A non-conformance report, or non-conformity report, or NCR, is a construction-related document that addresses specification deviation or work that fails to meet quality standards. The report is used as part of quality control processes by detailing the problem, how it occurred, and how to prevent it from happening again. An NCR also is used in determining a resolution with a customer and documenting any corrective changes made (Non-Conformance Report: How to Report a Quality Issue, by Juan Rodriguez, September 10, 2019)
Using Project Management Information System (PMIS) like PMWeb, project entities involved in delivering construction projects can formalize the process of managing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting the status of non-conformance reports (NCR) issued on projects. PMWeb custom form builder will be used to create the form which the NCR date and reference number, the company name the NCR is issued to, the priority of the NCR, and the location of the project where the NCR relates to and NCR status. In addition, it will include a table listing all possible reasons for issuing the NCR which is highly recommended to be selected from a predefined list that not only reflects previous knowledge but also ensures objectivity when an NCR is issued. For the NCR-reported reason, the issuer needs to confirm if a picture was attached for the reported NCR.
The form will also include an explanation of the issued NCR such as details of the main reason for the NCR, why the work does not meet specifications, what can be done to prevent the problem from happening again and an explanation of corrective action taken or to be taken. The form will also include a field to confirm if the corrective action taken was acceptable or not and the date of this corrective action.
The NCR attachment tab will be used to upload and attach pictures of the reported NCR as well as attach all supportive documents which are usually uploaded and stored in their designated folder or subfolder in the PMWeb document management repository. In addition, links to relevant PMWeb records like meeting minutes, and daily reports among others as well as links to imported MS Outlook emails can be made to the NCR.
A workflow can be assigned to the NCR to ensure the formal review and approval of the taken corrective actions before closing the NCR. The workflow could also include the option of sharing the NCR with other project team members.
The Non-Compliance Report (NCR) log will capture the details of all NCRs issued and their status. The report could include visuals to summarize the issued NCR by reason, the company the NCR was issued, the number of NCR issued per month, and corrective action status. The report could also include a list of NCRs that the corrective action status is still acceptable. Of course, it is also possible to create a tabular report that provides a list of all issued NCR showing the captured details and their status. The NCR report can be specific to a project, program, or portfolio of projects.
About the Author
Bassam Samman, PMP, PSP, EVP, GPM is a Senior Project Management Consultant with more than 35-year service record providing project management and controls services to over 100 projects with a total value of over US $5 Billion. Those projects included Commercial, Residential, Education, and Healthcare Buildings and Infrastructure, Entertainment and Shopping Malls, Oil and Gas Plants and Refineries, Telecommunication, and Information Technology projects. He is thoroughly experienced in complete project management including project management control systems, computerized project control software, claims analysis/prevention, risk analysis/management (contingency planning), design, supervision, training, and business development.
Bassam is a frequent speaker on topics relating to Project Management, Strategic Project Management, and Project Management Personal Skills. Over the past 35 years, he has lectured at more than 350 events and courses at different locations in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and South America. He has written more than 250 articles on project management and project management information systems that were featured in international and regional magazines and newspapers. He is a co-founder of the Project Management Institute- Arabian Gulf Chapter (PMI-AGC) and has served on its board of directors for more than 6 years. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI), a certified Planning and Scheduling Professional (PSP), an Earned Value Professional (EVP) from the American Association of Cost Engineers (AACE), and a Green Project Management (GPM).
Bassam holds a Master’s in Engineering Administration (Construction Management) with Faculty Commendation, from George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA, Bachelor in Civil Engineering – from Kuwait University, Kuwait, and has attended many executive management programs at Harvard Business School, Boston, USA, and London Business School, London, UK.