I am seeking professional help. In my job I often handle a lot of data/research and in consequence a lot of fact checking. More often than not, I will make a mistake here and there. For example, I will miss inputting an information or forgot to make the right correction.
I find myself even more disappointed come during deadlines/deliverables when correct information is crucial. When my supervisor catches my mistakes more than once I feel like I can't be trusted anymore.
It's very hard to think about my vertical growth if I keep making these careless mistakes.
Be methodical about your work, double check, etc., but to be honest, there are many opportunities to catch errors, both by you, but also by others within your office. Every set that goes out should be checked not only by your project architect, but by an experienced QA/QC person. That means the same drawing set will be reviewed multiple times by multiple sets of eyes. Then you have the opportunity to catch mistakes in shop drawings. The GC will also be looking for mistakes. Yes, you need to develop a process to check your work, but construction mistakes are rarely the fault of one individual. Make yourself familiar with the overall review process and know that you are one piece of that process.
some people make the same mistakes over and over and the closer to deadline, the more mistakes they make - at most office I worked at, they would just let those people go - folks that mess up sheet indexes - just general lack of thoroughness
Agreed with Xenakis... sorry. An employee anywhere needs to learn from their mistakes. Mistakes themselves are normal, particularly with younger folks new to the industry. But employers need to see development from you as a professional.
When I had my firm, there was a basic 3 strike rule. If I had to repeat the same lecture on how it needs to be more than 3 times, you made my naughty list (someone I started looking for a replacement).
My only advice. Try not to stress about it; mistakes are normal. When you find (or worse it is discovered), figure out why you missed it or how it happened. Then just add the correction into how you approach similar situations in the future. Also, if you are in over your head like assigned something you really don't know, ASK PEOPLE. Really, it's ok... You can not know everything. Part of a studio is that support group where we learn from each other. Join in and grow and learn new things...
Totally hear you about making mistakes to the point where your co-workers or your supervisor automatically assumes its you even though it clearly wasn't your fault.
Keep a notebook of 'To Do List' ... Write it down, every little thing you're told to do, have to do, correct etc even if it seems unnecessary. You don't always have to refer to it all the time. Just go over it quickly at the end of the day to make sure you didn't forget anything.
I work in very fast paced environments(Multi-housing) and we have to just bust it out - a lot of even still it has to be right - we have a very high turn over rate and people tend to just get sloppy and go someplace else leaving behind a big mess
Outside of the above comments (which basically just reitereate "do it better"), depending on the office you're in (RE I believe?), if you have a systems manager you might want to buy that person a coffee and pick their brain. A good systems manager is setting up the hidden structures of your workflow in the background so that many typical mistakes are picked up automatically. There's a reasonable- to good-chance that you may just not know a specific, non-obvious system that you're unknowingly fighting against. If that's the case and your 'x' manager can identify that and explain it fully, then you'll have a much better time integrating into your office's output structure. My office has an overall BIM manager (software-specific), an overall systems manager (hardware specific), and a BIM leader for each project. Between those three I can go and usually find a very good reason for something I'm unaware of.
Make lists, I have a floating studio list of active things to do and keep it under my keyboard. I track all my open items.
Highlighters are your friend, every time you complete a redline (yours or a principal's) highlight the completed items.
Try to take a few minutes every hour and assess what has been done, what still needs to be done and continue to do that so you constantly rethink the set. One thing changes on sheet A-010 can affect A-530. Try to keep a macro view of the project you are trying to make, not the individual drawings.
Other than that, do your best to avoid mistakes, but accept you will make a few, on every job actually. I've been doing this for a while and I still make mistakes. It's life.
I always tell my clients (private practice - 6 years) two things, usually laughing, but serious at the same time:
1. "You will hate me at some point in this process, b/c it is a difficult process. You'll love me and the work at the end, but make no mistake, construction is stressful. I will do my best to minimize that stress, but it will occur."
2: "Understand there will be a couple of mistakes on this job, and that your budget will need to account for a few things that will happen on the job." Clients occasionally say to that: "I thought you were a good architect", and I always say "I'm a great architect, that's why it will be a couple not more."
