Session 1 – During this session, we will discuss the foundational pieces of best-in-class contractors that allow organizations to grow profitably while deploying the proper tools to minimize the risk associated with growth. Attendees will learn the basics of strategy development, business development, leadership development, business process re-engineering, project execution, prefabrication, and technology strategy providing a holistic view of the elements of “best in class” contractors. The role of both the field leader and project manager will be clearly outlined in addition to the influence the operations team has on the overall success of the organization. During this session, we will discuss:

• Discuss the definition of strategy in setting the future path of an organization

• Outline effective structure by depicting current organizational structure contrasted with tomorrow’s needs for success of strategy

• Clarify the need for strong, defined systems and processes along with employee engagement principles to allow staff to learn and grow appropriately in order to fill both the current and future needs of the organization.

Session 2 – The driving project success module is a highly interactive session geared towards field leadership. Participants are immediately placed in the positions they find themselves every day – tasked to build a project without all the tools or information they need to get the project done. During the workshop, attendees learn about the importance of productivity, motivation, coaching, leadership, planning and technology to drive project performance. A full-scale BIM model of the project is utilized to demonstrate just how drastically technology and prefabrication are going to change the industry. This module sets the stage for the remaining content of the program by introducing all the concepts taught in the program. During this session, we will discuss:

• Industry trends and changes

• Field management obstacles and opportunities

• Understand how planning and communication impact productivity

• Understand how productivity is measured

• Evaluate impact of rework on productivity and project performance

• Evaluate impact of BIM on project performance through improved planning and communication

Session 3 – This session will examine the value and positive impact of a well-planned project and explore the different types of plans that could be developed. Planning does not end when the project starts, and we will discuss how to lead planning from the beginning of the project all the way until the customer accepts the finished project.

Session 4 –This is not the glory topic, but it may be the most important aspect of a project managers role when it comes to mitigating risk and protecting the company. We will review the pitfalls and lessons that every PM must be watching on their contract and tell a few stories to illustrate the importance of thorough contract administration.

Session 5 –Project managers need to understand basic financial information and should be able to connect the financial performance of their project to the performance of the business overall. In this session, we will explain the basics of Earned Value Management, job cost accounting and explain key concepts such as cash flow and profit. The project manager will gain deeper appreciation for the importance of actions that impact profitability, reporting and cash flow.

Session 6 – For construction firms to thrive, synergy, teamwork and trust must exist between the office and the field. The proper deployment of defined processes and tools will facilitate this critical alignment. This collaboration must begin before mobilization and continue through project closeout. During this session, we will discuss the workflow that must exist in order to mitigate risk and maximize productivity. During this session, we will discuss why the processes of preconstruction planning, short interval planning, production tracking, daily project reports, exit strategy, and lessons learned are critical to the organization. We will also discuss what the benefits are for each member of the team, and how these processes can be properly implemented. Learning Objectives:

• Describe the information needed to effectively navigate preconstruction planning

• Learn the critical communication required in short interval planning

• Discuss the importance of accurate production tracking

• Identify the needed data transfer of a daily project report

• Outline the data collection required of the project team during closeout and lessons learned

Session 7 – Estimating is the first line of defense in the worry of landing a losing project. During this session, we will focus on the basics of estimating; such as plan reading, review of specifications, quantity takeoffs, labor production units, material pricing, and quantifying of overhead. This is an entry level course to give you the organizational skills and tools necessary to ensure that your bid is comprehensive in order to minimize the risk of landing that “one bad job.” This session will focus on the requirements of preparing a comprehensive Request for Proposal document including typical requirements such as non-collusion affidavits, bonds, subcontractor listings, and bid breakdowns. We will also discuss best practices in submitting private work proposals and the presentation skills needed to increase your opportunity of landing the projectProject Scheduling – The Powerful Tool for Project Management

Session 8 

The schedule in a project is the cornerstone for planning.  The schedule shared  from the general contractor to the subcontractor may or may not be accurate.  We will discuss the need and detail necessary to analyze the bid schedule, contract schedule, updated schedule, and the look ahead schedule.  We will also discuss the powerful usage of an internal project schedule in order to have real time status on any deliverable necessary to drive planning and execution. During this session, we will:

•  Discuss the components and accuracy of a bid schedule
• Outline how to evaluate the differences between the different types of schedules used in our industry
• Describe the use of schedule analysis for change order management and management of the general contractor/owner
• List the components of an internal project schedule and its value