The American Institute of Architects publishes quality-control procedures for architects to follow to ensure the highest-quality work by AIA members. The procedures cover such areas as the quality of their drawings; how to keep records of their jobs; supervising their contractors' work; and ensuring proper specifications for construction.

Working Drawings Preparation Checklist

The American Institute of Architects publishes a checklist for quality control procedures regarding the preparation of working drawings. When followed, the checklist is intended to create high-quality industry drawings. Checklist recommendations suggest that specifications should include explanations. Also, drafts of drawings should be reviewed before the drawings are submitted to clients. Drafts should be reviewed for legibility, detail accuracy, possible conflicts between drawings and specifications, explanations of symbols, and depictions of structural components and electrical and mechanical equipment.

Project Record Retention Checklist

The American Institute of Architect's project record retention checklist is a guideline for the list of records that architectural companies should store for every contractual project. Records act as evidence of work performed in the event of client complaints, claims, law suits and statutory liability in the state where a job is done. Recommended project records to be kept on file include anything contractually required, warranties, documentation of all oral advice, meeting summaries, correspondence, site-visit reports, corrective actions for deficiencies, photographs of work in progress and daily job-site logs documenting employees, weather conditions and equipment used.

Construction Contract Administration Checklist

The construction contract administration checklist assists architects with ensuring that design protocols are being followed during the building process. It also provides guidelines for paying contractors. The American Institute of Architects advises architects to supervise projects to ensure contractual conformity. Architects must carefully observe construction, take photographs and identify poor workmanship. If they deem that work needs to be stopped due to imminent dangers, the client must be informed. If contractual specifications are not being followed, the builders' supervisors must be told. The checklist further advises architects to only certify applications for payments to contractors in the written construction contract.

Specifications Preparation Checklist

The American Institute of Architect's final quality control checklist acts as guidance for the drafting of architectural specifications or dimensions. Recommendations include writing specifications and working drawings simultaneously for coordination; using correct punctuation and grammar to alleviate mistakes; limiting a paragraph to one topic; and researching all technical data. Specification writers should avoid the phrase, "or equal," open-ended words such as "et cetera" and local jargon. The final review of specifications must confirm that all specifications conform with building codes and coincide with a working drawing,