Transparency. Be open about the process with whoever you work with / for (boss if you are an employee, client if you are on your own. Something happens, fess up, but fess up with solution already in play. Example: recent job, I used manufacturer lighting calcs from a similar job. Neglected to remember that the ceiling conditions changed. Whoops. Solution? Caught it before we ordered, lowered the lumen count on hte linear fixture, and now the 'error' is a 'considered design decision'
Finally, be serious and try hard, but this isn't surgery. No one dies if you mess up a casing detail. Let the people that need to yell, yell. Fix the problem, drink a little that night, and move on. We're all big boys and girls here and you're going to make mistakes. Don't make them cavalierly or carelessly, but accept the occasional issue as the cost of doing business and move on.
You're on the right track b/c you're asking how to fix it. Sheer fact you care enough to assess is a big part of it. The effort to remove mistakes will result in fewer.
1. everyone wants everything like yesterday (moving to fast)
2. lack of experience
3. lack of communication
4. Lack of quality control: check, dbl check, & rechecking your work with a system of red highlighters for corrections, yellow for corrected, green for question & comments, etc..
5. computer errors: computer's fail
6. Lack of rest
7. Lack of office standards of everyone doing the samething a certain way everytime all the time
if you can manage these you will eliminate a great majority of errors
I know that ecology-conscious people want to save paper, and younger people are more tuned into doing everything on a computer screen, but I know that no matter how careful I am, I almost always find at least one mistake on a sheet when I print it out.
I'm about as eco-conscious as they come, but I have learned, and drilled into anyone I've managed, to print drawings out for redlining. Saving few sheets of paper does not compare to the waste when there is a mistake in the field due to incorrect drawings.
Another technique I learned, maybe it's common but I don't know, is that whether you redline your own drawings or a manager does it for you, when you've completed the correction, use a yellow highlighter to mark it fixed. That saves a lot of missed corrections. (edit to add: I see that Sundance already mentioned that one. It's worth repeating.)
1. multiple checks: on screen, in pdf, then printed; sometimes taking a bit of time between checks is useful
2. on red lines use 2 different highlighters (one for when you do the task, second for when you check the new print to the old) and a colored marker (to note questions)
3. make sure you're getting enough rest - on days after a late night avoid certain tasks
4. find methods to assist in concentrating on specific tasks - it's different for each person/task
If you're finding that your supervisor is catching the same mistake over and over, you need to find a way to catch them before they do. Typically it's time sensitive, but making repeated mistakes is very frustrating to the supervisor - every firm has a limit 3 strikes is not unreasonable.
People in the workforce: How to prevent careless mistakes and work efficiently?
I am seeking professional help. In my job I often handle a lot of data/research and in consequence a lot of fact checking. More often than not, I will make a mistake here and there. For example, I will miss inputting an information or forgot to make the right correction.
I find myself even more disappointed come during deadlines/deliverables when correct information is crucial. When my supervisor catches my mistakes more than once I feel like I can't be trusted anymore.
It's very hard to think about my vertical growth if I keep making these careless mistakes.
how do you guys handle this?
Go back through and double check your work.
Redmarks
Make sure you are getting enough sleep.
Talk to yourself. By doing this, you engage another sense so it acts as a double check. And don't rush.
Be methodical about your work, double check, etc., but to be honest, there are many opportunities to catch errors, both by you, but also by others within your office. Every set that goes out should be checked not only by your project architect, but by an experienced QA/QC person. That means the same drawing set will be reviewed multiple times by multiple sets of eyes. Then you have the opportunity to catch mistakes in shop drawings. The GC will also be looking for mistakes. Yes, you need to develop a process to check your work, but construction mistakes are rarely the fault of one individual. Make yourself familiar with the overall review process and know that you are one piece of that process.
Ideally, the person made the mistakes on a drawing should be the one that fixes it.
Don't ever say "my bad" when your supervisor points out a mistake you made. Also don't do a nervous laugh.
My standard response to that is "I'll take care of it". Seems to work out well.
some people make the same mistakes over and over and the closer to deadline, the more mistakes they make - at most office I worked at, they would just let those people go - folks that mess up sheet indexes - just general lack of thoroughness
Agreed with Xenakis... sorry. An employee anywhere needs to learn from their mistakes. Mistakes themselves are normal, particularly with younger folks new to the industry. But employers need to see development from you as a professional.
