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About the Author
ince birth, it has always been the
S possession of a zealous drive to strive for

excellence and success, which aptly
describes the author, Noel Villarito Mades. You
may contact him at either his e-mail:
Newsletter@qualityengineersguie.com or personal
website: www.qualityengineersguide.com
His passion to achieving excellence manifests upon

his nature and will to be better than before, better
than others, and better than he ever expected himself to be. That spells
success in any way you perceive it; and, indeed, he outlined living his
successful life with such a paradigm in mind.
His primary notable success milestone since his first triumph of coming
out and seeing the world in the beautiful Island of Palawan, Philippines,
was earning a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering in 2003 from
the prestigious Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP) in Manila,
Philippines. Thereafter, he became an outright member of the Philippine
Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) soon after becoming a registered and
licensed civil engineer upon passing the board exams conducted by the
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). He would later join the PICE-
U.A.E. Chapter and the Organization of Filipino Civil Engineers Association
(OFCEA)-U.A.E.
He quenched his thirst for knowledge by taking up significant units for a

post graduate course in Master of Arts in Management back home at the
Palawan State University while working proudly as a Civil Inspector – his
baptism of fire of working professionally – at the Maintenance Department
in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. He had then scaling the rungs of success
one after the other by becoming a Project Engineer at PERCC Construction
& Development Corporation, and at the same time, completed training
courses for AUTOCAD at the Microcadd Institute, Inc. in Quezon City,
© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

3
Philippines, and for Computer-Aided Construction Project Management

(Primavera P3) at the Crescent Technologies Inc. in Manila, Philippines.
These primary local works and training programs were crucial building
blocks, arming him with the necessary basic experience to compete
globally and, as stepping-stones to seek for greener pastures. More
importantly, being Filipino, renowned for having virtuous professional work
ethics, propelled his wings to embark flying on a journey for a successful
professional growth towards the desert sands of the United Arab Emirates
(U.A.E.) in 2007. Yes, it was not a green pasture as he hoped it was; but
indeed, he found the way to the oasis of success!
Although primarily trained as a civil engineer, in no time did he gain his

spurs to carve his own niche and specialization in the field of quality
engineering. His hunger to learn more never ceases, and it made him so.
This became prominent during his initial working stints as a QA/QC
Engineer in some of the notably outstanding companies in the United Arab
Emirates such as, the Engineering Contracting Company LLC in Al Quoz,
Dubai, and the Hadeed Emirates Contracting Company in Abu Dhabi.
Even up to his current work as a Senior QA/QC Engineer at the leading

integrated multi-disciplinary construction/industrial company, Al Faraa
Construction & Industrial Group in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, he grabbed every
chance to train at proving himself and improving his personal core
competencies for professional development and performance capabilities
as a competitive global professional in the construction industry:
Applied Project Management (APM):
 A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide

– 5th Edition)
Quality Management Systems Auditor:
 ISO 9001:2008 Lead Auditor Training Course (Course no. A17027) from
TÜV NORD Group-Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., and certified by the International
Register of Certified Auditors (IRCA).

4
Quality Engineering & Safety:
 Certified Quality Engineers (CQE) Body of Knowledge from the 3FOLD

Education Centre in Dubai, U.A.E., and certified by the American
Standard for Quality (ASQ) of USA
 Level II & III Awards in Risk Assessment by the British Safety Council
(BSC)
 ISO 9000:2000 Series Foundation Course (Course No.A17176), and

certified by the International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA)
Success comes with get responsibility. Updating religiously a blog and

writing several books is his way of sharing easily the knowledge he
accumulated through the years with the people who are willing to replicate
the steps he has taken in his journey to success.
You can become SUCCESSFUL too! Whatever you do, do what you should
do, when you should do, whether you feel like it or not!

5
Introduction
ongratulations! Thank you, for downloading the eBook, “How to
C Become an Excellent and Successful Quality Engineer: The

Only Book You Will Need to Inspire You.”
Here upon these pages contain comprehensively established and proven
steps and strategies on how to become an excellent and successful quality
engineer. These include all the fundamental information you need to know
about training yourself with global standards, as well as matching, if not,
setting up newer or higher benchmarks, in the field of quality engineering.
Along with the primordial purpose to hone and help you engage
successfully in this invaluable training program through this eBook is
gaining a deeper understanding about the importance of quality assurance
and control in civil works construction. Furthermore, its intent draws for
yourself the much-needed inspiration of working out your goal of
becoming a cut above the rest in this particular profession.
This very informative eBook lays out, in detail, a self-help guide plan’s idea
of properly preparing yourself with the vital pointers and the necessary
practical skills to outfit and mold you onwards your intended personal
career development and distinctive transformation within the industry.
Essentially, the concept is the crucial integration of the following
foundations you have obtained and built along the way – your principal
desires in life; professional mission, vision and objectives; personal virtues
and character; basic or continuing educational and vocational levels
attained; and, the furtherance of acquiring important lessons through
various helpful reading materials, relative media resources, and trainings.

6
By its entirety, this integral outcome becomes your universal parameter

that enables you to keep your focus completely and sustain your
exceptional working norms and capabilities on your job performance, and
in the workplace itself. The ethical and technical knowledge earned from
this useful manual is definitely a must-have for quality engineering
practitioners, as well as aspirants who are yet to initiate themselves on
carving out a fruitful career in quality engineering.
Again, thank you for downloading this eBook! Enjoy your journey along the
path of an enlightened professional growth via this good read, with the
best of wishes that you will earn to learn something priceless while
benefitting success!

7
© Copyright 2016 by Noel V. Mades - All rights reserved.
o part of this publication shall undergo reproduction, storage in
N retrieval systems, copying or circulating in any form or by any

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, and recording, or
otherwise transmitting without a written permission from the publisher.
Alternatively, when using any material from this book other than just
reviewing simply, obtain prior permission by contacting the author, Noel V.
Mades.
In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading,
and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the publisher’s
permission constitute piracy or theft of the author’s intellectual property
rights. Exceptions only include, cases of brief quotations embodied in
critical reviews and/or certain other non-commercial uses permitted by
copyright law. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the
publisher. All rights reserved.
This document gears towards providing accurate and reliable information

about the topic and its issues covered. Any information hereupon, solely
offers for informational purposes, and as such, universal. The presentation
of the information is without contract or any form of guarantees or
assurances.
The trademarks used herein, are without any consent; and, the publication
of the trademark is without permission or backing by the trademark
owner. All trademarks and brands within this book are for clarification
purposes only, and owned by the owners themselves, not affiliated with
this document.

8
The publication believes by the notion that, the publisher, officially

permitted, or otherwise, is not liable to render accounting and qualified
services for any fraud or fraudulent misrepresentations, including
monetary losses, damages and liabilities — consequential, indirect, or
special — arising from event/s beyond reasonable control, or relatively set
out in this book.
If advice is necessary, consult a qualified professional for any specific and

further questions concerning either legal or medical matters on the
subject.
Thank you for supporting the rights of the author and publisher.

9
Table of Contents
About the Author ...........................................................................................1
Introduction ..................................................................................................5
Chapter 1: Carving Out Your Ambition in Life..............................................12
Guidelines to Achieve Your Ambition..................................................................13
Inspiration to Pursue Your Ambition ..................................................................14
Merits of the Quality Engineering Profession ....................................................15
Chapter 2: How to Set Up Your Goals..........................................................20
Basic Precepts of Goal-Setting for Quality Engineers .......................................21
Chapter 3: The Element of Hard Work ........................................................26
Essentials of Hard Work .....................................................................................27
Chapter 4: The Bookworm Advantage .........................................................29
The Importance of Reading.................................................................................30
Chapter 5: Scope of Education Requirements.............................................34
Overview: Curriculum for a Career in Quality Engineering ...............................35
Bachelor's Degree Program ..............................................................................35
Master’s Degree Program..................................................................................36
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) / Continuing Professional

Development (CPD) Certification Programs ......................................................37
Chapter 6: Trainings for Skill Competencies & Competitiveness ................39
Overview: Quality Engineering Training Program..............................................39
The ISO 9001 training program for career upgrade ..........................................40
The Fully-Educated and Well-Trained Quality Engineer....................................40

10
Chapter 7: Necessary Skills to Acquire ......................................................42
Imperative Competency Skills............................................................................43
Liaison and Communication Skills .....................................................................43
Management Information System (MIS) or Computer Applications Skills ........44
Technical Drawing Plan Theoretical Skills.........................................................44
Time Management and Flexibility Skills.............................................................45
Chapter 8: Focus and Concentration ..........................................................47
Attention Management .......................................................................................48
The Eisenhower 4-D Method of Managing Attention .........................................49
Strengthening Your Power of Concentration .....................................................49
Chapter 9: The Knowledge to Read the Technical Drawing Plans and

Prepare a Method Statement ................................................51
Interpretation of the Technical Drawing Plans ..................................................52
Preparation of the Work Procedures or Method Statement..............................53
How to Create the Ideal Method Statement .......................................................54
The Ideal Method Statement Template ..............................................................55
Useful Pertinent Documents of the Method Statement.....................................58
Chapter 10: The Knowledge to Prepare the Inspection and Test Plan &
Quality Checklist...................................................................60
Definition and Purpose of the Inspection and Test Plan....................................61
How to Prepare the Inspection and Test Plan....................................................61
The Ideal Inspection and Test Plan Template....................................................66
Summary Guidelines for Writing the ITP ...........................................................67
How to Prepare the Quality Checklist ................................................................69
The Ideal Quality Checklist Template.................................................................70

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Chapter 11: The Knowledge to Acquire Templates and Forms to Use for the
Project....................................................................................71
Chapter 12: Success: Be the Project Yourself! ...........................................74
Conclusion .................................................................................................78

12
Chapter 1:
Carving Out Your Ambition in Life
“Ambition is the path to success.

Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”
– Bill Bradley, former U.S. pro basketball player and senator
very one among us desires to achieve the most out of life, and
E thereby, to feel extremely contented. As such, we intuitively direct

our course of action to this target. Certainly, it will be as great as
satisfying your purpose in life; yet, in most cases, the exercise seems
much like a sightless man aiming an arrow towards his target— the
motivation is clearly present, but it will always need more than just luck in
order to hit the bull’s eye.
Thus, goals and ambitions in life shall not only be mere statements or
platitudes, but also, require incredible magnitudes of aiming properly,
preparing thoroughly, and persevering with the passion and patience as
the biblical Job. To distinguish your goal between your ambition, the
former is something that you wish to accomplish (commencement of
something) while the latter is what you accomplish after the realization of
the goal (completion of something).
Defining further, your goal is definitely to become a quality engineer; your

ambition is to be an excellent and successful quality engineer. In
comparison, it is easier identifying the achievements of a goal than of
those of an ambition, where realizations of the achievement only manifest

13
upon consummating all of your efforts. In short, a dream becomes a goal,

only when you affirm it as your mission statement; it becomes an ambition
when you act towards its achievement. The following helpful guidelines
will surely augment your firm intent, preparation and perseverance while
staying on course to achieve your goals and ambitions in life.
Guidelines to Achieve Your Ambition

1. Seek out a plan to follow up your ambition.
The rationale of this first guideline is to let you be aware of your target. You
ought to jot down your ambition, which you had created somewhere or
sometime in your lifetime to evaluate them for the coming years.
This will strengthen your convictions while allowing yourself to update

your ambition within your consciousness. While there are several options
available to track down your ambition, such as the non-linear personal
web notebook, a simple spiral notebook or TiddlyWiki, which is an open-
source single page application to record your ambitions, always ensure
tracking and referring to them.
Come to think of it. When someone happens to ask you about your
ambitions, you can quickly reply without hesitation; and certainly, you will
be able to carry out its achievement successfully with greater confidence.
2. Identify clearly your ambition.
You should fetch up motivating factors to identify in what fields of your life
to make your ambition. This process allows you to launch your main
purpose and direction: for instance, you may identify a particular hobby
that can surely turn out into a career in quality engineering. You can also
point out your immediate or current profession that can become a crucial
stepping-stone for your future career. Remember, everything turns into a
breeze when you are happy and comfortable at doing something you love!
3. Map out your strategy.

