In the Agrarian Economy, land ownership indicated wealth. If
you didn’t own land, you worked for a landowner. And if you gave away land, you
gave away wealth. In the Industrial Economy, financial capital replaced land. Similar
to land, capital is a pie that doesn’t expand; you give it away, you no longer
have it.
Now we’re transitioning to the Information Economy, where the
most valued asset is knowledge. Unlike land or capital, you can share
information without losing it. In fact, those who share are the wealthiest.
Here’s the challenge with sharing information. Historically,
when we give something away, we’ve lost it. This has conditioned us to guard our
valuables, rather than share them.
Earlier this week, John Tocci, Lila Tocci, and I attended the Collaboration Forum (no relation to BIMForum), where a group of AECO professionals gathered to talk about (what else?) collaboration.
Through WWII, “collaborate” was defined as to cooperate
treasonably, as with an enemy occupation force in one’s country. (Originally heard
from Autodesk’s Chuck Mies, who often starts presentations quoting the
dictionary!)
John Barnes, from Linbeck, had an interesting
thought on this, when John Tocci shared it with the Collaboration Forum.
Just maybe both definitions
are still applicable today and quite germane to our discussion. True
collaboration involves disruptive behavior and can involve actions and
discussions that in some circumstances could be considered
"treasonous" or perhaps "treacherous." Certainly we
don't per se have an enemy occupying our country however: I have been on
projects where at first the key project stakeholders acted like
"enemies" and going to a meeting in their offices at times resembled
"occupied" lands. Only through a "treasonous" act such
as the contractor agreeing in public with the architect, or a member of the
design team acknowledging a subcontractors new- different idea in an
owners meeting did these acts of treason turn into positive
team results. These types of situations carry the seeds of true collaboration.
Earlier this week,
John Tocci, Lila Tocci, and I attended the Collaboration Forum (no relation to
the BIMForum), where a group of AECO professionals gathered to talk about (what
else?) collaboration.
A discussion of “what it is?”, “what it does?”, and “why do
it?” resulted in the “F Words” of collaboration.
One group defined collaboration as: getting people who share
a common objective talking, relating, and feeling
together.
Collaboration creates an opportunity to have fun on a project.
It’s how you would behave, if you were working on a project
with a group of friends. It’s the
right thing to do.
Collaborating is personally fulfilling, especially when you personalize the mission of the
asset.
Earlier this week,
John Tocci, Lila Tocci, and I attended the Collaboration Forum (no relation to
the BIMForum), where a group of AECO professionals gathered to talk about (what
else?) collaboration.
I’d like to propose yet another
comparison: the healthcare industry. It certainly isn’t a perfect analogy (what
industry is?), but the two industries share characteristics that seem to be barriers
to innovation:
Complex
networkof stakeholders, with mismatched
incentives
A
primarily paper-based process that is threatened by digital records, co-location,
and remote teams
About 1/3 of personnel effort is considered waste
Ego-driven
professionals (sorry surgeons... and architects... and contractors... and…)
Investigations
into digital records, co-location, and remote services
Moreover, unlike the manufacturing
or firm industries, healthcare is currently going through its major
transformation now. Just like construction. Given the similarities, it was interesting
to hear Naomi Fried, PhD share the strategy, successes, and challenges with Boston
Children’s Innovation Acceleration Program. Although I ended up with multiple pages
of notes, there is one concept that stood out: the O-Gap. A term coined by Naomi, the
O-Gap (operationalization gap) represents the challenges associated with
translating a new idea to broad operations.
The
O-Gap isn't unique to healthcare, or even to “large organizations or networks.” It’s everywhere
that innovation is. Closing the O-Gap is challenging, but Naomi recommends a
few strategies:
Invoice
operations early
Engage
leadership
Consider
technical issues which may impede scaling
Are you seeing the O-Gap in your organization? What are you doing to close the gap?
