Engineers Without BordersUSA

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Project Quality and Program Process Meg
VanSciver, Peter Waugh, Tiffany Martindale Note
This presentation will be posted on the website.
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• Project Quality Committee

Brad Eisenberg Rosemary Powers Brock
Emerson Luke Pritchard Chris Fahlin Andrew
Stewart Dan Harpstead Chris Stoll Tiffany
Martindale Peter Waugh
Coordination with Sustainability and Project
Process Committees provided by Cathy Leslie Meg
VanSciver
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Highlights

• Background of EWB Projects
• Project Quality
• Program Process

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EWB-USA Projects

• The average student project has approximately
  12-15 volunteers and travels with at least 1-2
  professionals and 3-5 students.
• Assessments are usually 4 people
• Implementations vary from 4-8 people
• The average cost of a project ranges from
  15,000-35,000. Though some are over 130,000.

Number of Projects
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EWB-USA Projects

• Over 345 projects as of September 2008
• Projects in 47 Countries (in red)

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Projects Team Staff, TAC Liaisons

• Project Staff
• 1 Program Director
• 3 Project Managers
• 5 Chapter Relations Managers
• 1 Project Coordinator
• TAC
• The TAC stands for the Technical Advisory
  Committee.
• They help with reviews of the technical aspects
  of a project.
• Country Liaison
• Provides consistent communications to facilitate
  information exchange amongst teams
  working in a specific country.

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Why Does EWB Need To Improve Project Quality?

• The Problems
• There have been some projects implemented that
  have not had the health, safety and welfare of
  the public as the primary goal.
• There have been some projects that have not been
  designed and implemented to the normal standard
  of care for engineering projects.
• There have been projects implemented that are not
  sustainable.
• The Goals
• Have the health, safety and welfare of the
  community as the goal of every project.
• Have every project be designed and implemented to
  the normal standard of care for engineering
  projects.
• Protect the reputation of EWB.

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Who Is Responsible for Project Quality?

• If you work on an EWB Project YOU ARE
• Student chapter members
• Professional chapter members
• Professional Mentor
• Faculty Advisor
• Assisted By
• Country liaison
• TAC committee
• EWB National Office Staff
• EWB Executive Board

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Obstacles to Implementing Quality Projects?

• Nature of the project. Follow-up after an
  assessment.
• Appropriate Technology
• Time spent in the community
• Good design without a good construction plan
• Language barriers
• Getting community buy-in before project
  implementation
• Money
• Unknown quality of local materials
• Sourcing materials stateside
• Not coordinating with public/private actors in
  the area
• Incomplete project assessment
• Communication with the community after your
  return
• Maintenance and training, i.e. public health
• Leadership from national, a structure within the
  travel team
• Lack of standards

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What Issues Can EWB-USA Work on to Improve
Project Quality?

• Develop a Project Quality Culture within EWB
• Accountability
• Enforcement
• Follow Through
• Construction Practices
• Mentors
• Program Process
• Design Criteria
• Lessons Learned
• In-Country Problems

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How Will We Improve the Project Quality?

• All projects have the health, safety and welfare
  of the partner community as the main goal
• Higher quality project documents will be required
  from chapters
• Drawings
• Calculations
• Construction phase planning
• Sustainability plan
• Additional design reviews
• Post assessment and alternative review
• 30 design set
• Post implementation documentation

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How Will We Improve the Project Quality?

• More Resources Will be Available to the Chapters
• Webinars explaining project expectations, project
  process, technical design issues, mentor training
  and other issues
• Example projects available for review
• Additional mentors
• Expert resource networking
• Improved chapter to chapter communication
• Improved project flow by using a new website
• Health and safety resources

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How Will We Improve the Project Quality?

• EWB-USA is working on a new website
• It is a large database driven system that will be
  implemented in phases.
• The website should help to provide more
  information to chapters.
• Ultimately all submissions will be through the
  website.
• We are hoping that phase one will be rolled out
  in March.
• Changes to the project process will be
  implemented at that time.

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Project Quality Things to Remember

• Its not about you its about your partner
  community.
• EWB projects can have a profound affect on your
  partner community either positive or negative.
• There are failed NGO engineering projects around
  the world We want an EWB-USA culture of quality
  that avoids this.

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Program Process

• Project Quality is incorporated into the Program
  Process
• The program process follows the normal
  engineering procedure problem identification,
  assessment, project design and project
  implementation.
• The program process has been developed to ensure
  that quality projects are implemented.
• The project process is not just a set of hoops to
  jump through to get approval to travel on a trip.
• We expect all chapters to know and comply with
  the project process.

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Acquiring a Program

• Chapter submits a NEW program application(501)
• The Program Application is reviewed by a
  component of the TAC called the ARC (Application
  Review Committee).
• Chapter applies for an OPEN program (502)
• An NGO or community submitted a Program
  Application directly to EWB-USA and it was
  approved.
• Posted on the EWB-USA website for adoption (35).
• Chapters wanting open programs must submit a
  Chapter Application (502) to EWB-USA.
• Partnering Project (500)
• The chapter is not designing the project, the
  partnering NGO is. (i.e. Habitat for Humanity).
• To partner with another NGO, chapters need to
  submit the Partnering Project Application (500).
• Chapters should not start on an EWB-USA project
  until they are officially assigned the project.
  

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What to submit?

• New Program
• 501 Program Application
• 502 Chapter Application for an open program
• Start Project
• 507B Pre-Assessment Submission
• 507C Post-Assessment Submission
• 30 Design Review
• 507D Pre-Implementation
• 507E Post-Implementation
• Check Website for Deadlines/Details

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Questions?

• Project Managers
• Tiffany Martindale Tiffany.Martindale_at_ewb-usa.org
• Peter Waugh Peter.Waugh_at_ewb-usa.org
• Kelly Latham Kelly.Latham_at_ewb-usa.org
• Project Coordinator
• Luke Pritchard Luke.Pritchard_at_ewb-usa.org