14
The achievement of your ambition possesses a certain game plan. Outline

each step, draft them down, and scrutinize every detail. This helps you
synthesize your thoughts, guiding you along your journey to success.
4. Review continually your ambition.
Reexamining continuously your ambition will let you keep track of your
achievement’s progression while allowing you to fine-tune your game plan.
In all probabilities, your strategy tends to evolve relative to your perception
as you go along. Therefore, with constant evaluation, such important
revisions and refinements will simplify your approach and direction.
5. Be alert for some conflicts that may arise.
Your ambition may sometimes be in conflict with your true self. For
example, by your ambition of becoming an excellent and successful quality
engineer, it just seems that you are not getting any closer to achieving it
despite mapping out your game plan masterfully. It could be perhaps, you
easily lose your patience upon running over minute details or trivial
matters. With such an impasse, it reflects a lot about your natural
character. Hence, when you think you need to refresh, reevaluate your
ambition, as it could be conflicting with your true person.
Inspiration to Pursue Your Ambition

In hindsight, inspiration is what fuels your
pursuit to achieve your ambition. It is the Inspiration is what
wind beneath your wings to sustain your
fuels your pursuit to
achieve your
flight as you soar towards excellence and
ambition. It is the
reach the apex of success. However, the
wind beneath your
big question at this point is that, where wings to sustain your
will you be drawing up the bulk of your flight as you soar
motivation and inspiration to fulfill your towards excellence
ambition? Well, do not stray any farther.
Let your ambition per se be your motivation… your well of inspiration!
Yes, you read it right! Actually, let the benefits, advantages, professional
outlook, values and virtues of the quality engineering profession, as your
ambition, stoke any dying embers of your pursuit to keep your burning

15
desire aflame! Assuredly, these inherent merits of your ambition allow you
to grow rapidly with respect to what you really wish to be. Learn why
quality engineering should be indeed your ambition, as well as your
inspiration and topmost career of choice by the following section.
Merits of the Quality Engineering Profession
1. Stable Employment
Foremost of your ambition’s rewards is that, the quality engineering

profession always remains a strong fixture in the industry. In fact, its
stability invokes itself as the job of the future. According to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics, it expects a significant 6% increase of opportunities for
employment for the profession by the end of 2016.
Nevertheless, the employment growth seems to denote trending a slow

pace. This is due to the prevalent application of automation technologies
engaged by most industrial entities in the inspection process and
equipment.
Just the same, as smart global businesses continue to recognize that first-
rate quality products and services always entice a big chunk of the
consuming public, quality engineers are always here to stay to ensure
results and job performances meet those high quality standards. In
addition, the indispensable human intellect, emotion and sensory aspects
truly spell out the great difference against perspectives of pseudo-
employed machines.
2. Professional Pride and Prestige
Everyone can always be proud for being a quality engineer. First, it is

among the best professions wherein you can build a fulfilling career with,
and transform your life for the better – happily, conveniently and
prosperously.
Second, it is relatively an enriching and clear-cut avenue of venturing

further your professional growth, especially after choosing this certain
field of specialization upon completing the civil engineering curriculum
and licensure requirements. Through your specialization’s accumulated

16
work experiences, you can scale up the profession’s success ladder

starting as an inspector, quality control (QC) inspector, QC engineer, and
eventually, becoming the QC manager.
Lastly, it is noteworthy that pride in the profession becomes lasting for as

long as you are always responsible to handle your duties. For all you know,
the outcome of any product, service or project relies heavily upon the
exceptional and responsible services of a quality engineer. Cross him/her
out in the equation, then everything will surely be a mess.
3. Manageable and Adaptable Tasks
Generally, you should note that having trouble at work is always only
present at the beginning. As you get the hang of it, everything becomes
manageable and as easy as counting 123 or reciting ABC. However, it is
actually neither the routine nor the feel of things, which is instrumental to
the job’s manageability.
Instead, it is the constant cultivation of the job’s basic knowledge,

including the strict implementation of the proper fundamentals. Examples
of which are drafting the project quality plan (PQP), inspection & test plan
(ITP), quality control checklist documentation, specific method statements
to check for each of the project’s detailed scope of items (plans/drawings,
materials, processes, equipment usage, man-hours, work activities, etc.)
and other necessary allied work requirements.
By constant cultivation of the principal workloads, this means instilling

within you a certain professional culture that essentially embodies the
fundamental concepts and principles of the profession. Quality engineers
enable themselves to design organized working systems and work
schedules that they are most comfortable working with. Thus, their
deliveries of the required optimal job patterns and performances often
results out of habit.
In the same manner, you can easily acquaint and adapt yourself to any
quality control job orientation, regardless whether the job calls for either a
horizontal or a vertical construction project. It is for the same reason that

17
the preparation of the project‘s quality control requisites are still the basic
documentation and checklist drafts.
In a more positive way, both job manageability and adaptability only add up
to your strengths and even enrich your work experiences. They solidify
your credentials and stamp your class as a top-notch quality engineer!
4. Builds Credibility, Respect, and Importance
Going back to the foregoing statement that the heavy reliance of any
project’s progress and outcome reflects the worth, responsibility and
indispensability of the quality engineer, earning the respect from workers,
colleagues, superiors and the community alike only comes naturally.
Somehow, nurturing your importance and gaining the respect from people
is actually a subliminal formula for mustering power. Such a
circumstantial merit only hones you to be more careful and responsible to
encourage prudent thoughts and deeds, which are necessary elements for
excellence.
5. Windows for Consultancy Works
The principal duties and responsibilities of a quality engineer practically

encompass the widest work spectrum of a particular project. You can just
imagine that a quality engineer’s involvement to every scope of work
actually commences from the project’s conception to its progressive
implementation and up to its completion.
Summarily, he/she is the most knowledgeable person at every work

activity detail of the project since, each specific scope of work passes
under his strict and meticulous scrutiny and discriminating conformation.
As such, a deeper understanding and vast knowledge of work projects
would certainly open doors for the quality engineer to various engineering
consultancy works. Hence, security of job tenure is never a worry!
6. Sharpened Competencies

18
Working in the field of quality engineering offers you chances to promote

your journalistic instinct, which greatly improves your knowledge of the
trade. You can harness problem-solving skills by practicing the
information-gathering tenet of journalism, asking the five W’s and one H –
What, Who, Where, When, Why, and How – regarding job-related matters.
Moreover, you can further enrich your learning process concerning the
tasks at hand as you go along attending seminars/trainings or other
continuing education programs, researching extensively for newer
systems, definitions and methodologies; digesting project and company
documents; or, asking for any necessary clarification and understanding.
Asking is a virtue. Being afraid to do so only dumps you deeper to the pits
of ignorance. On the contrary, your insistence and persistence to ask for
facts entrenches you to the hallowed grounds of knowledge… of endless
learning, which is priceless.
7. Challenging and Interesting Job
Since you report regularly to your superiors (CEO, Project Managers,

Construction Director and Quality Manager) and attend meetings with
them, you somehow feel a deep sense of inclusivity to their prestige and
rank. As they share their opinions amongst you with their logical
justifications, or discuss prevailing issues pertaining to the working
project, your inclusivity prompts you to learn more while feeling
challenged to be like them.
On the other hand, it is also noteworthy that your exigent conformations

and methodological work activity statements are already humongous
challenges all by themselves. The basic reason for such challenging tasks
is that, either the successful or the failed direction of the project’s results
ultimately depends entirely upon them. Yet, no matter what part of the job
becomes the most challenging, such challenges are what comprise a more
interesting job.
8. Handsome Paycheck

19
Without admitting, hefty paychecks present most workers the motivation

and inspiration of working diligently, if not, going the extra mile to perform
their duties. After all, one can never be happy with their job if their salaries
only meant to make ends meet… and not meatier!
Obviously, the unwavering financial security provided for quality engineers

worldwide (refer to the aforementioned data), which is $85,000 per annum,
based on the current figures released by the online job platform,
indeed.com, easily becomes one of the rallying factors to spark the needed
inspiration to pursue an ambition of becoming an excellent and successful
quality engineer. Indeed, handsome paychecks are the prevailing standard
payrolls for quality engineers, and why not? Whatever the outcome of any
project, the buck always stops at them! They truly deserve higher salaries.
The rate of job promotions within the quality engineering profession is

relatively high. Promotions, which naturally correspond to higher pay, are
mandatory, more so, as you grow and accumulate your years of working
experiences. Rationally, acquiring wider experiences in the field equates to
quicker progressions above the industry’s career ladder. Consequently, it
inclines to providing you a bigger room for receiving more job offers and
opportunities. Who would not chase such an inspiration, or bluntly
speaking, a gratifying reward for an ambition?
“We can each define ambition and progress for ourselves.

The goal is working towards a world, where expectations are not set
by the stereotypes that hold us back, but rather, by our personal
passion, inspirations, talents and interests.”
Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, Inc.

20
Chapter 2:
How to Set Up Your Goals
“Goals determine what you’re going to be.”

– Julius Erving, former U.S. pro basketball star
id you ever think about what you are going to do and where you
D want to be after five or ten years? Can you define clearly your
principal objectives of your current job? Are you aware about the
achievements you need to perform by day’s end?
These are only a few trivial questions that somehow help you define
whether you have a particular goal to accomplish or mindful enough about
the importance of having a goal. Without having a certain goal, you lose
your direction and concentration. As a result, you will only breed sooner a
life of mediocrity and lethargy; and, success becomes alien to you!
You really ought to set up goals if you wish to succeed in life, in the
workplace, or in whatever you do. A goal, either big or small, may be a
means of progress or development to provide us a sense of purpose and a
meaningful life. It directs us along our journey to whatever or wherever we
want to be while letting ourselves more engaged and interested focusing
towards its achievement. Not only does setting up goals allow you to
become the master of your fate; but it also offers you a standard or a
gauge by which you can distinguish your progress or success. These
provisions of our goals essentially comprise our total happiness.
However, you ought to learn setting up your goals in order to achieve them.
It is absurd to declare easily, “I want to be…” and simply wait for fate to

21
realize it. Setting up goals is actually a whole process. It begins with a

continuous and careful thought of your dream… of what you wanted to be
or obtain. Along the process, it entails developing a well-defined course of
action plan, which intends to guide and motivate you towards reaching your
objective. Ultimately, it ends with tremendous amounts of effort and hard
work to perform diligently each step of the process.
Nevertheless, how we set out our goals can spell a difference to attaining
them. Therefore, you should also seek to understand these goal-setting
procedures, which allow you to develop a formula of setting up, and
realizing your goals.
Basic Precepts of Goal-Setting for Quality Engineers

1. Keep focused and motivated!
It is of great importance that the goal you set up shall motivate yourself.
This is because motivation plays a pivotal role to the accomplishment of
your goal. Ensure that the goal must have much significance to you, and
that, there should be an element of worth towards its achievement. Else,
you will only have lesser chances of making them happen just as you pay
lesser interest for its outcome. As it would be the case, frustrations and
disappointments befall upon you. These negative emotions douse off any
burning motivations, and eventually, you self-destruct by imposing upon
yourself an adverse train of thoughts.
Therefore, when setting up a goal, establish a causal connection to the

primordial priorities in your career or life. In this way, it becomes a
necessity for you to experience a pressing urgency, or the unyielding
pressure that you “ought to” do something. In other words, you should
alter your attitude to alter your life.
If you do not have this kind of intensity to focus, this leaves you with
complexities of incurring several goals while giving you lesser and lesser
time to commit working each out. Since accomplishing a goal demands an
undying commitment, it is better to optimize possibilities of success!
Motivation pointer: To guarantee that your goal motivates you, note down
reasons of its importance to you. If you begin losing your confidence and

22
entertaining ideas of failing to realize your goal, pose yourself with an

inquiring statement that will somehow motivate you: “What would I relate
to others, convincing them that my goal was feasible and worthwhile?”
2. Apply the S.M.A.R.T. goal concept!
By the real sense of the word, SMART means being clever and describes a
person to possess a discerning character. However, each letter also forms
the acronym, S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and
Time-bound – a common catchword used within circles and training
programs promoting goal orientations and personal development.
In essence, its concept commands you to be smart to set up S.M.A.R.T.

goals. Moreover, this goal-setting precept necessitates that your goal
should be powerful and overwhelming enough to involve sharp and
forceful activities towards achieving your goal.
2.1 Specific
Set up a specific goal! Otherwise, your goal would only provide you with
an insufficient and unclear direction. Always note that a goal must lead
guide you along the path of success. A well-defined goal makes it
easier for you to reach your intended destination.
2.2 Measurable
Set up a measurable goal! Involving a definite timeframe or exerting the

right amount of effort towards accomplishing a goal is important. It is
for you to know and measure up levels of success. Neglecting any
means of measuring or accounting your successes lets you skip events
that go along with the recognition of actually accomplishing a certain
milestone.
2.3 Attainable
Set up an attainable goal! Be sure that the goal you set up is possible to
accomplish. You will only lose your confidence and encouragement if
you set up a goal without any concrete plans of working it out through
the end.

