I have had similar experiences as a structural engineer working in large-scale commercial projects, and have worked this way for most of my career with the client and the architect often in another state and/or time zone. Web-ex (and the ability to hand off who controls the screen) has been invaluable. Bluebeam (which allows an ability to sketch on the screen) is also a helpful tool. I personally really like Slack for quick "chat" type communication. Google docs for simultaneously editing (non-confidential) group documents, agendas, etc. is also really helpful. And, basic tools like a scanner (or Evernote on a phone in the field) is great for snapping a picture of a sketch or field condition and sending it off to others for discussion.
I think it's also important to understand the following when working virtually:
1. Virtual isn't for every project type or issue. For really complicated issues - and especially if it's a renovation and an unexpected condition was found in the field - I've found trying to work virtually can eat up a substantial amount of extra meeting, communication, and sketching time for various options that wouldn't be necessary if everyone was either in one room, to begin with, or a full-team meeting had been called. That extra time eats up fees and can make the difference between a profitable project or not. Particularly if those setting the project fees are not fully aware of the tools available, this can create challenges internally. For a specific example, for structural engineers Revit can be a major time suck if the lead architect is not as knowledgeable as the engineer is with the program, starts drawing things without thinking about them, or we do a bad job of educating the architect that moving a column in plan a foot or two 5 times in the CD phase is a big deal/requires rework for us although it is minor for the architect.
2. It is critical to learn which issues that come up can be easily handled by a phone call or web-ex between a few people, and which ones actually require a larger scale meeting (even if it's a virtual one) for the team.
3. Knowing who needs to be pulled into these discussions is also important. I've had it happen more than once that a seemingly minor issue was "resolved," only to find out that a critical member of the team (usually a contractor or client who isn't necessarily involved in all meetings) hadn't been pulled in to the discussion until too late and we had to go back to the drawing board. A seasoned project manager who understands the big picture issues is invaluable.
As for tools - Personally, I would be really interested in an inexpensive cloud-based tool for sketching virtually. Many times the major "advantage" to getting people in a room for a meeting is that you can sketch concepts out on a white board and everyone can add their thoughts. I haven't yet found an inexpensive, portable tool (that works on both computers/mobile) on the many design teams I've worked on that can replace that. If you could use a stylus on a screen as easily as you can on paper, with the ability of everyone on the team to add in their own doodles/comments at the same time, that would be ideal. If anyone knows of such a tool, please comment. I'm thinking it would be a sketching version of google docs (where everyone can add comments/change the document at once).
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Stephanie Slocum P.E., M.ASCE
Founder
Engineers Rising LLC
www.engineersrising.com------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2018 11:09
From: Lauren Swett
Subject: Multidisciplinary/Virtual Work in Action!
Civil engineers are working on project teams that are becoming increasingly more global, multi-disciplinary, and virtual. I had an experience this fall that I thought was about as perfect a multi-disciplinary/virtual work example as you can get! What kinds of team situations have you encountered working with virtual teams/team members, multi-disciplinary teams, and/or teammates with flexible work schedules?
To get the discussion started, see my recent project experience below:
- I am working on a Design Build project that is being constructed in NH.
- The Construction Manager is on site in NH and is working with our earthwork subcontractor who is local to the small town where the project is happening.
- I am the civil engineer, and I sit in our ME office.
- The structural engineer on the project works from home in CO.
- The mechanical engineer recently had surgery, and was working from home somewhere in southern ME for a few weeks.
- The chemical engineer works in our MA office.
- To top it all off, our client on the project operates the facility in NH, their United States headquarters is in MA, but the main company who approves projects is based in Germany!
- The construction manager asked us to issue our site plan within the week for construction. I had been finalizing that, but found out from the chemical engineer that an HVAC equipment pad had to move. I called up the mechanical engineer to ask him about clearances, and where he wanted the pad to go, and he did some research, and sent me the details.
- I called up the structural engineer, and he shared his screen (we use Skype for Business) so we could look at a 3D model of the building, and figure out conflicts. There was an issue, so we conferenced in the mechanical engineer who gave his opinion, and then we conferenced in the chemical engineer who wanted the change, discussed the options and figured out the solution that worked for the whole group.
- The structural engineer updated his 3D model using the software Revit, and forwarded it to one of our mechanical CAD designers in Portland, who exported the Revit to AutoCAD. He sent that file to the civil CAD designer I work with, and she updated the reference in our site plan, which we developed in Civil3D, so we're showing the pad in the right place.
- I uploaded the plans to Procore, our construction SharePoint software, so the construction manager got a copy. Our earthwork subcontractor was also able to download it, and give it to his surveyor sub (in New York…) who used the CAD files to upload the data into his survey model so everyone on site knows where the concrete pad goes.
- And, finally, I reviewed it with our staff engineer in ME who will be travelling to the site to do inspections during construction.
What could have taken days to coordinate, or, wouldn't have been coordinated until there was a conflict found in the field, only took a few hours from identifying the problem to getting it out to the people in the field, even though there were 10 people involved in 5 different geographies (we didn't bother telling the people back in Germany about our little concrete pad change...).
Please share examples of working on multi-disciplinary and/or virtual teams or adapting to flexible work schedules. What challenges did you face or what successes did you have? What tools to you use to facilitate work like this?
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Lauren Swett P.E., M.ASCE
Technical Manager
Woodard and Curran
Portland, ME
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