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New Quality Study - Infrastructure engineer-to-order production systems: Drivers, concepts and principles ofquality II and implications for research

  • May 29
  • 2 min read
University Scene
University Scene

Peter E. D. Love, Jane Matthews, Weili Fang, Denis Leonard, Gavin Ford & Regis Signor have just published a study on Infrastructure engineer-to-order production systems.


Summary


This paper explores Infrastructure Engineer-to-Order (ETO) production systems, which are used in sectors like construction, shipbuilding, and aerospace to deliver highly customized, complex projects. The study identifies persistent issues in ETO systems, such as poor quality, low productivity, cost overruns, time delays, and the need for a new quality management paradigm to address these issues.


The authors propose and develop the concept of Quality II, which is framed as a shift from the traditional Quality I paradigm that focuses on strict error prevention (e.g., "zero defects" and rigid compliance). Quality II embraces error management as a foundational principle, recognizing that errors are inevitable in complex systems but can be used as opportunities for learning, innovation, and continuous improvement.


Highlights


Key highlights from the paper include:


  1. Drivers for Quality II:


  • Poor productivity in the construction industry due to waste, errors, and lack of collaboration.

  • The need to focus on learning from errors, collaboration, and resilience rather than a punitive "zero-tolerance" mindset.

  • The potential of emerging technologies like digital engineering and Industry 4.0 tools to improve quality and productivity.


  1. Principles of Quality II:


  • People’s well-being: Promoting psychological safety and resilience to encourage open communication and innovation.

  • Operational performance: Focusing on eliminating waste (e.g., rework) and streamlining processes through lean principles.

  • Decision-making: Utilizing digital engineering and better risk/uncertainty management to anticipate and address errors.


  1. Error Management Culture:


  • Moving from error prevention to error management.

  • Establishing a culture of psychological safety where employees feel safe to report and learn from errors.

  • Proactively anticipating and adapting to errors instead of rigidly trying to prevent them at all costs.


  1. Implementation Challenges:


  • Misalignment between traditional procurement methods and collaborative approaches.

  • Lack of standardization in quality data, making benchmarking and continuous improvement difficult.

  • Resistance to cultural change in organizations focused on error prevention.


CQA Members can read the study in full here:


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