23
Nevertheless, avoid impulses of setting up a goal, which is plain easy to

attain. An accomplished goal that does not involve you exerting any
efforts can be strikingly less important. Hence, the attainability of a
goal means that you are strong enough to set up realistic goals that
even bear an element of failure. Challenge yourself when achieving
goals! In the end, your triumph brings you the sweetest personal
fulfillment.
2.4 Relevant
Set up a relevant goal! It must have relevance to your life’s purpose or

career path. Aligning your goal with your mission will set forth and
create the focus required for your success; a derailment or setting up
an incoherent and incompatible goal from your intended direction
would definitely be a waste of time, money and effort.
2.5 Time-Bound
Set up a time-bound goal! There must be a terminal date for the

realization of your goal. Similar to being a measurable goal, this entails
knowing when and where along the way you are able to celebrate the
accomplishment. Incorporating a deadline will heighten the pressure to
come full circle; and thereby, accomplishment comes on time or faster.
3. Register goal statements!
Perceive the tangibility of your goal by recording or writing it down as a

statement. This will serve you as a constant reminder about working your
goal out to its realization. When writing, employ the modal auxiliary verbs –
“can,” “will,” and “shall” – instead of their respective past tense forms of
“could,” “would,” and “should” on your goal declarations. You might as
well capitalize or highlight the verb in bold font, or even end the statement
with an exclamatory point (!) to put emphasis for its demanding tone.
As an example, you may record your goal statement as, "I WILL complete
my course for the American Society for Quality (ASQ) certification before
the first half of the year ends!” “I SHALL be a Certified Quality Engineer
(CQE) by July of this year!" Registering such goal statements invokes some

24
sense of urgency, which wields power to command and summon your

passion to perform what you ought to.
Writing pointers:
a. Structure your goal declarations in a positive manner. If you wish to

widen your knowledge about your job, write down, "I WILL attend the
series of Total Quality Management (TQM) training programs by Laing
O’Rourke in the third quarter of this year!” instead of, “I WILL attend
the Total Quality Management (TQM) training program in the third
quarter of this year!” The former statement is precise and calls to
motivate while the latter seems to propose an escape clause to skip
attending one or two programs, and without being clear on which to
attend among the presenters offering the same training programs.
b. Prioritize writing down your goals over the top, using either your daily
agenda checklist or action plans registry.
c. Create a motivation board where your goals can be conspicuous on

post-it flags, reminding you constantly of working them out.
4. Devise a course of action plan!
Since goal setting is a process, it essentially consists of operating

procedures. It necessitates an outlined plan of actions to execute along the
course of achieving. Hence, note down all the necessary steps for your
goal’s action plan; mark a check, or annotate as, “completed” each
consummated step for you to know about your progressions inching closer
to your goal. Devising such a course of action plan is considerably
important, especially for bigger, long-term, and exacting goals.
5. Adhere to it!
Bear in mind, goal setting is not only a means to an end, but also, a
continuous workout. Create reminders to monitor your sincere
involvement in the undertaking, and schedule available windows of time
for reevaluating your goal.
Again, while your chief destination may seem the same throughout the
long haul, your devised course of action plan may tend to alter significantly

25
along the way. So, besides making the necessary revisions to suit the
process, always ensure that the urgency, worth, and relevance of your
goal, as well as achieving it, remain high.
Therefore, what WILL be your course of action to accomplish within a

certain period?
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more
common than unsuccessful men with talent are. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost
a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and
determination are omnipotent.”
– Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the U.S.A.

26
Chapter 3:
The Element of Hard Work
“All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them
become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very
striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major
building block in the person we are today.”
— Pope Paul VI
est harboring misconceptions, ‘hard work’ is actually not a physical
L endeavor; rather, it is an emotional experience! The confusion about

the phrase’s definition somehow arises from the cliché, “Hard work
leads you to achieving anything!” By all odds, this piece of advice has
already lost its meaning due to the usual perceptions that we have already
been a hardworking bunch all these times, yet, a multitude amongst us
still seems getting to nowhere.
However, the problem does not really lie upon the foregoing commendable
guiding statement. For all you know, not everything you do is hard work –
your routine, job, chores, obligations, and favors to others. They are
essentially survival mechanisms, which you exercise in your daily lives.
What you do more beyond and above all these regular mundane exercises
is hard work. Simply put, it is going the extra mile out of the usual grind of
things. It manifests the combination of the urge, plan and purpose,
inspiration, challenge, tough sacrifices, persistence, diligence,

27
perseverance, and all the other virtues of willpower to accomplish

something – be it a job, an activity or your goal.
Essentials of Hard Work

Indubitably, the element of hard work is among the crucial contingent
factors necessary for the attainment of your goals; alternatively, success.
In fact, hard work is the ultimate path one must undertake, especially for
those who never had a fair share of life’s bounties; or, for those who were
not born lucky, smart and wealthy. Although each individual’s successful
journey towards their goal is distinct from each other, the elements of
hard work upon which they practice religiously are oftentimes parallel or
aligned to a certain set of the following essentials:
1. Drive – is your motivating factor, your inspiration, your pressing urge,

and your primordial reason to push efforts of working harder.
2. Plan – whereas, your drive is inherently the heart and soul of your hard
work, your plan is your bones that hold everything together. It outlines
your course of action while guiding and monitoring your progress.
3. Grind – is getting into the verge of dullness, discouragement,

stressfulness, and laboriousness when working hard ceases to be
interesting. The way you manage the grind is oftentimes what
distinguishes the men from the boys… the winners from the quitters.
4. Sacrifice – is the overwhelming gravamen or dilemma of hard work. All

ambitious ventures necessitate significant levels of extreme sacrifice.
The real test though is to how you endure the sudden pain and strain in
your erstwhile comfort zones.
5. Payoff – is the sweet reward. The fruits of hard work shall only become
worthwhile if you can identify hitting the milestones of your goals and
recognize your failures along the way while learning from them.
Regardless of how hard you thought you were working as a quality

engineer, believe that you can do more… that is, to work harder! However,

28
you must perform passionately just as much spiritual and emotional hard
work as exerting mental and physical hard work.
The real essences of hard work entail corrosive effects in your lifestyle,
but why worry? They are, after all, exactly what they intend to be! While
there are both the advantages and disadvantages to this spiteful effect,
everything is worth at the end, for as long as your goal and its successful
accomplishment are what you truly wished.
They are reasons to celebrate indeed, yet, not for long since the payoff is
never terminal. Thus, you ought to raise the bar and keep moving forward.
Defend your victory going into the challenges ahead.
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation,

hard work, and learning from failure.”
– Gen. Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State
and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

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Chapter 4:
The Bookworm Advantage
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends;

they are the most accessible
and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”
– Charles W. Eliot, former Harvard University president
here is much more to your profession, your extra-curricular
T activities or even your life than the time you exhaust meaninglessly
tinkering or playing with your latest technological gadgets and
gizmos. In hindsight, reading books is a worthier alternative to while away
your time from the hassles and bustles in your day-to-day living. Give
yourself a break from tackling the challenges in life – have time to read
and make it a habit!
Reading is the primary step to about almost everything you do or wish for,
like becoming an excellent and successful quality engineer. It imbues
peace and comfort within you, allowing yourself to be calm and relaxed
while introducing the occurrence of an active mental calisthenics in your
psyche. Henceforth, without your knowing, reading certainly helps you in a
more positive way by building a strong foundation and strengthening each
rung of your achievement ladder as you scale onwards to success.
No words could ever describe the joys and fulfillment of reading.

Compared to watching movies, reading makes you feel greater by having a
sense of inclusivity as you immerse yourself into a particular world, which

30
the writer created just for you. At the same time, you are able to represent
certain things, scenes, situations, and real-life characters into the plot;
and thereby, creating too your own world inside your thoughts with respect
to your rich interpretations. As the American writer, Edmund Wilson, aptly
puts it, “No two persons ever read the same book.”
As a result, reading hones the power of your imaginations, together with

your analytical and comprehensive skills. In other words, it enhances you
to perceive your ideas in a visual manner. That also means to say that the
principal intent and benefit of reading is developing you to become a better
and more knowledgeable person.
However, realizing this main purpose of reading books can only push
through if, and only if, you put your act on it. Merely completing to read
books after books sans any serious reflections and interactions from your
end is an inutile undertaking, which will never help you.
Your personality, character, and ambition, or what you truly want to

become depends a lot upon how you interact across the topics and niches
of the books of your choice. A quotation from the poet Ralph Waldo
Emerson truly mirrors such premise, “If we encounter a man of rare
intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.”
As you keep on with the habit of reading, reflecting and interacting with the
books’ contents, you begin shaping up your own personal values, virtues
and thoughts, which will then challenge the customary beliefs that you
have been familiar with through all your years. Indeed, reading is
important. Yet, to let you have a more in-depth understanding about its
summative importance, herewith are a few points to help you acquire a
new desire to make reading a good habit.
The Importance of Reading
1. Exposure to Novel Things, Knowledge, and Ideas

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Exploration and discovery commences from reading and comprehension.

