In all professions people are prone to make some mistakes once in a while and construction is no different. I came across some, let's say interesting images of construction fails and thought I'd share. With all of the advanced planning in construction you would think everything would go smoothly, but sometimes the plan can go wrong in ways that make no sense. Regardless if you're using
7 Strategies To Stay Focused At Work
1 CommentStaying focused at work can become a difficult task when you workplace is hectic and chaotic. Yes, it does come with the territory - loud equipment, people walking by, loud discussions, deadlines, busy schedules, and clutter, but all of that can be cultivated so that it doesn’t have to stress you out. Even the slightest changes can become leveraged strategies to stay focused when your workplace
Addicted To Meetings? Here Are 9 Ways to Make Sure They Are Effective [INFOGRAPHIC]
Leave a CommentLet’s face it, some meetings are just unnecessary. Research conducted by Harvard Business School and the London School of Economics found that 25-50% of meeting time was considered wasted. With so much to do everyday, productivity is paramount and time is money. So why can't we organize effective meetings that are worth attending? According to software company Altassian, the estimated cost of
6 Tips To Manage Decision Fatigue: It’s Not as Difficult as You Think
1 CommentAre you overwhelmed with all of the decisions you have to make as soon as you walk into work? You might have decision fatigue. In one day have you ever felt like you’ve made so many decisions that it would suffice for a whole month? Each decision we make adds to decision fatigue. According to Wikipedia, in decision making and psychology, decision fatigue is when the quality of decisions
Drive Results As A Project Manager – Build Team Alignment [PODCAST]
Leave a CommentIn any professional setting there most likely is a leader who is steering the operation. It's essential that leaders and managers remain transparent rather than mysterious about the vision and plans of the project. On a recent P6 Genius Bar webinar I discovered how frustrating it can be when you're trying to complete a project but the guidance of your manager is not transparent or clearly
International Communication Styles: How To Better Communicate with People Around The Globe [SlideShare]
Leave a CommentIs your business culture monochronic or polychronic? Traditional culture experts have divided people into these 2 types: monochronic are people who do one thing at a time and polychronic are people that do many things at a time. That was until Richard D. Lewis came along and found that there was a whole culture missing. Richard Lewis, one of Britain's foremost linguists and founder of
11 Inspiring TED Talks On Productivity For Planners and Schedulers
1 CommentConquer your projects like a pro. We all need a little boost some days when we just aren’t as productive as we would like to be. For the days we feel like we’ve reached the ultimate ‘Blah’ and would just love to spend the day at the beach instead, take a little break and watch some very inspiring Ted Talks on productivity. TED Talks offer very inspiring discussions on a wide range of topics
36 Productivity AutoCAD Hacks for Engineers [SlideShare]
1 CommentTechnology is the future, the now. No kidding around, it makes our job much easier in all fields. When it comes to engineering and designing of architecture, technology assists in providing the highest standards of 2D or 3D models. AutoCAD is an essential part of this development. It is used to create these models, blueprints, professional sketches and much more in the planning stages of building
3 Engineering Career Skills That’ll Make A Big Difference In Landing That Contract
Leave a CommentJob security is fading. No matter your industry, employers are always looking for candidates who are qualified with the required engineering skills, flexible with change, and who have the ability to communicate with the team. And employers are looking for candidates who show the potential to move up in the organization - showing initiative and competencies in many areas. A jack-of-all-trades if
Project Controls Internships: 4 Go-To Resources To Find One
Leave a CommentYou're trained on Primavera P6 and you're totally qualified for a project controller position. But wait... you need to come up with practical experience after all of those months and years of studying and training!? If you’re not sure how to get Project Controls experience I want to help you out. Let me tell you about Project Controls internships. I've found internships to be the best bet to
5 Project Management Tips From Santa [INFOGRAPHIC]
Leave a CommentIt’s that time of the year where project managers are working on wrapping up their final project reports before holiday vacation, but of course ‘tis the season to be sidetracked. The holiday season brings a lot of distractions and as a project manager a good way to keep your team motivated to the end would be to make a list and check it twice like the North Poles finest, Santa Claus. When you
