Project Reset… When is it a good time to Reset your Project?

Occasionally you may feel that your project may be going off the rails. It could be for any number of reasons including, but not limited to: changing of the project team members, absence from the project, or drastic changes in the design or schedule.

You may need to take a step back and “Rest” the project.

Here are the 5 steps to resetting your project.

1: Review the Project Execution Plan

Review the Project Execution Plan with the project manager and update the PxP if needed (it probably is). By reviewing the PxP you can evaluate how far off the rails the project actually is. Often it’s just a case of reminding the team of the project goals, or their roles and responsibilities and bring everyone back together working as a team.

2: Come together

After reviewing the project goals and scope it’s time to bring together the current project team, and if possible include past team members as they will be valuable contributors to the conversation. Explain the situation to the team and ask for their input, including challenges and current obstacles. Make the project team aware that you are available "one on one" to discuss further as some team members may not be comfortable raising issues in a group setting.

If the issues are not just internal and include the wider project team it may be time to hold an “emergency” meeting. I typically schedule a face to face BIM Lead meeting at least every 6 months, even every three months if it’s a large complex project. Face to face meetings are crucial to developing relationships with the wider project team resulting in an increased willingness to work together and can quite often resolve simple misunderstandings. 

3: Make a list of the current issues

List the challenges staff are having, what the project challenges are, and the barriers to moving forward. From this list, you will be able to address these challenges that are preventing the project from moving forward, and find resolutions. This may require input from the managing principle as well.

Review the current status of the project, this may involve someone from outside the project to review the “quality” of the current state of the project and what's been developed so far. Having a discerning outside opinion of the project, someone who can identify current issues and potential future problems can help identify and avoid issues going forward.

4: Face the Music, to make Music

Doesn’t matter who is responsible for errors, the main thing is to address the issues. Draw upon your resources and delegate, bring in the big guns if necessary and work hard to resolve your team issues.

The harder you work with your team the harder they will work for you.

Address staff needs, if issues are caused by inexperience or workload or lack of management support take note and provide resources to address the project teams needs.

5: Learn lessons

Take note and learn from the experience. Was it a failure of executing a process, or is there an error in the process? Take steps to remedy the situation!

The ultimate goal is to bring the project back into being a successful profitable project. Projects that go off the rails are demoralizing for the project team and has an impact on the profitability of the project and ultimately of the firm. We are all responsible for the success of your project, and if you are in a position of leadership you are especially responsible for identifying projects that are starting to go off the rails.

It’s never too late and always worth the effort!

Update: 1/19/2018.
Interesting article for when to reset your company.
http://chiefmartec.com/2016/11/martecs-law-great-management-challenge-21st-century/

Is “Process” creating a culture of mediocrity?

In today’s business culture we integrate and utilize technology into our daily processes and procedures. The use of computers and software is ubiquitous in our daily lives, both personally and professionally, over the last 20 years computers have revolutionized our daily lives.

In the design and construction industry, we use computers and software for all aspects of our processes and have developed standards to ensure consistency, quality and develop a level of efficiency which is a requirement of today’s client expectations and project demands.

Over the past number of years, as technology has developed and became a standard in everyday business, the focus has been on teaching software and the associated applications and processes developed to take advantage of the software. Our focus has shifted to learning the tools and not what we use the tools for. Basic skills are diminishing, having a negative impact on the quality of the deliverable, which we are using technology to help us deliver.

“Is the development of processes creating a culture of mediocrity?”

Through the development of these processes are we stifling ingenuity and the opportunity for innovation, are we eliminating the need for team members to take on responsibility and ownership of their tasks and responsibilities? Processes should balance between providing quality and efficiency, our goals when developing processes are to minimize risk and liability by controlling the outcome, resulting in risk mitigation and quality through consistency.

However, is this preventing innovation and improvement? By demanding rigidity through the development of processes are we limiting the opportunities to finding new ways to complete tasks and make changes for the better?   

The design industry is notorious for this conflux, we expect a high level of creativity and innovation combined with a need for high quality (risk mitigation) that utilizes digital tools and associated processes with the intent to create efficiency. However, with the focus on learning the tool, we are finding that we're losing the simple knowledge and skills that new employees desperately need.

“We do a great job teaching the tools but we're losing sight of why we use the tools.”

Do we want to get to the point where we are providing a “caution content may be hot” type label due to over processing? When developing processes we need to be aware of the fine line between limiting the ability to think for ourselves and the benefits of efficiency and quality control. We need to balance the need for standardization and risk mitigation with the freedom to change the process when required allowing for innovation and improvement. Let’s not bog down the process of creation by stifling creativity with overly constraining processes.

Review your process on a regular basis with your team and look for ways to streamline and make improvements. Consider changing processes to “guidelines” and look for feedback from the users. Let your team know that at any point they can reach out to you to discuss in an open and constructive manner any possible changes to the process that can make improvements. You will not only gain the respect of your staff you will also have improved adoption rate of any processes you implement. Don’t be strict on the enforcement of process, use processes as a guideline and reference to complete a task, this will give your team the confidence to propose changes for the better and the flexibility to make any necessary changes confidently to ensure the success of the project and the team.