Reading exposes you to a myriad of new things – knowledge, information,
and the various ways of problem solving and achieving something. Without
you knowing it, you embark on an adventure that allows you meeting up
with serendipities, like finding out a new hobby, guide, career, interest, or
a goal that you fervently desire to succeed upon in the future.
2. Personal Development
Reading helps you to improve for the better – instilling self-confidence;

focusing your train of thoughts, which allows you to plan or exercise
prudence prior to plunging into any actions; and, improving your memory
and growing your vocabulary wider. Eventually, reading creates for you a
structured direction towards a more enlightened understanding, yet, wiser
acts to undertake and face challenges ahead.
2.1 Building up Confidence and Self-Esteem
Since you can gain as much knowledge as much as you read, you will begin
to feel better about yourself and trust your capabilities. For instance, when
you catch yourself amidst an important discussion or conversation, you
would not inhibit yourself offering your two-cent’s worth. You will feel
neither inferior nor shy to the rest of the group since you are able to
participate and become more conversant, being knowledgeable about the
nuances and intricacies of the topic discussed.
2.2 Improving Memory and Concentration
You may not know it, but you can substantively improve your memory
through reading on a regular basis. Whenever you read, you tend recalling
and remembering several significant and trivial facts, events and
information in the content. This may be a no-brainer, but studies show that
people lose their memory if they do not use it. Thus, by constant reading,
you only nurture and sharpen your memory.
In addition, an improved memory springs from an undistracted

concentration. As you sit quiet and still while reading, you are actually
exercising your concentration, especially if the content is compelling that
you itch turning the next page. Reading enables to get your attention drawn

32
in on a particular situation while gaining for yourself the ability to focus for
longer durations, unperturbed by all the other seemingly interesting
matters or events around you.
2.3 Wider Vocabulary
Obviously, you carry a treasure trove of words if you make reading a habit.
Not only will your vocabulary grow as vast as the words you digested, but
reading also ameliorates your spelling, grammar, and word usage.
Definitely, you can soon take notice of the difference when you begin
reading even at least a few leaves each day.
3. Enhancing Understandings
Grab the chance to ripen your raw understandings through reading,

especially about topics capturing your interest. In fact, reading helps you
seek out the truths about something. As you invest more of your time into
reading, you profit a clearer and extensive understanding of the entire
gamut of your fascination and fancy. Like playing a new sport, reading its
rules gives you a deeper understanding on how to play it well and plot your
strategy to victory.
4. Heeding the Call to Action
Usually, prior to taking action into anything, you want to solicit some
guidance, advice, or ask for help. Turn to reading materials, as they give
you the motivation to do what you ought to do properly. Reading self-
motivating or how-to books such as what you are reading now helps you to
becoming more prepared and suit up your following actions. Even when
reading fiction, you can somehow pick up a lesson or two by which you can
apply them towards performing your chosen endeavors.
5. Acquirement of Positive Influences and Experiences from Others
Books that record the successes of certain personalities are oceans of

pearls for you to farm with as much advice as failures therein. By reading
them, you are actually acquiring and learning about the experience,
knowledge, and influence of some great people. This can accelerate your
progress towards your goal, since you no longer need to commit the same

33
past foibles and follies done by these important people in their lifetime
while you concentrate on the right direction in accomplishing your goal.
6. Bridging Brains and Advancement of the Learning Process
You are in utter silence while you read; that is because, reading links up
straight to your brain. Amidst the silence, you discover more and more as
your brain is keen, clear, and concentrates to digest and comprehend
thoughts. Hence, you exercise cultivating your learning process to grow by
comparing and seeing from the standpoint of writers about their views.
7. Enriching Creativity and Imagination
Oftentimes, books transcend imagination. They transport you into a world

created by your own imagination, affirming that everything is possible on
Earth. You can visualize a different perspective to see something you have
been familiar, and on how a unique action result into different reactions.
Akin to a meshwork, your imagination keeps connecting more than ever to
things you have known and still to acquaint with, forming a creative
tapestry composed of threads of new solutions.
“Whosoever says they have only a life to

live must have never known how to read a book.”
– Noel V. Mades, BSCE, CQE, top Quality Engineering practitioner
in the United Arab Emirates

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Chapter 5:
Scope of Education Requirements
“The function of education is to teach one to think

intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character –
that is the goal of true education.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr., minister and Civil Rights Movement activist
ractitioners in the field of quality engineering are basically
P responsible to engage in inspecting and testing procedures of

products and services, and assure examination results are
compliant to required global industry standards, safety regulations, and of
course, quality norms.
In most industries, they are actually integral constituents of manufacturing

processes, service performances, or entire project implementations;
wherein, they monitor, record and evaluate test results, and after which,
submit their interpretative reports to management.
Therefore, to rely greatly upon these capacities and capabilities of

performing even the most elementary tasks of a quality engineer, it is
justifiable that an ideal and formal technical education program is a
foremost requirement for the quality engineering profession. Normally,
the learning scheme compels to prepare aspirants for entry-level positions
involved in certain aspects of conceptualization, design, development, and
production of products and services.

35
Overview: Curriculum for a Career in Quality Engineering

Usually, degree programs encompass the standard subjects that promote
students onwards to licensure, certification, or master’s level. On the
contrary, the associate’s degree program covers basic proficiencies and
skills, and orient learners to quality assurance techniques, statistical
engineering and metrology.
A certified associate's degree accounts for only a quarter (two years) out of
the eight years of educational/training experience appropriated for
certification by the program. To note, completing an associate’s degree is
a validation of a graduate’s eligibility for enrolment in a bachelor's degree
program. Here is an overview on the education program in quality
engineering.
 Program degree: generally, bachelor's or master's degree
 Program duration: within 2 to 4 years
 Prerequisites: secondary education or General Equivalency Diploma

(GED) for an associate’s degree; bachelor's degree for a master's
degree
 Other requisites: American Society for Quality (ASQ) certifications or

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) units or special trainings
Bachelor's Degree Program

Although a job as a quality engineer falls commonly under the extensive
career scope of industrial engineers, a 4-year bachelor's degree readily
meets the basic training and education requirements for the quality
engineering profession. Thus, even a holder of a bachelor’s degree in
Architectural can be one. However, employers in the construction industry
in particular, require quality engineer applicants to be holders of a
bachelor's degree in engineering, preferably, a civil engineering course
with solid foundations in quality engineering or quality control.

36
The prospectus of a bachelor's degree program instructs students further

about lessons in Structural Mechanics, Surveying, Building Construction
Materials, Concrete Technology, Geotechnical Engineering, Building
Construction, Strength of Materials, Foundation Engineering, Structural
Design, and Construction and Project Management.
Ideally, the bachelor's degree program augments upon the basic

proficiencies and skills taught in an associate's degree program. However,
either a secondary education or alternative learning equivalencies or
vocational training programs are accredited preparatory courses to a
graduated bachelor's degree, which accounts a 4-year educational/training
experience unto the certification program’s requisites.
Master’s Degree Program

Although most of the quality engineering job vacancies demand candidates
for the position of having completed a 2-year master's degree program,
specifically, in quality assurance, a master’s degree program, more often
than not, prepares quality engineers to a managerial position.
Typically, a master's degree program imparts advanced skills and broader

lessons that become impetuses to permit a quality engineer waiving a 5-
year educational/training experience on the certification program’s
examination requisites.
Aside from the usual exploration of charts, diagrams, histograms, and

prioritization matrices, which are basic components for devising reliable
managerial data and statistical information, the master's degree program
focuses mainly on quality concepts, principles and theories, including the
different quality methods and techniques to upgrade standard qualities in
either manufacturing or project activity settings.
Inasmuch as the program emphasizes upgraded lessons, it also stresses

learning updated managerial sciences like, kaizen – the Japanese
business philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices and
personal efficiencies. In addition, candidates of the program dabble into
the administrative and technical aspects of quality control. This syllabus

37
covers advanced training and education in the fields of Metrology,

Advanced Experiment Design, Technical Communication, Quality Function
Management and Research, Systems Failure Analysis, and Value-Based
Quality.
In the preparation for superior performance levels, the program also

integrates a coursework on Quality Project Management that simulate
managing workgroups/organization through applying the Planning-
Leading-Organizing-Controlling (PLOC) management systems, doing to
perfection Sampling Plans, executing Quality Cost Analyses, and enforcing
an archetypical Quality Control Program.
Lastly, apart from the program’s rigid training, it also introduces studies in
benchmarking and customer satisfaction through in-depth
comprehensions about the global quality control standards and
methodologies namely, the Six Sigma discipline, ISO 9000 quality
assurance system, Statistical Quality Control (SQC) evaluation tools, and
Total Quality Management (TQM) approach.
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) / Continuing Professional

Development (CPD) Certification Programs
The Continuing Professional Education (CPE) and Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) certification programs are annual undertakings of
self-certification processes through attending conferences/conventions,
seminars, webinars or online conferences, workshops, trainings and
aptitude tests offered by various professional groups and private
businesses.
The basic context of these programs anchors upon furthering the career
development and working knowledge and experiences in the quality
engineering professions. These programs impose upon the practitioners to
facilitate a self-accreditation process after completing and reporting
CPE/CPD hours, usually, every yearend.
Among the noted professional organizations/institutions, the American

Society for Quality (ASQ) – a knowledge-based global community of quality

38
professionals dedicated to promoting and advancing quality tools,

principles, and practices in their workplaces and communities – presents
15 different types of certification programs for quality engineering
practitioners, and conducts corresponding examinations for each program.
Applicants usually learn crash courses in strategic planning,

environmental impacts and regulatory changes, project management, and
technological advances, and improving safety in the workplace.
To complete a CPE/CPD certification, both programs require enrollees an

accumulation of a certain minimum of years of work-related experiences
prior to taking and passing the usual 3 to 5-hour aptitude exam. The
corresponding certifications entail a validity of 3 years, after which,
practitioners undergo another recertification of CPE/CPD hours.
“You can teach a student a lesson for a day;

but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will
continue the learning process as long as he lives.”
– Clay P. Bedford, former President of Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics

39
Chapter 6:
Trainings for Skill Competencies & Competitiveness
“Job training empowers people to

realize their dreams and improve their lives.”
– Sylvia Mathews Burwell,
U. S. Secretary of Health & Human Services
Overview: Quality Engineering Training Program

ore often than not, quality engineering training programs occur
M on the job. Job trainings are widely distinct depending upon the
type of industrial sector by which the company is part of (civil,
mechanical, aeronautical, electronics, etc.) and the quality engineer’s
specific job, duties and responsibilities (preparation of quality documents,
quality controlling, quality inspection, auditing, managerial, etc.)
Typical job training program consists of learning how a certain company

designs, devises, implements, and sustains testing systems and standards
while orienting with the applications of metrology devices, analytical and
statistical processes, electronic equipment, and specialized computer
programs. In addition, quality engineers learn working as a team that may
include supervisors, developers, and managers.

40
The ISO 9001 training program for career upgrade

Trainings or seminar can be very beneficial to the growth of a quality
engineer. This will not only to upgrade the stagnant knowledge taken from
tertiary education but to become a “competent” quality engineer. The
training that you can avail are the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management
System. Once the student passed the examination he or she can be a “Lead
Auditor” that can handle audits internally or externally. There are few
more trainings that you can get. See my about me page. It can also boost
your career and attract high potential for job interviews. Some companies
today are requiring Lead Auditor training.
The Fully-Educated and Well-Trained Quality Engineer

Before undergoing any further training programs, quality engineers must
have, at least, a bachelor’s degree in an engineering field of specialty or
other related fields. Via these formal engineering education requirements
and on-the-job training programs in quality engineering, the industry
expects candidates to acquire the standard necessary methods, tools, and
work systems to improve products and services.
The society in general, looks up to the accouterments or what truly makes

up a quality engineer; and, the industry in particular, obviously assesses
what it expects from a full-pledged, competent and well-educated quality
engineer. Herewith are the following general expectations, which also
constitute part of being an excellent and successful quality engineer, who
SHALL have:
 the fundamental knowledge of professional ethics, improvement

systems, interpersonal relationships, training, leadership, supplier
relations and performance, customer expectations and satisfaction,
organizational and team dynamics, standards, tools, methods, systems,
principles, and quality philosophies
 the essential understanding of the design, development, documentation

processes and implementation of a standard quality system applied in
both local and global requirements

41
 the intellectual acquirement of the quality audit processes, which

involves specific categories of audits, preparation, planning, execution,
monitoring, and reporting results
 the basic erudition of reliability, risk management, and maintainability,

including factual reporting, key definitions and terminologies, systems
design, modeling, and assessment tools
 the capability to devise and implement quality assurance and control

programs, which includes analyzing, problem solving, tracking, and
reporting
 the adeptness to plan, assure and control production/processing

qualities conforming to planning processes, quality principles, material
control, measurement systems, and acceptance sampling
 the comprehensive scope of mind to knowing ways to hurdle obstacles

to improving quality thru quality improvement techniques, which
consolidates the familiarity of quality tools, planning/management
tools, and corrective/preventive actions
 the capacity to acquire data and statistics while having the mental
grasp to analyze all these through applying the proper standard
quantitative methodologies across a wide range of business settings in
order to facilitate improvements and process analyses
“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act

rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those
because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
– Aristotle, philosopher

