High Performance Outcomes

C. 2008 Well maybe not “long long ago”. To be real…September 17, 2014 was my last post to this blog. Almost a decade. Back then, bloggin’ was somewhat new, at least to me, having started in 2011. Writing thoughts to anonymous readers was a way to crystallize the research and application of what I’ve developed over my many years in the design and construction industry. Much of this thinkery was applied to projects that achieved great success, beyond my expectations. Many fell flat on their face, providing insult to my ego, a loss of credibility to some, humility, doubt in my mind. What the hell…let’s tweak it and try again! And the outcomes always got better in direct proportion to my learning from both success and failure. On that note, the note of courage to try again, I have a future post coming. The story of a major government project, millions of dollars, a third-party critique of the project approach, an empty office occupied by only me and a government PM (who had about 20 bosses...

Patrick Henry, 1736-1799 It's seems somewhat just that the defender of liberty spoke his famous words before citizens considering a new convention for government. To borrow from Patrick Henry's inspiration, consider these questions in the context of "conventional" project delivery strategies: What if you could name the bid-price for your next project? What if you could be certain that the price you name satisfies all of your project needs? What if the project you purchased, at the price you named, exceeded all of your expectations? What if all this could be done within a marketplace ready to respond? What if you could do the same when it comes to project delivery and the acquisition of your next project?  This is exactly what the City of Liberty Missouri is doing for their new $65 million wastewater treatment facility and collection/conveyance system improvements. That's right, Liberty!

"What the hell happened?" This opinion post began as a comment on LinkedIn: "Design-Build Professionals Group" mixed with reports I've read from ENR ... One "designs" in reaction to a known (or stated) problem, i.e. keep water off my head. One might say the designer is predicting how water is kept off the head (a roof), but the "design" is a reaction to being wet. The "design" reacts to the "problem". Sullivan taught us form "follows" function. "Reaction" is also why owner's "qualify" designers based on experience (are you a good problem-solver?)