When I had my firm, there was a basic 3 strike rule. If I had to repeat the same lecture on how it needs to be more than 3 times, you made my naughty list (someone I started looking for a replacement).
My only advice. Try not to stress about it; mistakes are normal. When you find (or worse it is discovered), figure out why you missed it or how it happened. Then just add the correction into how you approach similar situations in the future. Also, if you are in over your head like assigned something you really don't know, ASK PEOPLE. Really, it's ok... You can not know everything. Part of a studio is that support group where we learn from each other. Join in and grow and learn new things...
Totally hear you about making mistakes to the point where your co-workers or your supervisor automatically assumes its you even though it clearly wasn't your fault.
Keep a notebook of 'To Do List' ... Write it down, every little thing you're told to do, have to do, correct etc even if it seems unnecessary. You don't always have to refer to it all the time. Just go over it quickly at the end of the day to make sure you didn't forget anything.
I work in very fast paced environments(Multi-housing) and we have to just bust it out - a lot of even still it has to be right - we have a very high turn over rate and people tend to just get sloppy and go someplace else leaving behind a big mess
I take my time. Sleep on shit. Come back to it. Good work takes time. Learn to say "not going to happen".
thanks for all the good pointers!
Outside of the above comments (which basically just reitereate "do it better"), depending on the office you're in (RE I believe?), if you have a systems manager you might want to buy that person a coffee and pick their brain. A good systems manager is setting up the hidden structures of your workflow in the background so that many typical mistakes are picked up automatically. There's a reasonable- to good-chance that you may just not know a specific, non-obvious system that you're unknowingly fighting against. If that's the case and your 'x' manager can identify that and explain it fully, then you'll have a much better time integrating into your office's output structure. My office has an overall BIM manager (software-specific), an overall systems manager (hardware specific), and a BIM leader for each project. Between those three I can go and usually find a very good reason for something I'm unaware of.
do you work at the building department?
You're on the right track b/c you're asking how to fix it. Sheer fact you care enough to assess is a big part of it. The effort to remove mistakes will result in fewer.
You'll be fine , good luck!
Imho, most mistake's come from
1. everyone wants everything like yesterday (moving to fast)
2. lack of experience
3. lack of communication
4. Lack of quality control: check, dbl check, & rechecking your work with a system of red highlighters for corrections, yellow for corrected, green for question & comments, etc..
5. computer errors: computer's fail
6. Lack of rest
7. Lack of office standards of everyone doing the samething a certain way everytime all the time
if you can manage these you will eliminate a great majority of errors
I know that ecology-conscious people want to save paper, and younger people are more tuned into doing everything on a computer screen, but I know that no matter how careful I am, I almost always find at least one mistake on a sheet when I print it out.
I'm about as eco-conscious as they come, but I have learned, and drilled into anyone I've managed, to print drawings out for redlining. Saving few sheets of paper does not compare to the waste when there is a mistake in the field due to incorrect drawings.
Another technique I learned, maybe it's common but I don't know, is that whether you redline your own drawings or a manager does it for you, when you've completed the correction, use a yellow highlighter to mark it fixed. That saves a lot of missed corrections. (edit to add: I see that Sundance already mentioned that one. It's worth repeating.)
I'll echo:
1. multiple checks: on screen, in pdf, then printed; sometimes taking a bit of time between checks is useful
2. on red lines use 2 different highlighters (one for when you do the task, second for when you check the new print to the old) and a colored marker (to note questions)
3. make sure you're getting enough rest - on days after a late night avoid certain tasks
4. find methods to assist in concentrating on specific tasks - it's different for each person/task
If you're finding that your supervisor is catching the same mistake over and over, you need to find a way to catch them before they do. Typically it's time sensitive, but making repeated mistakes is very frustrating to the supervisor - every firm has a limit 3 strikes is not unreasonable.
its hard to catch everything - we are in such a hurry and our workload increases exponentially as we approach the submittal - we do the best we can
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