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Chapter 7:
Necessary Skills to Acquire
“A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents,

works his tail off to develop them into skills,
and uses these skills to achieve his goals.”
– Larry Bird, former U.S. pro basketball star
cquiring and honing the necessary work skills suited for the quality-
A engineering profession is a significant offshoot to the educational

and training requisites for developing a quality engineer’s
competency and competitiveness. It is, undeniably, a co-equal component
of mustering excellence and success in the profession.
Acquirement of these skills comes through either learning them primarily

at the educational and technical/vocational institutions or with the
furtherance of the learning process through attending various specialized
job trainings.
Yet, as many pundits aver, you can even earn your skills while in the
performance of the job itself. Through practicing diligently, the profession,
experience plays a key role along your learning process. Your practical
knowledge or skill stems and grows from the basic practices you derived
from direct observation or participation in particular job activities through
the years.
All you actually need is the appropriate discipline, or instilling in yourself

the right amount of focus and concentration, to gain the knowledge that

43
make up the conscious events of your past and present job experiences. In
short, you should also be experienced about your continuous development
or improvement on the job to build the necessary work skills.
Imperative Competency Skills

Essentially, these imperative skills should be the working solutions
towards the successful accomplishment of certain scopes of work. In
addition, these also refer to the competency skills that quality engineers
shall acquire towards their quest for excellence and continually learn to be
competitive. Foremost, the compendium of skills that quality engineers
must possess is:
 the intellectual grasp about the proper documentation of quality

systems, especially in the performance of quality audits
 the mathematical and analytical skills to evaluate logically data and

information gathered from the statistical process control (SPC)
 the knowledge about terminologies, calibrations/measurements, and

specimen size to plan and control experiments
Liaison and Communication Skills

Interactive and communicative interrelationships comprise heavily for
about 80% of the total working time of a quality engineer. On a daily basis,
quality engineers conduct various reportage and liaisons – verbal and
written correspondence – with the project’s workforce and staff, sub-
contractors, management people, consultants, etc.
Thus, it is important to have the necessary communication skills to

establish and maintain mutual understanding and cooperation for a
working project’s success. Regardless of anywhere in the world you will
profess your job as a quality engineer, oral and written communications
skills using the English language is obligatory, since English is the lingua
franca that levels off the understanding among a multi-national workforce.

44
Nevertheless, worry not if you own a shallow technical vocabulary or have

difficulties of the English language. You can always improve your
vocabulary by practicing and learning the importance of reading, or
enrolling yourself to Simplified Technical English (STE) classes.
Management Information System (MIS) or Computer Applications

Skills
The advent of innovative technologies in the workplace compels quality
engineers to perform and accomplish a bulk of their workload
(documentation, reporting, correspondence, etc.) through electronic
means. Usually, each workload uses the following Microsoft computer
programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) for writing information
systems such as, the Site Instruction, Non-Conformance Report (NCR),
Inspection and Test Plan (ITP), Quality Checklist, Method Statement (MS),
Quality Control Log, Cube Testing Report, etc.)
Therefore, you must have a Management Information System (MIS)

knowledge or computer applications skill to accomplish such computer-
reliant workloads, and provide efficiency and effectiveness, especially in
the evaluation and systematic demands of the job.
Technical Drawing Plan Theoretical Skills

All the technical people involved in a project construction refer to the
technical drawing plans as their guide… their working bible. Even quality
engineers confer to these sets of technical drawing plans to check for the
standard specifications to use prior to the course of construction (i.e.,
material dimensions, quantities, measurements, notations, etc.).
The quality engineer religiously undertakes all these verification processes

vis-à-vis each construction detail as per the drawing plans for the simple
reason of preventing non-conformities that lead to eventual failures
resulting therefrom. As a guiding tenet for quality engineers, it is a sacred
duty to perform preventive measures or corrective practices, which are

45
cost-effective, rather than rectification works. As the cliché goes,

“prevention is better than rectification.”
Hence, as a quality engineer, you shall be able to read and examine

carefully all the technical aspects of the drafted plans, especially the
sections enclosing the general annotations, since they emphasize the
more crucial requisites of a project’s execution. The same goes for
understanding certain technical terminologies stated in the plans.
However, you need not worry if you found difficulties understanding

something in the plans. You can easily google terms on the Web, or turn to
helpful resources like books and technical publications. More so if you are
a tyro, forget your shyness of reaching out and asking the more
experienced people around you, like the project supervisor/foreman or
field engineer. For all you know, they are more than willing and proud to
help you, being part of the team.
Time Management and Flexibility Skills

You may always whine why time seems never enough in a day, or why other
people accomplish so much more using their time as compared to others,
when everyone among us has the same 24 hours to spend in a day.
Effective time management is the answer, which is essentially, working
smarter to increase productivity!
Time management, as the phrase connotes, is all about learning to

manage your time efficiently while saving yourself more time ahead. The
process begins by planning all your work agenda, and budgeting how much
time you spend on certain work activities. Prioritize more on doing
activities that result to progress, or provide more value than performing
the lesser important ones.
The process lets you require a crucial shift in concentration, from activities
to results. You also need a good amount of motivation to achieve optimal
results at less time. Note though that becoming busy does not always
reflect to being effective. However, it is ironic that the opposite is often
true: being effective is not being busy!

46
As such, time management develops your ability of functioning more

effectively, despite a tight time or under extreme pressures. In short, the
technique of this skill is just a matter of knowing how to organize your time
– “plan your organized work, and work on your organized plan!” By that
dictum, you can do everything you wish for in life, and still have more time
to spare. That is apt to say, that time management is tantamount to life
management!
To impart you with a valuable discipline to augment acquiring this skill, ask
yourself, “What shall be the most valuable use of my time right now?”
Make this discipline a habit of asking yourself repeatedly until it becomes a
part of your system. Over time, you will be performing time management
by impulse, surely conquering work overloads and achieving more.
“A man with imperative skills can run a construction company

without ever picking up a hammer and nail.”
– Noel V. Mades, BSCE, CQE, top Quality Engineering practitioner
in the United Arab Emirates

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Chapter 8:
Focus and Concentration
“Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.”

– Bill Russell
“Master your attention by simply paying attention to your attention!”
fter reading the preceding statement, chances are, you happened to
A read it not only twice back until deciphering what it truly meant.
What then does this essay to you? With great odds, the different
meanings of the word ‘attention,’ cited thrice in the statement, definitely
distracted your focus. This is actually to emphasize your ability to focus
and concentrate on what you do – as for this example, reading – without
succumbing to the distracting factors within or around you.
However, exercising your focus and concentration is not just all about
being able to place your full attention on a single task without getting your
mind drawn in to any disturbances. Just like the example above, you must
not only focus into reading; but also, comprehending what you have read,
as it should normally be the case. Thus, when training your focus, various
elements exist simultaneously, including distractions, which you must
manage effectively.

48
Attention Management
Aside from the previous relative topic about time management, you can
very well manage your attention. Your attention mirrors your conscious
judgments or decisions regarding which tasks shall preoccupy your time. It
is noteworthy that we are where our attention is; not necessarily, where
our body is.
Attention management are sets of processes that provide support to your

attention with the objective of addressing the following major disruptions
of your thoughts: your cognitive limitations or perceptions, influx of
information you receive; an overload of social interactions; interruptions;
multitasking; and, other kinds of cognitive challenges that tend to disturb
and completely lose your focus.
Thus, attention management help you to focus intently and concentrate

properly, even if you are living by the certain truism that your mind can
only absorb as much, or your body can only do as much. Nevertheless, this
does not denote that a single-minded focus is not of supreme importance.
Studies show that people who are able to sustain their focus for longer
periods perform better against facing every cognitive challenge compared
to those who are unable. On one hand, a person with scattered and short
attention spans can only experience a single phase of existence, wherein
his mind can really encompass the vastness of the ocean of knowledge,
yet, fail to plunge deeper and explore treasures underneath the sea. On
the other hand, the man with a rigid attention is much capable to
experience multiple phases of existence, wherein he is both the ship’s
admiral and pearl diver, and where the world is indeed his oyster.
The primordial step to learn in attention management is to understand

your priorities precisely. Bear in mind that a great distinction separates
between the management of your attention to achieve priorities and
crossing out items in your daily agenda. Your normal inclination is doing
what is more convenient, interesting and fun, or needed the most at any
given time; yet, your real priorities or wants may not suit in to any among
those categories.

49
Thus, as a quality engineer, reflect and ask, "If I could achieve only a single
task right now, what would be that single task?" Practically, your answer
will immediately identify your topmost priority, which is where you should
be directing your attention and sustain your focus.
The Eisenhower 4-D Method of Managing Attention

Prior to becoming the 34th president of the U.S.A., Dwight D. Eisenhower
was a successful five-star general of the army during World War II. Upon
identifying the daunting tasks facing him, he sketched a square and
partitioned it into four equal quadrants. He then designated each task to a
corresponding quadrant, in accordance as to which among the 4-D's was
the categorized task fell and most suited in – Dump it! Defer it! Delegate it!
Do it!
Ensure though that you can distinguish what is an ‘important’ and ‘urgent’
task. Important tasks are results-oriented and shall be achieved, if not
immediately, then eventually. Urgent tasks are time-sensitive, yet, they are
not necessarily decisive to your much bigger aims.
Upon identifying your priorities, be honest to yourself and realistic enough

about what you can truly achieve in your career or in life. Always ask
yourself where to invest your attention. Despite the fact that ‘important’
activities are your topmost priorities, more often than not, they are not
those tasks that seem ‘urgent.’ Avoid falling into the trap of entertaining
the idea that any task which seems urgent is all worthy of your full
attention from your most important priorities. Priorities of lesser import
shall not be a recipient of more attention than priorities of great worth.
Referring to the mantra of Eisenhower, "What is important is seldom
urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important."
Strengthening Your Power of Concentration

Reinforcing your power of concentration is never an option, but rather, a
necessity. This is especially true when you have goals to understand, learn,

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and achieve as much about life as you possibly can. You seem like wanting
to pour all out your attention to your goal before meeting Father Time, or
beating some deadline.
To strengthen your attention, imagine your mind as a muscle. In the same

way as the muscles of your physique require a routine workout, your
perceptive muscle requires some challenges that can stretch its limits,
and by doing so, grow their focus fibers and concentration tissues. You
ought to have a concentration-training program or such sample exercises
below that will strengthen your attention, and thereby, enable your mind
muscle lifting heavier cognitive weights.
Along the course of your training, gradually increase the strength of your
focus and concentration muscles by practicing either of the following:
creating a list of distractions; building your willpower; meditating;
exercising your body daily; engaging in mindfulness or curiousness all day;
memorizing some lines; reading epic stories slowly; and listening
attentively.
“What do I mean by concentration?

I mean focusing totally on the business at hand and commanding
your body to do exactly what you want it to do.”
– Arnold Palmer, former pro golf world champion

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Chapter 9:
The Knowledge to Read the Technical Drawing Plans
and Prepare a Method Statement
eginning from this chapter going onwards to the final chapter, you
B will get the chance to apply all the knowledge you have learned from
the previous motivational chapters into the more important duties
and responsibilities of a quality engineer. In other words, these application
processes will be preparing yourself, if not, molding you into the excellent
and successful quality engineer you wanted to be.
First, you should know the following documents to assure prior to plunging
yourself at the work site. Usually, there are four principal documents for
you to assure:
 Technical Drawing Plans – assured that all of the sets of the technical
drawing plans passed approbating officers, and marked ‘Issued for
Construction,’ indicating that each of the document is controlled.
 Method Statement (MS) – assured your completion of preparing the

MS and has the Project Engineer’s approval on it.
 Inspection & Test Plan (ITP) and Quality Checklists – assured your
completion of preparing the Inspection & Test Plan and Quality
Checklists regarding all your corresponding works on site.
 Material Submittal – assured that the materials for checking

undergone approval status.

