Made to measure

摘要

Imagine a database that can tell you how many defects a given contractor typically leaves on a building, or how close to budget it usually gets. This client's dream is one of the Egan report's key recommendations for improving the performance of contractors. Now contractors are getting in on the act by implementing their own ad hoc measurement methods or adopting one of the standard monitoring systems that are emerging. Construction Confederation chairman Alan Crane, who heads the Egan working group looking at performance measurement, argues that contractors should assess their performance using a set of "key performance indicators" and then publish the results on a common database and compare the findings with their peers. By doing this, contractors can discover their weak points and focus their attempts to improve performance.