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Blog

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Civil Engineering Asset Management

February 6, 2023 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Nick Heim, P.E.

artificial intelligenceCivil engineers are designers and builders of everything related to infrastructure: roads, bridges, dams, ports, and many others.

While construction and maintenance of any asset happens in the physical world, there is a lot of work in the digital world that accompanies it.

One emerging trend we are seeing in the industry is applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the maintenance of assets that civil engineers support.

artificial intelligence

Note: For more information and insights related to this blog post, please refer to Episode #009 of the AEC Engineering and Technology (AECTECH) Podcast.

1. What is artificial intelligence (AI)?

Dictionary definitions as follows:

  • Artificial: “Made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of something natural.”
  • Intelligence: “The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.”
  • Artificial Intelligence: “The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.” (Bolded emphasis is mine.)

Simply stated, artificial intelligence is the application of human intelligence, but through an artificial “brain” (computer).

[Read more…] about The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Civil Engineering Asset Management

Filed Under: Blog, Business Development Tagged With: Artificial intelligence (AI) in the maintenance of assets, Artificial Intelligence in Civil Engineering, Nick Heim, use cases for artificial intelligence, What is artificial intelligence

3 Proven Methods to Becoming a Better Engineer

January 30, 2023 By EMI

This is a guest post by Tiffani Teachey

Better Engineer

“The engineer’s first problem in any design situation is to discover what the problem really is.” ~ Unknown

Engineering is an ever-evolving field, and staying on top of the latest trends is essential for success. As an engineer, you need to stay abreast of emerging technologies and develop your skill set in order to remain competitive in the job market. Here are some tips for becoming a better engineer and advancing in your career.

#1 Stay Up-to-Date on Technology Trends

It’s important to keep up with the latest advances in engineering technology. The industry is constantly changing, and understanding new technologies will give you an edge over other engineers who are stuck using outdated methods and systems. You can read industry publications or attend seminars and workshops to stay informed about the newest developments in engineering technology.

Better Engineer

#2 Develop Your Soft Skills

Engineers often think of their job as purely technical, but it’s just as important to have strong soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, time management, leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking. These skills are essential for working effectively with colleagues on projects or leading teams. Consider joining a professional organization or attending a conference to network with other professionals in your field and develop these important skills.

#3 Focus on Quality Work

[Read more…] about 3 Proven Methods to Becoming a Better Engineer

Filed Under: Blog, Personal Development and Professionalism Tagged With: Becoming a Better Engineer, Staying on top of the latest trends is essential for success, Tiffani Teachey, Understanding new technologies

The Most Important Equation for Engineers When It Comes to Learning

January 23, 2023 By EMI

important equationIn this article, I want to highlight a critically important equation that every engineering executive, leader and HR professional must be aware of to avoid wasting a lot of time and money and to best develop their most important resource: their people.

The Formula for Results

A colleague recently shared a white paper with me entitled “A Brief Introduction to Ensuring Learning Transfer” by Pollock and Jefferson.

While I am always interested in learning about learning, as an engineer, this white paper hit home because the authors present an equation to ensure that learning is transferred and that real results are achieved.

This is very important to me because I remember attending an all-day project management bootcamp once per year when I was a young engineer. I was barraged with new terms and concepts and then given a binder full of them to go back to my office. Well, I took it back to my office, put it on my shelf, and never looked at the binder again. Never ever, for a multitude of reasons — the main ones being that I was just too busy, and I forgot about it for long stretches of time.

What I realize now is that I was missing a key component in this critical equation presented in the white paper:

No Transfer, No Results — Period

If you look at this equation, everyone participating in training will possess the learning component, which is the actual training, whether it’s an in-person seminar, a live webinar, or even an on-demand recorded course. However, a large percentage of people (more than 50% according to the white paper referenced) won’t get results from the training because they are missing the transfer component.

The transfer component of the equation could be several different things, including reminders of the concepts presented in the training, reflection, accountability, coaching, collaborative components of the training, etc.

So, if the transfer component is zero, then the result of the equation is zero. In other words, the time and money spent on training did not yield the desired results.

Incorporate the Transfer Component for Results

At the Engineering Management Institute (EMI), we incorporate transfer into every one of our programs, usually through a combination of different items depending on the client or what worked in our previously successful programs.

The bottom line here is that as you plan and prepare for the training programs you intend to purchase or design for your team in 2023, consider the formula outlined above. Unless you include both learning and transfer, you won’t get the results you’re paying for. The equation guarantees you won’t.

If you’re looking for people management or project management training for engineering professionals, we offer live/interactive recurring programs throughout the year, as well as custom and on-demand options that can be built into your learning management systems and processes.

Our next live sessions start on January 26th (People Skills) and April 11th (Project Management Skills). If you’re interested in enrolling some of your managers or aspiring managers, or having someone audit the course to start, please contact our office at 800-920-4007.

We also offer our Engineering Management Training Needs Assessment as an inexpensive first step in deciding how to maximize your training spend and your people.

