R. Van Hudson/November 2008

Producing an error free design package is the goal of every checker. Accuracy, attention to detail, presentation, and design economics are all a part of his thinking. Unfortunately, checkers can only minimize mistakes, they cannot eliminate them. To the degree checkers are successful in eliminating mistakes depends on many things, like how well the package is planned and presented, whether or not all the deliverables have been completed, how well the field notes are presented, and how well a designer responds to helpful criticism.

However great the issues, it is the checkers responsibility to make sure that deliverables are accurate and that they communicate the intent of the design in a manner that everyone understands, most particularly the craft. A Checker knows that if he pleases the pipefitter, he makes his client happy and that makes his boss happy.

Keeping the customer in focus always helps when dealing with designers who are not always happy to see their work redlined.