Project Management for AEC Professionals

Project Management for AEC Professionals

A series of training designed to improve the project effectiveness of modern AEC professionals.

AEC Professionals are extensively trained in technical skills and less so in how to manage a team. However, with rapidly evolving technology, increasing fee pressure, multi-generational teams, and many other challenges, effective team leadership in project environments has proven to be the key to thriving in the high-pressure AEC environment. These challenges, coupled with the fact that project managers are often left to learn on the job, leave new and seasoned leaders left to use a trial-and-error style of team leadership that is prone to missteps. Each decision made can impact profit, risk, and client relationships.

This training curriculum covers the critical focus areas every AEC Industry project manager must master to be effective. Each course is presented in highly interactive lectures, tutorials, and case study workshop sessions that include hands-on practice for attendees on realistic cases. Attendees will leave armed with a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics, skills, and techniques successful project managers must have to flourish in their role.

Project Management for AEC Professionals intends to bridge the experience and knowledge gap that AEC Project Managers commonly face in their role as new or experienced managers. The curriculum skips the academic fluff often present in many training programs, and instead brings a practitioner’s practicality to the three most common challenges that Project Managers face: leading the project team, managing the client relationship, and driving business results in the project environment.

Three Primary Objectives

Interpersonal Skills for Project Managers

Optimizing your project process

Business Intelligence for Project Managers

Interpersonal Skills for Project Managers

I.	Project Time and Task Management The Science of Project Management Time and Task Management Frameworks Task Analysis and Work Structuring Working with the Task-Priority Analyzer
II.	Project Planning – Developing a Logic-Based Project Plan Project-based Goal Setting Logic-Based Planning Optimizing Information and identifying Decision Points One Page Project Plan
III.	Project Communication 2 Leadership Principles Debriefing Managing staff performance
IV.	Crucial Conversations and Conflict Resolution Resolving interpersonal conflict in the project environment Project Management Crucial Conversations

Your Project Process: Optimizing your project process for success

I.	Setting the Project up for Success The Project Business Case and the Project Value Equation Client Experience Identifying key project drivers and potential issues The Project Discovery Process
II.	Project Communication 1 The Critical Pieces of Effective Communication Avoiding common Communication Pitfalls Delegation / Task Assignment
III.	Executing and Progress Monitoring – The Project Scorecard Project Success Habits and Indicators Progress Monitoring with Scorecards Crafting a Project Status Report
IV.	Solving Problems and Closing Projects Capturing and Resolving Issues using the SOLVED approach Managing Project Change

Business Intelligence for Project Managers

I.	The Business of Consulting The Project as a Small Business Financial Management Creating a Project Business Plan
II.	Project Business Intelligence 1: Forecasting The Critical Pieces of Effective Communication Avoiding common Communication Pitfalls Delegation / Task Assignment
III.	Project Business Intelligence 2: Cash Flow Management Project Cash Flow Project Financial Statements Maintaining Financial Health Running a Financial Review
IV.	Risk Management and Change Management Financial Risk Management Managing Change and its Financial Impact Introduction to Recovery Planning Keys to driving increased value and charging higher fees

Each objective/seminar offers up to 12 LU / 12 PDH / 1.2 CEU continuing education credits..
Attendees will receive a certificate of completion indicating the number of hours earned at the end of the seminar for self-reporting.

About the Instructor

Justin Smith, SE, PE, MBA is a subject matter AEC leadership and project management expert with a proven track record of business growth and profitability in diverse and highly technical programs. Having led teams successfully completing high pressure projects throughout the country and internationally, he is no stranger to the challenges that organizational leaders and team leaders in the AEC industry face.

Having held nearly every role that exists in a modern AEC firm, Justin brings a practitioner’s eye to consulting and training and regularly offers his expertise to firms, universities, and professional organizations looking to develop skills and offerings that provide a competitive advantage for talent. Mr. Smith has consulted on projects and with companies on matters including workplace culture improvement, leadership development challenges, business system implementations, and project leadership for highly technical subject matters. Our approach is scientifically shown to increase the rate of learning, enhance the embedment of new skills, and increase engagement in the training session.

Contact us