We have eliminated the greatest sources of potential error and re-work in the building surveying process. Our paperless surveying process allows our staff to wirelessly transfer measurements from laser devices to portable computers. Custom software performs BOMA calculations and inserts the results without the risks of manual data entry.
Many of our competitors have moved in the same technical direction and I am sure the quality of their work has increased as a result. One should expect that overall accuracy within the survey industry is increasing.
Having tackled the potential problems of data entry and transcription, we now need to move on to the next item in the Pareto Chart of survey quality: compound error.
We addressed this problem years ago, back in the days of paper-based note taking - but it's worth revisiting. The problem is that the accuracy of a survey is directly dependent on the number of incremental measurements that are used to establish over-all distances. To put it another way, if you take ten small measurements to determine the width of a building, your result will be substantially less accurate than if you took one single measurement. 
The implication of compound error is that a surveyors strategy and method of measuring a building is going to have a profound effect on the accuracy of the finished survey. Some surveying software is designed in such a way that operator is encouraged to measure one room, locate the door, measure the next room, locate the next door and so on. This method will result in a great deal of compound error. By the time they have made it across to the other side of the building, the overall dimension that they arrive at will be based on many small incremental measurements and a great deal of associated compound error.
How do we minimize compound error? In our method we establish principle building elements with the fewest possible clear shots of the laser. We establish the perimeter wall, core elements such as elevators and stairwells. We'll establish the location of these with multiple measurements to detect any slight angles and variations. Only once these key elements are established and fully 'nailed down' do we proceed with the other details. By establishing the core and perimeter first and then measuring everything relative to these, compound error is minimized.
This approach may seem obvious, but many people are tempted to 'just start measuring' as soon as they get on site. Surveyors need to invest some time to plan their strategy and approach. They need to think about the structure, construction and layout of the building before they start to construct their drawings.