5 Project Management Lessons From Classic Holiday Movies
Leave a CommentWith the holiday season at full roar, you may find your attention distracted by the season's best holiday movies. Between scenes of holiday cheer, you can actually find lessons you can apply to your established project management repertoire. Holiday movies from 'Rudolph' to 'Home Alone' are filled with successes and failures of their own project management jobs. Either way, you can pick up the
52 Tips To Help You Break Into Project Management [SlideShare]
1 CommentAre you fresh on the scene of project management or is thinking about investing in a career in this industry - but not sure how to go about starting out or getting your first break? Project Management has become more and more in demand globally and is very popular and necessary in many organizations to run smoothly. Like all other career paths, diving in head first might not be a great idea,
7 Tips To Help You Create An Effective Project Status Report
3 CommentsPut plainly, project status reports are difficult to write. It is a fact that project managers in different industries can come together and agree upon. But while it can be difficult to put together a document that has the right tone for the audience, has the pertinent information discussed at the appropriate depth, and can be functional rather than just informational, project managers are tasked
How To Jump Start Your Career in Project Controls
Leave a CommentWith competition and the need for innovation consistently increasing in construction, transportation, energy, architecture and related areas, project controllers are in demand more than ever. If you’re interested in a strategic leadership role that allows you to wear many hats, you can choose among a number of possible career paths to get into project controls. From there, you may even find a
15 LinkedIn Groups Every Project Controller Should Join
Leave a CommentThe demands and how busy it can get being a Project Controller can make it difficult to keep up with the constant shifts in industry trends. Working in various environments and with numerous project types you might be wondering where you can find the latest news about a specific sector or who’s looking to hire a Project Controller. This is understandable and Social communities like LinkedIn can
5 Ways To Completely Revamp Your Project Productivity Style
1 CommentWe all want to be and feel productive everyday. Somedays you feel like Thor, knocking off the tasks like he swings Mjilnor to bash bad guys. And other days, it's more like you're stuck in "Ground Hog Day" - endlessly repeating the same tasks over and over to no end, seeming to get nowhere. Maybe it's time to check your productivity system. What tools are you using to stay on top of that endless
[INFOGRAPHIC] 30 Stats About Project Management Offices You Should Know
Leave a CommentIts no secret that Project Management Offices (PMOs) have changed how organizations are being managed over the past years and we've touched on this topic before. Still, according to recent data, there are many organizations who are in the process of implementing a Project Management Office or are still thinking about it as a near-term goal. In fact, 30% of companies currently without a PMO plan
How To Convince Your Boss To Pay For Your Project Management Training
3 CommentsWith advanced technology, ever-evolving market and competition, it’s critical for project controllers, schedulers and planners in the construction industry to stay on top of their game. Continuing education and project management training are the keys to advancing skills for controllers, schedulers and planners in the construction field. But how do you convince your boss to pay for your
6 MEGA Construction TV Shows You May Not Have Known About
1 CommentWe all need a break sometime, and what better way to unwind than watching and learning about some of the most top-notch modern day builds in the world! Curious about the inner workings of the Panama Canal, or how deep sea drilling is really done, or how engineers constructed the Dubai Race Course among many other superhuman builds? If you're in construction here are some interesting TV shows
What You Need To Know About PMI’s Upcoming Changes For Collecting PDUs
Leave a CommentIf you hold a PMP or other PMI project management certification you are already familiar with the process of maintaining your certification and collecting PDUs. But in case you haven’t heard yet, PMI's CCR program is getting a makeover and there are changes to the requirements for certificate holders. These changes are expected to be effective December 1, 2015 - and here's a heads-up so you can
What’s Fixed In Primavera P6 Professional & EPPM 15.1.1
