Abstract
M.Phil. (Engineering Management)
In South Africa, National budget availability is a challenge. The budget is distributed across departments and the Department of Water and Sanitation infrastructure budget is one of the smallest pieces of the pie [2]. Water supply infrastructure in South Africa is outdated and due to past inequalities and the ever-growing population, the demand for new infrastructure is critical [5]. In the context of this study a case study of a Water utility which is an institution that supplies bulk potable water has been done. This institution as well as other water utilities need to assess their culture, policies and procedures to ensure easy management of the projects and ensure successful delivery of the projects to their clients [6].
Studies have shown that a significant amount of time and money is wasted in the planning phase of a project [1]. The design phase, one of the steps in the planning phase is the focus area for this case study. The study investigates if a structured design process is fast tracked due to delivery constraints and where activities during the design process are either partially or not done, rework is caused. Past studies conducted on rework in construction projects focused more on causal factors and the cost thereof, while these studies further identified that the causes are interdependent.
A checklist, to assess the design office process document, and a questionnaire were used and analysed to complete this study. There was a substantial number of respondents and a representation of the design office was balanced in terms of experience and skills profile. Respondents agreed with most of what was found in the literature review in Chapter 2, while an in depth analysis with the findings thereof provided clarity on their perceptions.
The value of this research might be a drop in the ocean but every drop counts. It was found important to follow procedures in enhancing and managing the quality of a product. The design office shows evidence of efforts to follow procedures, but improvements need to be implemented to reduce the average amount of rework in completing a design.