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Calvin, Giorc ano & Associates, Inc. • Design Decision Documentation • Constructability Review • Value Engineering • "Community Engineering" • Post - Construction Re- Examination Each of these components is described in detail below: Initial Quality of Design The first step of the QA/QC process is to ensure that the design is of "high initial quality". In other words, the preliminary design is one that has been carefully thought through and comprehensively analyzed by a qualified engineer with expertise specific to the demands of the project. Designs tasks are not assigned to engineers that do not have sufficient expertise in the areas required, or that do not have sufficient experience to be able to make competent key decisions early in the design process. A preliminary design must be able to stand alone on its own merits, and it is an unacceptable practice at CGA to allow engineers to omit "pieces" of the design presuming agency reviewers or others will fill in the gaps. Multi- discipline Peer Review The next step in the QA/QC process is the performance of a multidiscipline peer review. This phase of review is undertaken by a committee of designers from various disciplines within the firm (or "core team" when teaming with others) so that potential improvements or innovative ideas can be introduced to further improve the initial design. This process is important to ensure that related design elements from the various disciplines work cohesively so that one discipline's component does not cause problems for another discipline's portion of the design. A perfect example is in the design of a divided roadway with median landscaping in which the roadway engineer, traffic engineer and landscape architect must make sure that all sight distances and clear zones are maintained for the project. This peer review group therefore may consist of the following: • Roadway Engineers • Civil Engineers • Utilities/Drainage Engineers • Traffic Engineers /Transportation Planners • Land Planners • Surveyors • Urban Designers • Landscape /Streetscape Architects • Electrical Engineers • Environmental Scientists • Construction Management Personnel / CEI This peer review is typically conducted in a "workshop" or "charrette" type setting in which participants sit around a large conference table with the plans and have easels and/or white boards available to sketch out concepts or revisions. The participants troubleshoot for fatal flaws, provide critiques, and generally toss around, and often debate ideas and possible innovations to the plans.