3 CommentsAre you experiencing issues with Primavera P6 version 15.1 already? Recently Primavera P6 version 15.1 was released and although it brought some new features to the table there seemed to be some glitches hanging around also. Are you wondering why the jump from 8.3 to 15.1? Find out why all Primavera P6 products made the jump to 15.1 and check out what's new in Primavera P6 15.1. Listed
Primavera P6 Software Bugs: How To Find The Latest Patches
Leave a CommentAre you sure your copy of Primavera P6 isn't buggy? With new releases to any software some features tend to stop working properly or not at all. To fix these glitches you need to find the appropriate upgrade, service packs and/or patches that were developed to remove these problems. So how do you get your Primavera P6 software running smoothly again? This can be done by downloading the
Top 6 Reasons How PMP Certification Will Advance Your Career
5 CommentsWorking in project management requires careful attention to detail, inexplicable hands-on training, and credibility. However, planners and schedulers in project management roles often find themselves unable to provide proof of their accomplishments beyond previous roles as project managers. To meet the growing demand for a streamlined, predictable means of ensuring a project manager’s
Project Management Training Boosts Success Rate By 26% [INFOGRAPHIC]
Leave a CommentHow do you know if you or your team needs Project Management Training? 67% of PMs believe that Project Management training contributes to better project performance. So why should you care? The world of project management and technology is ever-evolving and those who are responsible for the success of the project on-site and off should be equipped to face any obstacles that may come their way.
How To Prepare For Your Next Project Controls Job Interview
Leave a CommentYou have made it past the initial grouping of applicants into the interview pool. However, preparing for a project management or project controls job interview does not have to be a nightmare. To help you organize your thoughts and get ready for the interview, follow these seven steps for preparing yourself and your work history. Organizing each of the following areas will help you be ready
The Biggest Resume Formatting Mistakes To Avoid [INFOGRAPHIC]
1 CommentAre you in the middle of a career change, or looking for a position in Project Management and not sure how to craft your resume? It's always said that a one page resume with value is better than a 5 pager. These days, the best way to go is to always give your resume a facelift specific to the industry and position. By targeting the job and formatting your resume appropriately, this will help
CSI MasterFormat: What Does It Mean For Construction
Leave a CommentThe Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) is the organization that publishes the MasterFormat. This publication is the specifications-writing standard for most of today’s construction and commercial building design projects in North America. Basically, the MasterFormat is an indexing system for the organization of construction data. The information is organized in title divisions, such as
Measuring Project Progress : 6 Methods You Should Know
8 CommentsAccurately measuring the progress of a project is always a challenge. There are many factors to account for in a progress update - type of measurement, accuracy of the data, and the system of record are all important factor in accurate progress measurements. Software packages like Primavera P6 don't always help us out. Sure there a 3 choices for Percent Complete Types, but how to we decide
10 Ways eLearning Can Maximize Your ROI [INFOGRAPHIC]
1 CommentAre you looking to invest in eLearning for your team but don't want to deal with the lost in revenue and added expenses? Can investing in eLearning positively impact your ROI and your team anyways? - That's the question people tend to ask. Back in the day, investing in training for your team was like a field trip. Time had to be taken off of work resulting in loss of revenue, resources to
BIM – What Does It Mean For Construction Professionals?
4 CommentsThe acronym BIM stands for building information modeling. It’s a 3D digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a building. BIM is also a coordinated set of processes that allow for the creation, management and sharing of the properties throughout the entire lifecycle – before, during and after construction. Its models incorporate operational, graphic, environmental,
70 Project Scheduling Terms That Every Planner Needs To Know
16 CommentsThe number of project scheduling and planning terms out there can be overwhelming. Interpreting and communicating a plan can become a task in itself if you are not up-to-date with the planning jargon. So here is a list of 70 Project Scheduling terms every planner should know for smooth sailing – check out the glossary below to brush up on your terms. If you have any terms that are essential