Consumer-perceived appearance tolerances in construction quality management

Forsythe, P

Consumer-perceived appearance tolerances in construction quality management

Forsythe, P

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 2006, 13 (3), pp. 307 - 318
Issue Date:: 2006-06-20

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	2008001052OK.pdf		315.17 kB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Forsythe, P https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0997-9118	en_US
dc.date.issued	2006-06-20	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 2006, 13 (3), pp. 307 - 318	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0969-9988	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9808
dc.description.abstract	Purpose - To develop a method for measuring consumer-perceived tolerances concerning the appearance of unitised construction finishes (e.g. tiling, brickwork, paving, jointed façades). Design/methodology/approach - Consumer perceptions were converted into physical tolerances by drawing on an area of the behavioural sciences known as psychophysics. In particular, Weber's Law was used, which applies a formulaic approach to creating perception-based constants. A trial of this approach was undertaken on floor tiling in 50 residential properties. Tiling was chosen because it was considered representative of situations where the appearance of the finished work was important to consumer perceptions. In particular, consistency of tile joint width was measured, which had the advantage of tapping into tiles laid askew, in poor alignment or affected by variable tile sizes. Findings - Weber's Law offers an appropriate means of objectifying consumer perceptions into physically measurable tolerances. It was found that joint width in tiling can vary up to 70 per cent before consumers find the work beyond their threshold of acceptance - causing them to think the work "ugly". Saturation of such joints can occur up to three times per 5m2 area without causing consumers to complain. Practical implications - Such an approach can be easily applied to any unitised construction element where the regularity of appearance is important. Originality/value - The study provides a new and more balanced approach to the assessment of construction quality by ensuring THAT consumer expectations are taken into account, as well as the normal emphasis on technical quality standards. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1108/09699980610669714	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Building & Construction	en_US
dc.title	Consumer-perceived appearance tolerances in construction quality management	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	3	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	13	en_US
utslib.for	1202 Building	en_US
utslib.for	0905 Civil Engineering	en_US
utslib.for	1503 Business and Management	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Built Environment
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CCDP - Contemporary Design Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	3	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	13	en_US

Abstract:

Purpose - To develop a method for measuring consumer-perceived tolerances concerning the appearance of unitised construction finishes (e.g. tiling, brickwork, paving, jointed façades). Design/methodology/approach - Consumer perceptions were converted into physical tolerances by drawing on an area of the behavioural sciences known as psychophysics. In particular, Weber's Law was used, which applies a formulaic approach to creating perception-based constants. A trial of this approach was undertaken on floor tiling in 50 residential properties. Tiling was chosen because it was considered representative of situations where the appearance of the finished work was important to consumer perceptions. In particular, consistency of tile joint width was measured, which had the advantage of tapping into tiles laid askew, in poor alignment or affected by variable tile sizes. Findings - Weber's Law offers an appropriate means of objectifying consumer perceptions into physically measurable tolerances. It was found that joint width in tiling can vary up to 70 per cent before consumers find the work beyond their threshold of acceptance - causing them to think the work "ugly". Saturation of such joints can occur up to three times per 5m2 area without causing consumers to complain. Practical implications - Such an approach can be easily applied to any unitised construction element where the regularity of appearance is important. Originality/value - The study provides a new and more balanced approach to the assessment of construction quality by ensuring THAT consumer expectations are taken into account, as well as the normal emphasis on technical quality standards. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9808