6 Tips for Hiring Star Talent From a Top Hollywood Casting Director via @FastCompany
Recruitment and hiring is so important, so I always appreciate various articles on it - especially when, like this one, they offer a unique perspective. Casting Director Ellen Chenoweth offers this advice:
Don't Wait for Candidates to Come to You
Don't Always Go with the Most Obvious Candidate
Don't Dismiss a Promising Candidate Based on a Bad Interview
Fight for Your First Choice
If Possible, Take Your Time
Look for Strengths that the Candidate Might Not Even Be Aware Of
I appreciate this article so much, because the typical "Gen Y" labels frustrate me. Cal Newport, a member of Gen Y, clarifies the "core problem" of our generation: a sense of entitlement that was derived from some "pernicious" advice. "Follow your passion" forgets to remind us about those tough skill-building phase years. A recommended read - especially since Gen Y is the future of our (and every) industry, and right now, Gen Y tends to fill VDC roles.
This article was waiting in my Inbox after a discussion of performance reviews came up at today's Executive Committee meeting. I've recently read (but cannot locate) articles on the influence of 'positive psychology' on performance reviews; the idea is that reviews should "focus on developing the strengths of ... employees rather than trying to help fix their weaknesses". While I know I would enjoy a review that consisted entirely of positive feedback, we all know what Tony Schwartz sums up so clearly: "ignoring our weaknesses doesn't make them go away, nor negate the toll they take on our effectiveness".
When I started writing this update, I was going to make it a quick one - I only had a few examples and articles from the team. I should have known that everyone was just too busy this week to email around images. I'm so glad that they got to it on Friday because this week includes some really exciting examples! Model Quality Check Courtesy of Dave Pilcher, APM
Dave was reviewing the 100% DD model in Navisworks before doing his steel takeoff and noticed something peculiar: discrepancies between the drawings and model. For example, the beam highlighted below is W24x55 in the model, but noted as W18x86.
Although its frustrating when design teams don't model perfectly for BIM Uses, we all need to understand that there is a crunch to get out drawings and sometimes things are faked. The important thing to is to check model quality before blindly using it - trust but verify. Our VDC team does exactly that in our formal QAQC process (in fact, we caught the same error , but hadn't finalized the list to review with Dave yet). I'm more excited that as an APM, Dave is intuitively thinking exactly the way we do - this is a great small example of blurring the lines between VDC and operations.
Facade Study Courtesy of Kirsten Soderlund, VDC Modeler
Kirsten has been working with our client and Joe Ferolito, VP of Planning and Cost Engineering, on wrapping up finish selections, including design options for facde. Using the architect's current model, Kristen put together an analysis of facade areas, to help quantify the amount of materials associated with each option. (We'll have to report later how how the project budget is looking!)
'From Model to Reality' at Marlborough Hospital Cancer Pavilion Courtesy of Jeremy Garczynski, APM/VDC
This week, we removed the staging from the LINAC vault. Over
the next week, we will be adding underground conduit and plumbing per our
sketches, the electrician and Varian are reviewing the final layout. Attached
is a photo of our “blank slate” before all the equipment arrives. We are
standing 5’ below grade on the sub-slab, which is helpful in many ways, but
here are 2:
·It supports the staging that holds up the roof
while it is curing. ·In an effort to be lean, provides a clean smooth
surface for efficient underground work.
Model of LINAC vault
Scope Clarification at Peter W. Rodino Federal Office Building Courtesy of Moises Berrun, VDC Modeler
Tocci/Driscoll used the model to clarify re:
painted v galvanized v unfinished steel for the steel subcontractor. The model proved especially useful at interior-exterior
connections. Moises' Geek specs: IFC model was colored in Navisworks.
Catwalk beam and outrigger in blue. Unfinished interior
steel in red.
Steel Review Courtesy of Pierce Reynoldson, VDC Manager
In Pierce's words, "This week, we got back our first approval updates from our steel fabricator. In the image below, each color indicates a different approval status: SUBMITTED; APRROVED; APPROVED AS NOTED; REVISE & RESUBMIT; HOLD."
