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  • 1.  Project Conflict . . .Why Does Everyone Look So Surprised?

    Posted 07-12-2017 12:35 PM

    Looking back at my "dated" program/project experiences, as well as making use of the collective program/project experiences of my former E/A/C Quality Management System Consulting clients, and over the past 9 years or so with my university Fall semester graduate Project Management classes, I have come to understand that we can abstract-out most serious individual, "Troubling" project issues into four categories: People, Process, Technology and Leadership, i.e. attributing, for each project-issue of concern, a contributory percentage such that for each such issue the four estimated values add up to 100%. Astoundingly, I have consistently learned that no more than 30% of the restraining forces to success fall under the heading "Techology."

    This means that, as a minimum, some 70% or more of what drives project results "South" at the worst possible time in the life of a project appears to be our collective, undeveloped understanding to routinely apply collaboration, communication, and cooperation as a routine part of how we work together, right from the "Client Selection" and "Proposal Phase" through "Project Closeout." For example, as the project begins, a project task member informs the project manager they suspect a problem with an interdiscipinary coordination matter, and is told "Thanks for that Sally, just continue on with that work, and I'll get back to you later." . . . Right, "Later!"

     So, it turns out that what the CE Profs told us were the "Hard Skills," once we were at work with other people, turned out to be the so-called
    "Soft Skills."

    In real-world project life, the "Hard Skills" for most CEs seem to be a mix of "How to play nice with others" . . .internally and externally. . .  and learning what "Listening with your eyes" and "Seeing with your ears" really means. Right, that turns out to be the "Hard Stuff!"

     I would be delighted if you had some time to chat.

    Cheers.



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    William Hayden Ph.D., P.E., CP, F.ASCE
    Management Quality By Design, Inc.
    Amherst NY
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  • 2.  RE: Project Conflict . . .Why Does Everyone Look So Surprised?

    Posted 07-13-2017 10:25 AM
    Suggest that you understand the message being promoted by the Lean Construction Institute.  Projects that have embraced this philosophy have shown a consistent level of success.

    Do not get hung up on the word Lean since it is used in a different sense.


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    Mark Gilligan S.E., M.ASCE
    Principal
    Berkeley CA
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  • 3.  RE: Project Conflict . . .Why Does Everyone Look So Surprised?

    Posted 07-14-2017 11:04 AM
    Thanks Mark for pointing us to the : https://www.leanconstruction.org organization, and their "Toolbox" of methods, and the like.

    Once I got into it a bit, it seemed familiar. Then I recalled the early years of what was then called "Partnering." And within such an organizationally controlled boundary . . . .whether "Partnering" or "Lean"....there will be, as I think you were suggesting, a more common sense of vision, mission, purpose, leading to a much lower level of "Me-Centric" and a greater focus on "Our Program/Project Outcome-Focus." Both the "Partnering" and "Lean" Design-Build Models re-arrange the tools and techniques of what was at one time called TQM, into a process flow adapted to the specifcs of the program/project in question.

    Having prefaced with all of the above, I now return to my original set of questions:

    Absent working with 100% of everyone who has a "Hand in the game" within an organizationally managed program/project environment:
    a. Why aren't our professional schools equiping our CE students with the skill sets they need to, as a BARE-BONES MINIMUM,
    recognize as career-critical skills?
    b. Why aren't our ASCE Sections/regions partnering with their local/regional school facuty to make this happen?

    Cheers.

    ------------------------------
    William Hayden Ph.D., P.E., CP, F.ASCE
    Management Quality By Design, Inc.
    Amherst NY
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Project Conflict . . .Why Does Everyone Look So Surprised?

    Posted 07-17-2017 11:10 AM
    So engineering problems occur when there is a breakdown dealing with People, Process, and Leadership?  The current push in academics, career training, and community outreach is for STEM curriculum.  So, where do these subjects fit within the acronym?  Don't tell me STEAM.  Eliminate the meaningless terms STEM/STEAM.  Engineering does not operate independently from the humanities.

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    Chad Morrison P.E., M.ASCE
    Professional Engineer
    Greenville RI
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Project Conflict . . .Why Does Everyone Look So Surprised?

    Posted 07-17-2017 12:08 PM
    A common mistake individuals make when first exposed to Lean Construction is that because they see some things that are familiar they assume it is business as usual.  Lean construction is more than design build, partnering, TQM, or IPD.  Lean construction focuses on processes, giving individuals skin in the game, active participation by the client, and active management of the process.

    It is more than tools and individual skills.

    This is not a pipe dream.  Lean Construction results in improved project outcomes.

    What are the career critical skills?

    Suggest that schools focus on educating the students to meet the needs of employers.  Rare is the employer who hires recent graduates with the idea they will be a future manager.  Suggest many of the hiring managers would find these "critical skills" or new ways of looking at things to be threatening.

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    Mark Gilligan S.E., M.ASCE
    Principal
    Berkeley CA
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Project Conflict . . .Why Does Everyone Look So Surprised?

    Posted 07-18-2017 04:13 PM

    Another colleague writes:

     

    "Great summary!  As a fellow "seasoned professional" I can relate that your observations and research align with my program/project experience as well.  It is unfortunate that the importance of interpersonal relationships, leadership, decision making skills were not emphasized more at university and during my earlier years in the profession. It took the advent of partnering - and only when an owner embraced the full bore implementation of it - to open my eyes to the criticality of the soft skills (that are really hard).  

    I would be interested to know if there are universities that provide core engineering courses in the soft skills.  If you are aware of examples, it would be very helpful . . ."

