How can you maintain the quality of your work while value engineering?

1 Understand the scope and objectives

Before you start any VE process, you need to have a clear understanding of the scope and objectives of the project. What are the customer's requirements and expectations? What are the functional and performance criteria? What are the constraints and risks? By defining the scope and objectives, you can avoid unnecessary changes, rework, or scope creep that may affect the quality of your work.

2 Follow a structured approach

VE is not a random or arbitrary exercise. It follows a structured approach that consists of six phases: information, function analysis, creative, evaluation, development, and presentation. By following this approach, you can ensure that you consider all the aspects of the project, generate and evaluate alternatives, and present your recommendations in a logical and convincing manner. You can also use tools and techniques such as function analysis system technique (FAST), value matrix, or life cycle cost analysis to support your VE process.

3 Involve the right stakeholders

VE is a collaborative and multidisciplinary process that requires the involvement of the right stakeholders. You need to identify and engage the key decision-makers, customers, suppliers, contractors, and experts who can provide valuable input, feedback, and approval for your VE proposals. You also need to communicate effectively with them throughout the VE process, and address any concerns or issues that may arise. By involving the right stakeholders, you can ensure that your VE solutions are feasible, acceptable, and beneficial for all parties.

4 Balance cost and quality

One of the main goals of VE is to reduce the cost of the project without sacrificing the quality. However, this does not mean that you should always choose the cheapest option or compromise on the essential functions or performance. You need to balance the cost and quality of your VE solutions by considering the trade-offs, risks, and benefits of each alternative. You also need to define the quality standards and criteria that your VE solutions must meet or exceed, and verify and validate them accordingly.

5 Learn and improve

VE is not a one-time activity. It is a continuous improvement process that requires you to learn and improve from your experience. You need to monitor and measure the results of your VE solutions, and compare them with the original baseline. You also need to identify and document the lessons learned, best practices, and challenges that you encountered during the VE process. By learning and improving, you can enhance your VE skills and knowledge, and apply them to your future projects.