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However, for this chapter alone, let us give emphasis to the first two
documents, which are both important before commencing work activities
for a project. After all, these documents are among the primary
requirements stated in a project’s contract.
Interpretation of the Technical Drawing Plans

You may want to go back to Chapter 7 to review and study the imperative
competency skills of a quality engineer about acquiring the theoretical
skills of knowing how to read technical drawing plans.
The working formation of structures – commencing from the foundation up

to the final building completion – bases specifically its design and
specifications from standard technical drawing plans. By their entirety,
such technical drafting/computer-aided drawing (CAD) conventions form
an established visual language to facilitate technical people to understand
them easily without any ambiguities.
These technical drawing plans are comprehensive in nature, covering the

entire work perspectives of civil/structural, architectural, mechanical/
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)/plumbing, electrical,
landscaping, and all the other allied construction works for certain
structural projects.
Furthermore, inclusive in the drawings is the usage of standard and

conventional notation systems, perspective views or visual styles, symbols,
units of measurement, and page layout. Suffice it to say, that these
technical drawing plans are necessities for communicating ideas in the
engineering field, especially in the construction industry. By those
conventions used, these technical drawing plans become the
communicative tools to bridge understanding the actual scopes of work for
the proper execution of the project.
Reading of drawing plans does not only involve reviewing, studying, and
understanding the work details and their accompanying conventional
nomenclatures stated therein. The inevitability to revise certain portions of
the plan happens, and you shall act accordingly as a quality engineer. To

53
avoid misusing the plans and create further confusion, you must
immediately confer with the Document Controller by verifying all the
current revisions and stamp any new revisions as ‘Superseded’ to ensure
that everything shall concur with the work and system procedures.
As an additional pointer, there are also company documents that are as

important to read as the technical drawing plans. These are the Quality
Procedures, Quality Policy, Quality Manual, etc. that guides you towards
the company’s mission and vision in terms of producing quality work.
Preparation of the Work Procedures or Method Statement

Concisely, a Method Statement (MS) is a document stating the systematic
work and safety procedures for the proper execution of a project. Inclusive
therein are details for the site preparation, materials and tools/equipment
to use, and risk assessments for a particular activity.
As you acquire this basic understanding of a good definition about a

Method Statement, you are now able to prepare creating one. However, the
Quality Manager usually prepares the Method Statement. Still, you can
earn this ability through accumulating enough work experience even as a
quality engineer.
You will find out sooner that writing the Method Statement is a lot easier
than you once thought as a daunting task, since it only seems scribbling
down about your real experiences and knowledge gained from particular
works at the construction site. Nevertheless, it is worthy to note that
constructing the Method Statement shall be in consonance with the
project’s work specifications. Therefore, prior to creating the MS, you
should first read these specifications.
Another important process in the creation of the MS is getting its approval

from the project consultants. Typically, the Project Engineer (PM) and
Construction Manager (CM) verify first the Method Statement for its
relevancies (i.e., indicated materials to use, tools/equipment to avail, etc.)
before delivering the document to the Construction Engineer or
Consultant. At some instances, internal changes occur aside from the

54
contract documents per se; as such, both PM and CM should always check
the Method Statement, and thereafter, making the necessary revisions.
After the MS has undergone the verification process, it will then be due for
submission to the Construction Engineer or Consultant for approval. Upon
its approval, the working crew will be using it as their working guide apart
from the technical drawing plans. Mandatorily, a copy of the Method
Statement shall be at the job site, posted conspicuously for any authorized
work visitors to see and compare the performance of work processes as
specified in the Method Statement. Likewise, you must have a log sheet file
available with you so you can enter necessary data while keeping track of
the latest revisions of the Method Statement.
How to Create the Ideal Method Statement

There are several formats used in creating a typical Method Statement. As
mentioned earlier, you can have your own format based upon your
previous experiences and observance of such. However, since you are
special, being on your way to becoming an excellent quality engineer, the
following equally special format – laid out comprehensively by a leading
Project Management Consultant (PMC) in the construction industry – is the
ideal one for you to follow.

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The Ideal Method Statement Template
1. Header Information
2. Table of Contents
3. Scope of Work
3.1 General Description
3.2 Equipment and Tools
3.3 Materials and Reference
3.4 Site Planning and Preparation
3.5 Work Methodology
3.6 Safety Regulations
3.6.1 Safety Rules and Responsibilities
3.7 Organization, Responsibility and Supervision

3.8 Work Force or Key Personnel
4. Environmental, Health and Safety

4.1 Risk Assessment (RA)
5. Quality Assurance
5.1 Quality Requirements Table
6. Appendices and References

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1. Header Information – As the first section of your Method

Statement, you should provide to your work staff or prospective clients the
necessary information, which includes the following:
 A Title (e.g. Work Method Statement, or Standard Operating

Procedures)
 Your company details: logo, name, address, and contact number
 Project commencement and completion dates
 Worksite details: address, contact and emergency numbers
 Document author and Health and Safety Expert (HSE) contact number
 Document number, date of issue, revision date, and revision number
2. Table of Contents – Obviously, you start outlining the main guide of

the MS through an interactive Table of Contents (TOC), which consists of
the titles, sub sections, and each of their corresponding pages.
3. Scope of Work – This section pertains to the coverage of the

project’s work as stipulated by the contract requirements. The scope of
works may constitute the following:
3.1 General Description –Similar to an introduction, provide a brief

description of entire summary of the method statement.
3.2 Equipment and Tools – Write down all the tools/equipment and
machineries to use for the project.
3.3 Materials and Reference – Enter the list of the “approved”

materials to use in the project, together with its corresponding Material
Submittal reference. Affix also the references of the technical drawing
plan’s specification.
3.4 Site Planning and Preparation – Describe the program of material

deliveries to the worksite. This includes the receipt processes of the
respective materials; site access and egress; and, methods of checking
and coordination with the concerned work crew about materials handling,
from storage to movement to the specific work area for installation.

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3.5 Work Methodology – As the heart and soul of the Method

Statement, it is the project’s work guide, which comprises the detailed list
of the standard working procedures for strict compliance towards the
execution of certain work activities of the project.
This procedural worklist shall also include for each work activity,
procedures for safety, as adopted throughout the entire progress; and, the
risk assessment factors and data along the process of a particular work
activity. Actually, this detailed outline of the standard executions for each
work activity is what the project consultant would truly want to see and
evaluate.
Thus, prior to submitting the Method Statement to the project consultant

for approval, your rule of thumb for this very essential section is to
expound further in details all the necessary work procedures and actions
that manifest the conduct of performance for each work activity in
particular, and the completed outcome of the project in general. Failure to
do so would obviously merit a rejection.
3.6 Safety Regulations – With respect to the actual location of the

project’s construction, it is mandatory to note down the engineering
construction’s safety regulations of the particular locality.
3.6.1 Safety Rules and Responsibilities – Define the rules and

responsibilities of the Health and Safety Expert (HSE) officer designated for
the project. You only have to procure the certified “Job Description” either
from the HSE Officer himself or from the company’s HR officer.
3.7 Organization, Responsibility and Supervision – Register the

respective work staff (i.e., Project Manager, QAQC Engineer, Project
Engineer, Foreman etc.) involved in each particular work activity, together
with their corresponding work responsibilities.
3.8 Work Force or Key Personnel – List down the quantity requirement
of the workforce, including the respective key personnel directly involved
for each work activity – from the work crews up to the higher-ranking staff.

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4. Environmental, Health and Safety – For this section, specify any

Environmental or Quality procedures for execution along the course of the
work activities.
4.1 Risk Assessment (RA) – Extract vital information from the separate
RA document by attaching herein the RA’s complete copy, the standard
procedures for emergencies; summary of the principal occupational
hazards perceived to be present and their control measures for
implementation; and, the list of the compulsory Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) items to wear.
5. Quality Assurance – State the programs for the systematic

monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of the project, work
services, or facilities to ensure meeting the conventional standards of
quality.
5.1 Quality Requirements Table – Furnish a systematic arrangement of

reference documents of quality data requirements such as the project’s
work specifications, drawing plans, bill of materials, Inspection & Test
Plan, etc. Ensure the correctness of entries in the references by reviewing
them repeatedly prior to submission to the project consultant.
6. Appendices and References – This is similar in procedure as Item

4.1, but you only have to provide excerpts or links of certain reference
documents.
Useful Pertinent Documents of the Method Statement

1. Toolbox Meeting/Briefing Sheet – A brief and informal toolbox talk,
generally conducted at the job site, takes place prior to the
commencement of a certain work activity or work shift. This meeting
usually focuses on safety topics (jobsite hazards and safe work practices)
related to the specific job. After the discussions, ensure to let the
attendees register and sign on the attendance roll of the Toolbox Meeting
Sheet. This serves as a quick accessible reference upon inquiries during
the auditing process.

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2. Review Checklist – As a quality engineer, you have to bring along

with you a Review Checklist by which you identify and verify the compliance
of each of the work rules and procedures, job approval statuses from
authorized personnel, and other important verification processes in line
with upholding the company’s standard qualities.

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Chapter 10:
The Knowledge to Prepare the Inspection and Test
Plan & Quality Checklist
he client, together with his representatives, will always have a
T continuous desire of procuring objective evidence, by which the

contractor performs the work activities, as they should be, during
the construction of a project. Seeking out for the objective evidence of work
compliance denotes that the work activities shall undergo rigid inspection
from competent third parties, and that, certified organizations or
laboratories will test all the materials used. Though everything seems to
sound simple, it could easily be a dilemma for any project, considering the
complexities of the latest structural projects.
Hence, quality engineers in the construction industry devised a significant

document that meets the client’s requirements of a comprehensive
objective evidence of work compliance. The document specifies in detail by
whom, what, how, and when certain work activities are suited for tests or
inspection, either on site or off-site.
In some instances, the industry calls this document as the Regime, or the
Quality Control Plan. Its general intent is to guarantee the work quality and
ensure the project’s completion ultimately achieves the various
requirements of design – assurance and control. However, this document
is technically renowned as the project’s Inspection and Test Plan.

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Definition and Purpose of the Inspection and Test Plan

The Inspection & Test Plan (ITP), or simply, a test plan, is a document that
details a program of a systematic approach to visual inspection, material
dimension/work system testing, and surveillance. The quality engineer
shall prepare the ITP for submission to the project engineer for approval
prior to its application on the work site.
The principal purpose of the ITP, besides guaranteeing high quality work
standards, is to plan and record the compliance of work details through
tests and inspections, further manage procedures or their proper
sequencing, and furnish conformance results of materials used and works
executed, as well as a summary of the comprehensive objective evidence.
In addition, a systematically constructed ITP helps define the work crew’s

responsibilities and guide them performing the work activities on the job
site. It provides clear and precise instructions to the quality control
engineering inspectors and practitioners to produce uncompromising
results and reports. Lastly, the ITP becomes a useful reference tool during
the compilation or fulfillment of the handover and as-built packages at the
end or during the completion of the project.
It is noteworthy that the concurrence of the client with the particular work
activities in the ITP, or even for the entire project, is greatly important. In
most cases, an exclusive compliance or work descriptions apart from the
contracted scope of work can easily lead to undesirable events of claims
and compensation, which costs tarnished credentials and a lot of money. A
typical example of the concurrence of parties during inspections at
construction projects is the concrete pouring work activity, where
representatives of each party concerned ought to witness and inspect it.
How to Prepare the Inspection and Test Plan

To review previous discussions about the preparations of the ITP, the
Quality Engineer creates and issues the ITP. Therefrom, the Quality
Manager and Construction Manager review it, and thereby, approved by the
Project Manager prior to its submission to the Consultant for approval.

