August - 2020CONSTRUCTIONTECHREVIEW.COM8UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY TO ACHIEVE PROJECT QUALITY BY MIKE SIDANI, DIRECTOR OF PROJECT DELIVERY EXCELLENCE, MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONALIN MYOPINIONAs technology evolves, so must the engineering and construction industries. Since Michael Baker International was founded 80 years ago, technology has drastically changed the tools we use to do our jobs.However, there has been a clear constant throughout our company's history­quality is the cornerstone of every project. To achieve a high standard of quality, teams must consistently meet client requirements with respect to scope, schedule, budget, and technical features. We are constantly evaluating new and existing technologies that can help our team satisfy specific criteria and quality management in all phases of the project, from initial planning and design to construction and project close-out. Communication and CollaborationTechnology has revolutionized how we communicate and work together. With more than 3,000 employees in nearly 100 offices across the U.S., our company hasmany expertsin various locations, practices, and specialtiesthat we tap throughout a project's lifecycle to confirm that we are putting forthinnovative and creative solutions that best serveour clients.With fast-paced, complex projects, the use of technology­specifically engineering project collaboration software­is oftenimperative for projectteams to remain connected, work together, and see the project progress in real-time. By creatingan interactive work environment, we are actively fostering teamwork, achievement and quality awareness, and implementation.The technology allows for stringent quality control, with appropriate checks and balances integrated into the project management process and logged within the platform.Project collaborationtechnology also allows us to integrate the quality review process throughout design and construction. Not only can we collaborate as an internal team, but we can also includeproject owners and partners, such as subcontractors or construction managers, in the process. By confirming the validity of our proposed solutions during the design phases­and including all relevant parties in this consensus­we can minimize issues during the construction phase. The importance of technology in ensuring project quality­in particular, communication and collaborationtools­became evident in the recent I-280/21 Interchange Improvements project,a highly-complex 95 million dollar reconstruction in Newark, New Jersey. This major interchange­built to standards now lapsed, positioned in a crowded urban location, surrounded
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