     

    No, my friend, I do not.

    It is my hope that this discussion may "Flush" some out to the benfit of all.

     

    Cheers.



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    William Hayden Ph.D., P.E., CP, F.ASCE
    Management Quality By Design, Inc.
    Amherst NY
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Project Conflict . . .Why Does Everyone Look So Surprised?

    Posted 07-19-2017 10:03 AM
    I agree with the premise that Engineers (and other stakeholders in Construction) need to improve their communication and soft skills as a whole. There is a stereotype out there that Engineers are awkward and don't know how to communicate, and that stereotype exists because there is some truth in it. 

    However, I don't think that teaching these skills should be handled by the universities. Engineers already have a lot of required coursework to cover before they graduate, and higher education is very expensive. I would be upset if I had to take "leadership" courses in college to the tune of $5k a semester per class.  My student loans were already astronomical, I don't need more of them for additional extracurricular classes.  If an Engineer truly values leadership and wants to build those skills, there are ample avenues available for leadership courses outside of the university setting. 

    I do agree that employers should encourage more leadership from the engineering disciplines. I worked for a major EPC construction firm for several years. I observed that management felt engineers were too valuable as "engineers" to ever push them into leadership track positions. There are a finite amount of quality engineers on the market, but there are endless candidates to push into the leadership track. Therefore, any attempt by an engineer to jump into the management track was strongly discouraged.  And thus, I left the company after I understood the writing on the wall. 

    In summary, both sides (engineer and employer) should take an active role in developing and rewarding leadership/communication skills for engineers.  The vast majority of errors are made at the "connections", which can mean where two steel beams are joined or where information is passed from one individual to the other.

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    Chase Anderson P.E., M.ASCE
    Project Engineer
    SEA Limited
    Houston TX
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Project Conflict . . .Why Does Everyone Look So Surprised?

    Posted 07-19-2017 10:03 AM
    Reading the responses from those who have to execute the civil project, I thought I would share the perspective from someone who spend over 30 years (just missed the slide rule err though I do own one) in academic with a few years of professional practice scattered in between.  Below are some of my observations/speculation:
    1. The gap between the practice (the engineering professional) and academic has continuously growing apart.  To get tenured and promotion and be famous, $$ and publications are the key.  I told ASCE 30+ years ago that the idea for professor to intern in the summer is a great idea that cannot work for the professor if you work instead of research.  The ole saying "teaching award is a kiss of death for tenure" is still true except with a different spin.  When I found the civil engineering program in 2001 at MN State University, I made it as one of the goals that the members of our advisory board to support our faculty in two forms - financial support for our faculty to attend workshop etc for professional development and provide internship for our faculty.  A paper was presented at ASEE conference back in 2006 or 2007.
    2. There are growing implementation by universities to hire "professor of practice" or similar term.  It is a good job for those who does not really need the money to support the families.  They are viewed as second class citizen in the school though no one in the university will admit it including the colleague next door.  The intent of these appointments is to have experienced (at least long enough to obtain a PE) to bring engineering practice to the classroom.  There is always good intent but not always good execution.  Besides the low pay, it is also hard for the seasoned engineer to find time to teach.  The good one is rarely available.  I have personal experience in trying to find these engineers and I live in a BIG city.
    3. I would not say the profession is ignorant but I don't believe they have kept up to date of what current civil engineering curriculum is like.  I often wonder if the profession knows what they are getting from today's graduate.  I had offered to present today's CE curriculum in ASCE meetings, there is no taker so far.  I am astonished in some of the changes in some of the well known universities and I am in academic.
    4. "A" is for acceptable.  That is the grade students expect to receive though the level (could be "B") is school dependent.  Failure a student will get a visit from the department chair or dean.  I can give you examples of attribute expected from the profession that is not allowed by the university administration.  In the 90's, we were told that the students are our customers.  Well, you know "what customers want, customers get".  To us as faculty, it is easier to please than try to be professionally ethical and it also brings teaching awards - a win-win situation.

    I would never be so bold to make all these comments public if I am a bright eye junior faculty (I was told I should keep my opinion to myself in those days. Being seasoned (gray hair and close to retirement), I am more free to express my opinions.  My job is less of my concern than my principles (yes, I did pay for it over the years).  Instead of holding a tenured position, my job is non-tenured and am one of those so called "professor of practice".  Is there a solution?  I believe so.  The solution is YOU - the entire engineering profession, not just the one that has 10,000 employees.  The firms with 20 employees, 5 engineers, etc are the one that need to be involved to shape the profession's future.  How?
    1. You shape it by actively engaged in ABET, set realistic criteria
    2. Engage with the universities that you hire their graduates.  You may say "my firm is so small, why would the university cares".  True, but if you have all the firms of your size joined force, then you are no longer small.
    3. Hire student intern even when you don't really need help.  Provide them with real training.  Actually, it is your investment - find out if this student is worthy of hire after graduation plus educate them for the profession.
    4. When in a rare occasion, a professor asks you to give a seminar to talk about your project, say yes.  From my personal experience, there is lesson learned in every project.  It may be ordinary to you but not to the one never step foot in a job site and thought architects, not engineers, design buildings.

    I should close my opinion page and get back to do something that I am being paid for.  I apologize for the rambling.  But the marriage education and practice has been closed to my heart since the day I worked on my PhD.  Look forward to your comments or simply tell me I wasted your time reading such a long response.

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    Karen Chou Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE

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    Original Message


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