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Being statutory requirements of project contracts and specifications, the

submission of the ITP for approval to the Engineer or Consultant shall
include the affixations of the Method Statement and Quality Checklists.
Thus, the quality engineer shall always maintain a registry for all the ITP
and Quality Checklists. In the same fashion, it is appropriate to keep a
complete master set of approved ITP’s.
Maintaining such records is as important as creating eventual ITP’s.

Usually, they provide you the templates in the first place, while some
duplicity of work activities can be useful as ready references. The following
is a list of the major categorical items that the ITP must specify:
1. Specification of the Work – The first item in writing the ITP is

studying thoroughly the entire content of the specification of the work
activity (e.g. Concreting), by which you will be conducting its inspection,
testing, and checking processes. The project’s specification is actually your
fundamental guide to write its ITP. A helpful tip is highlighting significant
points, to facilitate yourself when you chance reviewing or recalling it.
2. Incorporation of Primary Reference Documents – Ensure the

respective approvals of the introductory reference documents (Technical
Drawing Plans, Method Statement, and Material Submittal) prior to affixing
them to the ITP. This is primarily a statutory requirement, since you will be
procuring approved or official technical data from these reference
documents eventually. These approved data are technically the acceptance
criteria, which is another important categorical specification in the ITP
(categorized as No.7 in this succeeding list of ITP specifications).
3. Work Procedure Sequencing – Identify the chronological work

activity procedures for inspection, testing, and checking. As a hint, you can
review the project’s specification and define the descriptions of the work
activity by their nature. For instance, in concreting work activities, common
sense usually dictates the required inspection sequencing through the
terms used in the work activity such as, “surface preparation,” “embedded
item installations,” “concrete pouring,” “concrete curing,” etc.
By those terms alone, you can easily identify the inspection pattern – which
precedes what, or which succeeds what. Based from the example, you

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cannot cure unless you pour; you cannot pour unless you install; and, you
cannot install unless you prepare. Finally, test reports are inclusive; but
then again, this shall be a separate work activity to write, which you can
term it as “concrete field testing.”
4. Type of Test/Inspection Performance – Under the column of

“Test/Inspection Performed” in the ITP, log the type of inspection or
testing performed with respect to the activity. When inspecting for
materials and work activity, log the term “Visual” and note down
“Approval” for the primary referential documents (Technical Drawing
Plans, Method Statement, and Material Submittal).
5. Work Phase or Frequency – Since there are no definite frequencies

of inspecting referential documents, inspection frequencies refer directly
to the materials and work activities. Upon the arrival of the material at the
work site, you can log the frequency simply as, “Material Arrival on Site.”
If, for instance, the activity is for concrete field-testing for concrete
strength, then your inspection frequency could be “once for every track.”
6. Code/Specification –The project specification designates a code for

each work activity. For example, under the Civil & Structural
Specifications, the “installation of reinforcement bars” has a code of
“CSS1-G01-O24-G1968,” then you only have to copy and enter the
corresponding code of the work activity under this specified column in the
ITP.
7. Acceptance Criteria – This is the most important specification in

the ITP since it is the fundamental basis as to how you execute the
approval of the materials delivered, and the acceptance of the work
performed at the job site. Thus, you must exercise prudence and engage
studying intently the objective criteria or the tolerance parameters to
determine assessments for your final judgements of approving and
accepting.
For example, when assessing the delivered material activity, “Confirm

Design Mix & Grade of Concrete,” you can state under its column, “Correct
specification as listed in the Construction Drawing and General Notes” if it
passes the objective criteria. Alternatively, when evaluating work

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performances like in the activity, “Confirm Concrete Field Testing for

Slump,” you can refer to tolerable required parameters with your report
as, “Slump Ⅹ±25mm or ⅓ of required value.”
Nevertheless, there are instances that the inspection process comes from
a different party other than you, like concrete cube testing, usually done in
a laboratory. As such, your corresponding acceptance criterion then is,
“Laboratory report.” Thus, just ensure that the laboratory personnel have
their signatures reflected on the report prior to their submission to the
Quality Engineer or Project Consultant. Yet, whatever may be the outcome
of your evaluations, never be afraid, but always be honest to report the
truth – this is the mark of a true blue excellent quality engineer!
8. Inspection Points or Verification Process – Three separate official

parties verify the inspection process. They are namely, the Contractor, who
actually executes the project; the Quality Engineer, who checks the
materials and work activities; and, the Client or his representative as
witness. Sometimes, representatives from the subcontractor and the
Independent Testing Laboratory (ITL) are part of the inspection points
besides the chief triumvirate.
Each party has their own respective tasks and responsibilities,

represented as E=Execution point for the Contractor; H=Hold point for the
Quality Engineer; and, W=Witness point for the Client. Nevertheless, each
among the official trio has further responsibilities for the verification
process. Hence, the inspection criteria – represented by these letters – are
dependent upon whose responsibility does the approval for a certain
activity fall, and as such, superseded by the others.
Herewith, is the complete codified nomenclature system of the inspection

criteria, denoting the specific responsibilities as the following:
 Surveillance Point (S) – It is the random instance of attending an

inspection process at the work site, without requiring the attendee’s
signature on any of its incidental documentations or the check sheet of

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the Inspection Request (IR). Usually, the surveillance point of inspection

refers to the responsibility of the employer.
For instance, when coming across the activity, “Quality engineer shall
check the material arrival,” you have to note down, “H” or at hold point,
signifying the responsibility of the quality engineer; but, if the activity
does not cite on whose responsibility the verification process falls, note
down “S” for surveillance.
 Hold Point (H) – It is the mandatory instance of attending an inspection

process at the work site, where it requires the attendee’s signature on
the IR’s check sheet and Checklist to release for execution on the work.
Actually, hold point is the sole responsibility of the quality engineer,
who should accomplish and establish the successful conformance to
tolerable or standard parameters of the work details before the said
work can proceed to its execution.
 Execution Point (E) – It is also the mandatory instance of attending an

inspection process at the work site, where it requires the attendee’s
signature on the IR’s check sheet and Checklist to approve execution on
the work. Generally, the execution point of inspection concerns the
responsibility of the contractor.
 Witness Point (W) – It is the expected instance of attending an

inspection process at the work site, where it requires the attendee’s
signature on the IR’s check sheet and Checklist; but, if the authorized
signatory is unavailable at that instance, the inspection process will still
resume while its documentation shall be up for signing later.
Normally, the client, who is the responsible party in the witness point of
inspection, shall receive information beforehand about a scheduled
performance of the test. However, their presence and signature is not a
mandatory requisite to proceed onwards to the following stages of
inspection.
 Review Point (R) – It is the casual instance of attending an inspection

process of reviewing records and documents that have already passed
previous checking and approval, without requiring the attendee’s

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signature on any of its incidental documentations or on the IR’s check

sheet.
 Test Point (T) – It is the actual instance of attending obligatorily an

inspection process at the work site, where it requires all the attendee’s
signatures on the IR’s check sheet and Checklist.
 Records Point (RE) – This inspection criterion denotes the recording

process for approved reference documents (ITP, Method Statement),
for documentation to be recorded, without requiring the attendee’s
signature on any of its incidental documentations or the check sheet of
the Inspection Request (IR). Typically, “RE” alludes to the responsibility
of the quality engineer.
The Ideal Inspection and Test Plan Template

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Summary Guidelines for Writing the ITP

Although there are many various types of documents (e.g., Method
Statement, Quality Checklist, etc.), which you will be acquainting yourself
with, and create each of them while working in the construction industry,
the Inspection & Test Plan is the principal guiding book for all the work
activities in a certain construction project. The ITP serves as a monitoring
device to perform your inspection procedures. For this reason, it is

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primordially the most important document you will be creating. It is what

makes or breaks a project’s outcome.
Sometimes, you may encounter an ITP that covers all the work inspections,
as if condensing its entirety in a single document. Such a generalized ITP
would seem unchallenging, if not, too risky to execute since you might
miss a few crucial work details that could lead to the project’s failure.
Thus, for an ideal ITP, it should be meticulous and going deep down to the
details. That is to say, that it must be a work-specific, i.e., ITP for
Excavation Works, ITP for Block Works, ITP for Concreting Works, etc.
These following summative pointers will give you further emphases, as

well as helpful ideas for creating the ideal ITP:
 An ITP must more or less follow the correct sequencing of the works
described in the Method Statement. Additionally, the contractual
requirements for the performances of tests/inspections and
frequencies must all be clear. During cases of non-clarity, it is the duty
of the Contractor to ask a Request for Information (RFI) from the Client.
 The ITP must possess clear and definite references to the referential
documents. After all, these referential documents specify all the
requirements of the work activities. This follows that you should also be
referencing clearly the inclusive specific clauses.
 The respective responsibilities (Execution Points, Hold Points, Witness

Points, Review Points, etc.) for each of the involved parties during the
test/inspection procedures should ultimately funnel down to an
absolute concurrence before the particular works begin; else,
disagreements will eventually create confusion, which compromises
each of the parties concerned.
 Devising a foolproof system of invitation to a Client, or their

representative to be present and witness the inspection procedures
should be necessary. The timely information given to the Client for their
attendance to witness and sign pertinent inspection documents at the
work site is very much important in order to avoid eventual
misunderstandings, if not, undue claims and compensations.

69
 During the inspection process, the ITP must have the necessary
attachments (i.e., records, Inspection Request check sheet, and any
relevant forms) to fill out clearly and complete.
 As a useful reference tool, the ITP should, however, clearly state

whether all the completed records/sheets/forms would be part of the
handover or as-built packages.
How to Prepare the Quality Checklist

By definition, a quality checklist is an auxiliary document used in an
inspection procedure that lists all the relative items for noting and
checking regarding a particular completed works in a specific activity. The
checklist is an attachment of the Inspection Request (IR), which requires
the signatures of involved parties upon completion and acceptance of the
inspection results.
In practice, the preparation of the checklist follows thereafter the

chronological creation of the Inspection and Test Plan and the Method
Statement. Like the ITP, the checklist must be work-specific; thus, a
checklist for each activity at the work site. It becomes the basis of
confirming the standard compliance of completing a particular part along
the execution of the activity

70
The Ideal Quality Checklist Template

71
Chapter 11:
The Knowledge to Acquire Templates and Forms to
Use for the Project
pon the awarding of a new project for the Company, the Quality
U Engineer must act spontaneously by procuring the various

templates and forms to use in the project. These blanked project
documents comes from the quality manager, who actually authorizes their
provision. Nevertheless, in the absence of a quality manager or such
provisions, you can always create these forms yourself upon suggesting
for their provisions to your project manager.
As the Quality Manager creates the Project Quality Plan (PQP) – sometimes
referred to as the project quality management plan, which is a project-
specific quality plan describing the activities, tools, standards, and
processes required in achieving quality along the delivery of a project – the
various project forms will then be incorporated with the PQP for the
Project Engineer’s or Consultant’s approval.
For the aspiring quality-engineering practitioners, it is a necessity to learn

the importance of these forms and identify their respective usages or
applications from the project’s commencement up to its completion.
Herewith are the ten necessary project forms that quality-engineering
practitioners must procure:

