Program
Regional/Local
Audit Program
History Program
Audit
Roles
Summary
Process
Results
Issues

Summary

QA/QC
Program

Post-audit Action Item List (PAIL)

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office
QA/QC Program
Regional/Local
Audit Program
History Program
Audit
Roles
Summary
Process

June 2005 June 2006

26 audits conducted
327 projects ($150 million in fees)
26 auditors participated
Well-documented audit processes
4 procedure training modules

Results
Issues

Summary

QA/QC
Program

Outcomes
Increased awareness & focus
Greater process formalization
Shared best practices
More feedback

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office
QA/QC Program

Challenges Faced by Audit Program

Audit preparation gaming the system
Small offices
Audit Program
Selecting projects for review
History
Roles
Consistency among
Process
Results
Issues

Auditors
Audits
Regions

Summary

QA/QC
Program

Culture change acceptance

Auditors owning the problem
Standardization vs. entrepreneurship
Keeping audit program fresh

Introduction
HDR
Quality Office
QA/QC Program
Audit Program

Summary

QA/QC
Program

You improve what you measure

Strengths
Culture of quality Work well done
Quality Control Reviews
Project files
What
did we learn?
Project
management

Where
are we going?
Areas
for Improvement
QA/QC training
0% Reviews
Management Reviews
QC Plans

American Society for Quality

The 33rd National Energy & Environmental Conference
Tucson, Arizona
August 27-30, 2006
Session T21: Achieving Quality in Auditing Executing Projects in
Global and US-only Environments

Internal Quality Audits at HDR

The Evolution of a Quality Management System

QA/QC
Program

Dan Domalik, P.E., CQA

East Region Lead Auditor
HDR Engineering, Inc.