SketchUpdate Courtesy of Pierce Reynoldson, VDC Manager
Pierce forwarded me SketchUp's official announcement of the Trimble deal:
Depending on your level of
SketchUp obsessiveness, you may or may not have heard about our recent Trimblification. Around the beginning of June, SketchUp
officially left Google to become a part of Trimble. All you really need to know
is that this is unequivocally a good thing for everybody. SketchUp's future is
brighter than it's ever been, amazing new things are on the way, and the team
(almost all of which accompanied the product to Trimble) is doing great. Best of all, we're focused in a way we
haven't been in years: on our users, on new features, and on helping SketchUp
to become everything you -- and we-- have always wanted it to be.
Additionally, last week, Trimble announced integration between SketchUp and Trimble Field Link - basically, we could do total station layout from a SketchUp model (if it were accurate enough..).
Dr. Atul Gawande at It Again Courtesy of Johann Palacious, Woodward Design-Build
The Checklist Manifesto author wrote a great piece in the New Yorker that made my brain swirl with thoughts of innovation, standards, systems, and quality for AEC. I haven't fully synthesized, but wanted to share the article anyway. Look forward to hearing anyone's thoughts!
In a brilliant "remix of the ideas of Steal Like an Artist", Austin Kleon shares how to "Steal Like a Writer". I really enjoyed the original (which I keep visible on my desk!), but this might be better - at least for me. I don't think I'll ever be an artist, but its not too much of a stretch to relate to advice for writers!
Its well worth the 33 minutes and 50 seconds of your time. For me, it was worth watching it twice, so I could take good notes:
0.1Writing is important.
Kleon references one of my favorite non-business business books, Rework, to reinforce why writing is so important. From Wordsmith:
If you are trying to decide between a few people to fill a position, always hire the better writer.
Good writers know how to communicate. They make things easy to understand. They can put themselves in someone else's shoes. They know what to omit. They think clearly. And those are the qualities you need.
0.2 A Few Quotes
Apparently, everyone steals. Kleon gave lots of examples: Pablo Picasso, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Steve Jobs, Woody Allen. My favorites:
Steel from one it's plagiarism; steal from many, its research. Wilson Mizner
Immature poets imitate; mature
poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into
something better, or at least something different. The good poet welds his
theft into a whole of feeling which is unique, utterly different from that from
which it was torn. TS Elliot
And now the actual 10 steps:
1. Writing is collage. 2. Read, read, read.
Good reading leads to good writing. Some people say, "I like to write but don't like to read." Apparently, those are the people who aren't going to "make it".
Similar to the recommendation for artists, Kleon says to make a creative lineage or writers. Find a writer that you love, that delights you. Read everything that they wrote. Then find three writers than influence them. And read everything that they wrote. And so on, and so on, and so on.
(My "person" is Daniel Pink.)
Keep a list of what you've read, what you want to read. Write in your books. Argue with the author in the margins. Apparently, this has a name - marginalia. 3. Keep a swipe file.
Of everything you read/see that you love and want to 'steal'. I need to figure out how to do this. I have about 16 swipe files. Any recommendations? 4. Carry a notebook and pen.
Kleon says, " Artists need pockets." Clearly, this is not a profession made for women. I very rarely have pockets. Okay, yes, I can use my purse. But still. 5. Step away from the screen.
"I don't know where good ideas come from, but they don't come from a computer."
"There are too many chances to hit the delete button."
Kleon recommends using index cards. A lot of writers do. In Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott talks about her use of index cards:
I have index cards and pens all over the house--by the bed, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, by the phones, and I have them in the glove compartment of my car. I carry one with me in my back pocket when I take my dog for a walk. In fact, I carry it folded lengthwise, if you need to know, so that, God forbid, I won't look bulky.
6. Don't wait until you know what you think to get started.
Because you discover your thoughts through writing. 7. Keep a daily routine.
Schedule writing time. Make a calendar. Perhaps this is like the Seinfeld "Don't break the chain"? 8. Write something you would want to read. 9. Tell (Oprah) stories.
Kleon uses Kurt Vonnegut's "graph every story", which can be applied to any story:
Director of VDC at Tocci Building Corporation, a construction management firm outside Boston. Passionate about innovation, technology, design, strategy, and management.