72
1. Concrete Pouring Request (CPR) applies to requesting of concrete

pouring activities. The Project Engineer or Consultant must receive the
CVR within 24 hours prior to the scheduled time of pouring concrete.
2. Confirmation of Verbal Instruction (CVI) applies to recording and

confirming the Contractor’s instructions and specifications stated verbally
during phone calls, meetings, or amidst joint inspection events at the work
site. An execution of the work activity sans the submission of the CVI will
be at the risk of the Contractor.
3. Daily Report applies to listing, on a daily basis, all the occurring

activities, work force, equipment/machineries, and weather report at the
work site.
4. Document Transmittal Sheet (DTS) applies to the submission of

referential documents, technical drawing plans, etc. The Document
Controller, who is under the advice and recommendations of the Technical
Manager, fills out this form by writing down the specific titles for
transmittal and affix therein their necessary attachments.
5. Inspection Request (IR) applies to the requisition for inspection

soon as a particular part of the activity is up for checking and inspection.
Noting the time of filing the IR is crucial since the Project Engineer does
not accept the IR less than 24 hours prior to inspection. Thus, an
unapproved IR can be an issue to withhold payments for the Contractor’s
requested progressive billing.
6. Material Submittal Sheet (MSS) applies to the submission of

materials to use at the work site. Ensure filling out completely all the
required fields in the MSS such as, Quantity, Material Description Supplier,
etc.
7. Non-conformance Report (NCR) applies to reporting the non-

conformances assessed by the Quality Engineer and for issuance to the
Contractor. The existence of nonconformities arise whenever the execution
of the activities or the project does not meet specifications and drawing
details or, does not comply to certain quality standards. Sometimes, the
NCR form becomes an instrument for withholding payments in the billing

73
of the Contractor. Lest making the necessary rectifications with the

approval of the Quality Engineer, there will be no payments made.
8. Request for Information (RFI) applies to the requisition for further

clarification and information regarding certain details ambiguously stated
in the drawings or vaguely specified in certain work activities. The
Contractor shall submit the RFI to the either the Project Engineer or
Consultant for clarities.
9. Subcontractor’s Approval (SA) applies to the submission for

approval to the Project Engineer any Subcontractor taking part and
completing certain work activities of the project. Without the Project
Engineer’s stamp of approval for the previously completed activity, the
Subcontractor cannot proceed to working the succeeding activity.
10. Weekly Report applies to noting down, on a weekly basis, the work
progress, reflected as a percentage of the activity’s completion.

74
Chapter 12:
Success: Be the Project Yourself!
“My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are

going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal;
we never lose – somehow we always win out.”
– Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the U.S.A.
“Success is simple. Do what is right, the right way, at the right time.”
– Arnold H. Glasow, noted American publisher of humor magazines
pproaching this last chapter, realize that you have now all the tools
A presented in this book to guide you along your path to success. Yes,
the necessary tools to use at your discretion, which will even help
you to repair any breakdowns occurring amidst your journey to success.
If, by any means, you define success as your attainment of a higher social
or career status, reaching your goals, bigger paycheck, honors and
awards, or even becoming the excellent and successful quality engineer,
then you should think twice! All are just motherhood statements of
success. You are simply daydreaming while allowing chances, blessings,
and time fritter away!
For all you know, success, by its inherent definition and relativity to the
working nature of the construction industry you are in, is actually putting
your acts altogether to consummate the gradual performance of small,

75
progressive, and constituent activities integral and instrumental to the

completion of the entire project… or, your goal!
Come to think about it! You are working your ass out for the success of a
project (and surely, you eventually witness success upon the completion of
the project); but, are you working for your success yourself? If you can only
relate the “construction project” as a “human being,” then you know how it
is to be successful! Ask yourself why the project succeeds by coming to a
completion but not yourself!
Therefore, what does that leave you now? …Be the project yourself!
This personal command compels the entire workforce – your mind, body,
experiences, and instincts – to work honestly on the required activities (of
your goal)… to comply strictly with the standards (of your goal)… and, to
adhere to the proper practices of successful projects (of successful goals)!
Nevertheless, you may wonder that no matter how you sweat everything
out to complete even a certain activity of the project (your goal), you
perceive no changes in your status; you experience nary a single sign of
progression as you go along. Well, do not go astray! As discussed earlier,
you must actually change your mindset – how you think – just like
demanding yourself of being the project itself! Remember, how you think
reflects how you act! Recall this powerful statement, and make it your
mantra – “Alter your attitude to alter your life!”
To tell you frankly, as an aspiring or current practitioner of quality

engineering, you do not actually have any issues or problems that hinder
your success. Fate may give you lemons of despair, but believe you are not
handicapped. All the ingredients of success are around you. You simply
have to pick them up, put everything in the pot, and cook them up well.
(You might again go astray into being a bon vivant chef instead of the
excellent quality engineer you wished for. Well, everything is relative as
Einstein says; so, to repeat, change your mindset… enrich your creative
mind! )

76
Again, as universal ingredients of success, you have them all. Regardless

of how much or less, you always got chances, blessings, and time in every
second of your life. Chances are the actions you must take and execute.
Blessings are the presented tools procured from the cultivation of
experience. Time is your set of opportunities to excel. Definitely, you will
ask the following:
“What are the required actions to take?” Well, you have not reached this
stage if you have not read or known how to prepare an ideal Method
Statement or an Inspection & Test Plan! Besides, let your common sense
dictate.
“What are the tools?” Be aware that you have blessings of, even a basic
education, training programs, and a wealth of experience. Invest in them…
update and upgrade them… use them smartly!
“What is your set of opportunities?” The wise man would not have said
time is gold if time, even for a second, does not consist of a myriad of
excellent opportunities. For one, you have the opportunity to alter your life
at this moment …NOW!
As for now, stop shooting the questions in your mind; rather, ACT what is
right, the right way, at the right time – and there is no better time but
NOW! As a start, have the time to review the previous chapters, and add
them up in your success toolbox:
1. Set up your goals! (Chapter 1 & Chapter 2)
2. Put premium on hard work, and excel at your job! (Chapter 3)
3. Thirst for knowledge! (Chapter 4 & Chapter 5)
4. Acquire competency skills to improve your career! (Chapter 7)
5. Be among the company of successful people! The mere thought of

understanding and learning the theories of the technical drawing plans,
Method Statement, Inspection and Test Plan, Quality Checklist, and
being knowledgeable about your duties and responsibilities of your job,
is already getting yourself into the big league of highly professional

77
people – like your superiors! Be a magnet to absorb their influences,

principles, and thoughts! Watch and learn from the smarts!
“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions.

Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe
that you too can become great.”
– Mark Twain
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal:

it is the courage to continue that counts.”
– Winston Churchill

78
Conclusion
t this point, upon finishing reading up to the final summative and
A allegorical chapter (Chapter 12) of this book, you will now certainly
have a clearer understanding about “how to become an excellent
and successful quality engineer!” This goes as well as learning the quality
engineering profession’s developmental practices and the precious
preparations and guidelines to develop your thoughts and actions – your
totality as a person! To repeat, altering your mindset is not only a virtuous
behavior, but also, a lifestyle… a way of life!
As emphasized and clearly presented by this eBook, the soul or the

general route and outline is to muster and master the art of becoming the
excellent and successful quality engineer you wished to be by
understanding and practicing to be conscious of your chances, blessings,
and time. It is inclining yourself to plan your goal; lead its constituent
activities and live by its ways; organize to develop the passion to keep
going; hone your control over limiting factors that fail yourself; and, finally,
establish a set of rigid principles to sustain your success.
Therefore, as you have now finally accomplished the mission of gaining the
inspiration and information that you most need to achieve your goal, a new
challenge faces before you through this eBook’s encouragements.
Summarily, this eBook encourages you now to make informed and mindful
decisions about how to celebrate the joys of being the best, yet, fruitful
quality engineer in your field.
Just as becoming a magnet to successful people, be a magnet too to

inspire and motivate others. Life teaches us to share our blessings so we
could gain the same, or even more; and thereby, live life coexisting
harmoniously with the rest of humanity.

79
Thank you again, for downloading this eBook! Enclosed hereupon these
pages are the fervent hopes that you enjoyed reading it! If you indeed
enjoyed reading, please take the time to share your thoughts and post a
review on Amazon. It is with great appreciation to know your thoughts!
Thank you, and gain all the luck on

your side!
Click here to visit our website, and

read further about other interesting
blog topics! This eBook also goes
with the best of wishes of being
able to help fulfill what you truly
need. If you need topics that are more interesting as your successful guide
in the construction industry, you can readily cart away the following book
titles at our site:
 Method Statement for Construction
 Method Statement for Substructure
 Superstructure Part -1
 Superstructure Part – 2
 Steel Structure
 Method Statement for Construction for Civil & Quality Engineer
 Inspection and Test Plan Part -1
 Inspection Test Plan Part – 2
 Inspection Test Plan Part – 3
 Checklist for Substructure Part -1
 Risk Assessment and Job Safety & Environmental Analysis Part -1

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....

About the Author

ince birth, it has always been the

S possession of a zealous drive to strive for

His passion to achieving excellence manifests upon

He quenched his thirst for knowledge by taking up significant units for a

© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

Philippines, and for Computer-Aided Construction Project Management

Although primarily trained as a civil engineer, in no time did he gain his

Even up to his current work as a Senior QA/QC Engineer at the leading

Applied Project Management (APM):

 A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide

Quality Management Systems Auditor:

© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

Quality Engineering & Safety:

 Certified Quality Engineers (CQE) Body of Knowledge from the 3FOLD

 ISO 9000:2000 Series Foundation Course (Course No.A17176), and

Success comes with get responsibility. Updating religiously a blog and

© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

ongratulations! Thank you, for downloading the eBook, “How to

C Become an Excellent and Successful Quality Engineer: The

© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

By its entirety, this integral outcome becomes your universal parameter

© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

© Copyright 2016 by Noel V. Mades - All rights reserved.

o part of this publication shall undergo reproduction, storage in

N retrieval systems, copying or circulating in any form or by any

This document gears towards providing accurate and reliable information

© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

The publication believes by the notion that, the publisher, officially

If advice is necessary, consult a qualified professional for any specific and

© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

About the Author ...........................................................................................1

Chapter 1: Carving Out Your Ambition in Life..............................................12

Guidelines to Achieve Your Ambition..................................................................13

Inspiration to Pursue Your Ambition ..................................................................14

Merits of the Quality Engineering Profession ....................................................15

Chapter 2: How to Set Up Your Goals..........................................................20

Basic Precepts of Goal-Setting for Quality Engineers .......................................21

Chapter 3: The Element of Hard Work ........................................................26

Essentials of Hard Work .....................................................................................27

Chapter 4: The Bookworm Advantage .........................................................29

The Importance of Reading.................................................................................30

Chapter 5: Scope of Education Requirements.............................................34

Overview: Curriculum for a Career in Quality Engineering ...............................35

Bachelor's Degree Program ..............................................................................35

Master’s Degree Program..................................................................................36

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) / Continuing Professional

Chapter 6: Trainings for Skill Competencies & Competitiveness ................39

Overview: Quality Engineering Training Program..............................................39

The ISO 9001 training program for career upgrade ..........................................40

The Fully-Educated and Well-Trained Quality Engineer....................................40

© Copyright 2016: All Rights Reserved. www.qualityengineersguide.com

Chapter 7: Necessary Skills to Acquire ......................................................42

Imperative Competency Skills............................................................................43

Liaison and Communication Skills .....................................................................43

Management Information System (MIS) or Computer Applications Skills ........44

Technical Drawing Plan Theoretical Skills.........................................................44

Time Management and Flexibility Skills.............................................................45

Chapter 8: Focus and Concentration ..........................................................47

Attention Management .......................................................................................48

The Eisenhower 4-D Method of Managing Attention .........................................49

Strengthening Your Power of Concentration .....................................................49

Chapter 9: The Knowledge to Read the Technical Drawing Plans and