There will be areas of any process that are required to be enforced, where projects cross international borders or between offices standards need to be consistent, enforcing these requirements will be respected as long as you make it clear why they are required and all involved understand the necessity and function of the processes. Standing behind these requirements will also gain you the respect of your team.

When we receive proposals for Architectural projects we accept the project requirements and find unique ways to incorporate the client's desires and project requirements all the while looking for opportunities to improve the aesthetics, functionality and efficiency of the design, resulting in the best possible outcome for the project. To be successful you need an equal balance of innovation and the structure of processes.  

Presentation Series on Improving Project Delivery

If you are in the Vancouver (BC) area next week I would like to invite you to a series of sessions dedicated to improving how you deliver projects.

The “Improving the Process of Delivering Projects” series is designed to stimulate discussion on improving the project delivery process. Sessions are designed for members of the AEC industry who would like to see a more integrated approach to project delivery. These sessions will provide you with tools and skills to enhance your project delivery and collaborate with consultants, your client and the contractor.

These quarterly sessions will be facilitated by Scott Chatterton, BIM and QC Manager for CEI Architecture. The first will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 at CEI Architecture’s office at 500-1500 West Georgia Street, Vancouver. 

Click here for more details and to reserve your seat.

The goals of these sessions are to educate, communicate and cooperate.

These sessions are not:

·         …Another user group. These are a limited series of presentations directed towards improving how we deliver projects in the design and construction industry.

·         …Focussed on Revit. They are high level overviews of the processes for delivering projects.

·         …A sales pitch. We’re not selling anything, promoting any products or any specific company. We’re discussing how to improve project delivery.

These sessions are:

Designed for Decision Makers. They’re for project managers, partners, associates, architects, engineers and contractors. Decision makers who need information to be able to make educated decisions and keep up with industry trends.

Free… What more can I say?

The first session will feature two presentations, guaranteed to stimulate thought and discussion.

Collaboration in the Design Process

Rodrigo Freig; WSP Group

This presentation looks at three different case scenarios of BIM collaboration and how the process impacted the project delivery. We will look at the level of involvement of consultants, contractors and owners, and the benefits gained and/or lost.

Rodrigo Freig is the technical manager for the engineering departments at WSP Group’s Vancouver office. He has 14 years’ experience in the structural engineering field and he also teaches Revit Structures at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He has been involved with BIM processes since 2006 and is an enthusiast of working in 3D.  

Building an Integrated Team to Deliver a Project

Owen Pawson; Miller Thomson

This session covers the following aspects of collaborative project delivery:

• Who should be on the team
• The importance of trust within the team
• The importance of BIM in enhancing collaboration
• Tying rewards (and risk) to project success
• Decision making within the team
• Dispute resolution (if really necessary)

Owen Pawson is the Managing Partner of Miller Thomson's Vancouver office. He practices as a solicitor with the firm in construction law. He assists governments, crown corporations and a variety of construction companies, architects, engineers and interior designers to identify issues and resolve conflicts in construction law, develop commercial arrangements for traditional design-tender-build projects through to major design-build and engineer, procure and construct facilities, as well as public private partnerships projects. In this regard, Owen has been involved in the preparation of procurement processes and complex contracts necessary to implement design-build school projects and major transportation infrastructure projects by way of design-build, P3 and EPC contracts. He also advises clients with respect to professional liability of design consultants and has prepared professional consulting agreements for a variety of projects.

Sc.

For additional postings and BIM information check out the BIM User Group Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OkanaganBIMUsers

2nd Reinventing Construction Project Delivery - Vancouver May 1st and 2nd

On May 1st and 2nd I will be presenting "How BIM and the Collaboration Process Changed our Flow of Operations" at the 2nd Reinventing Construction Project Delivery in Vancouver BC.

I will be presenting along side presenters from such as Steve Fleck of Stantec, Scott Matherson PCL and Allan Partridge from Group2 Architecture not to mention presenters from DIALOG, Lockerbie & Hole, Summit Technologies and many more. 
Check out the line up here.

Course program includes:
Collaborative project delivery breaks down the silos of responsibility, requiring close cooperation among all major participants, and aligning participant success to project success. This session will examine the principles of effective collaborative project delivery, which must be achieved for success.
• Establishing mutual respect and trust
• Setting out structure for mutual benefit and reward
• Best practices for collaborative innovation and decision making
• Early involvement of key participants
• Determining early goal definition

Many involved in the construction industry have turned to building information modeling (BIM) because of its potential to radically improve collaboration needed in design and construction. When used effectively, BIM practices can reduce errors and lessen the overall risk of the project. This session will explore how to take advantage of BIM collaborative delivery methods.
• Overview of the key concepts and usage of BIM: BIM characteristics
• BIM as a contract tool
• Implementing and managing a BIM model throughout the life of the project
• Key legal issues surrounding the usage of BIM
• Determining if your project is suited for BIM: barriers to BIM

Hope to see you there.

Sc