This article was originally posted on LinkedIn here.

Please leave your comments, feedback or questions in the section below on the most important equation for engineers when it comes to learning.

  • If you enjoyed this post, please consider downloading our free list of 33 Productivity Routines of Top Engineering Executives. Click the button below to download.

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Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success

Filed Under: Blog, Leadership/Management Tagged With: Incorporate the Transfer Component for Results, learning about learning, The Most Important Equation for Engineers

9 Top Tips from Leading Engineering Project Managers

January 16, 2023 By EMI

Project ManagersTo be successful project managers, you must be communicative and solution-focused. Juggling a multitude of tasks every day while being present in many different places is the daily norm. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to ensure project management success, but here are a few powerful tips from leading engineering project managers that have been featured on The Engineering Project Management Podcast. Implementing just one of these tips can have a tremendous impact on the projects you work on.

1. Start with Scope

Episode 1: Mike Lozanoff, P.E.

Owner, Lozanoff Consulting Services, LLC & PM Instructor for EMI

Project ManagersA project always starts with the scope, which is the building block of the project. Understanding what work needs to be done will help you know how long each aspect of the project will take. Knowing how long each aspect will take will, in turn, help you to build the budget. Also knowing these factors will help you to then put the project schedule together. But by only focusing on one aspect of a project, you will lose control over the other two aspects very quickly. Additionally, ensure that you are only doing the work in the project that you are supposed to be doing and see if it is still within the time frames of the schedule. The project scope, schedule, and budget are known as the three-legged stool. If one of the legs of the stool breaks, you are going to fall.

2. Harness Technology

[Read more…] about 9 Top Tips from Leading Engineering Project Managers

Filed Under: Blog, Leadership/Management Tagged With: Have a tremendous impact on the projects you work on, To be successful project managers, Top tips from leading project managers

The Challenges and Opportunities of the Great Resignation (for Engineering Leaders)

January 9, 2023 By Angelique Burns

This is a guest post by Jeff Perry, MBA

Great ResignationThe last few years have brought a lot of commotion and shakeup in the employment world. From mass layoffs to record unemployment and everything in between, “volatility” is certainly the word that comes to mind. One phenomenon that was coined during this time was the “Great Resignation.” 2021 saw the highest levels of quitting and resignations in decades, and they stayed relatively high in 2022 as well.

This created challenges for many employers and leaders, but it also presents opportunities as we move into this new year.

The Opportunity of the Great Resignation

“To some, the pandemic exposed how much work had become like adult daycare. Everyone is expected to be in at a certain time. They’re expected to stay till a certain time. And it’s best to look busy in between.” ~ Russ Hill

One question to ask is: WHY have so many people been quitting their jobs, while at the same time levels of overall employment remain high?

[Read more…] about The Challenges and Opportunities of the Great Resignation (for Engineering Leaders)

Filed Under: Blog, Leadership/Management Tagged With: Challenges and Opportunities of the Great Resignation, Jeff Perry, Lure and retain good employees, People are looking for MORE

How Engineering Companies Can Facilitate the Transition from Engineer to Manager

January 2, 2023 By EMI

Engineer to ManagerEngineering companies are great at developing engineers. But what about the often natural transition of an engineer to an engineering manager? How can the organization help the engineer transition from the technical aspects of engineering to the soft aspects of management: the overall management of the project and the project team members, both internal and external?

Without a career path plan, the right organizational structure, training, and support from management, the young, aspiring engineering professional will most probably fail in his new managerial position(s).

In this article, I discuss the life cycle of an engineering manager and how engineering organizations can avoid stunting this cycle. I also provide five strategies that organizations can use to ensure they are setting up their engineering professionals to become the best engineering managers they can be.

“Before you become a leader, success is all about growing yourself. After you become a leader, success is about growing others.” ~ Jack Welch

The Life Cycle of an Engineering Manager

Most engineering professionals begin their careers learning the technical side of their specific discipline. They spend most of their time doing calculations through complex spreadsheets or intricate software packages.

By the end of their first few years, they can often run calculations in their sleep and are well versed in the guidelines or processes for the technical aspects of their projects. They may even have obtained a master’s degree on the same topics over those first few years as well.

As they progress, their company sees this technical expertise and gives them more technical responsibilities and, ultimately, one project to manage. Congratulations — you are now a project manager! That may mean different things in different organizations, but nonetheless, this individual now has responsibilities in addition to those calculations and other technical responsibilities.

Fast forward a few years and the same engineer, who is now managing multiple projects, gets promoted to engineering manager and is now managing a team of engineers and other technical professionals. Now things really get interesting. Not only does the engineer have to juggle different projects, but they now have to deal with the most variable organizational component of all — PEOPLE!

Where they go from here is a direct reflection of how their organization prepared them for this transition. Rewinding for a moment, there were actually two key transitions that I mentioned through this life cycle:

Transition #1: Project engineer to project manager (managing projects)

Transition #2: Project manager to engineering manager (managing people)

The ability for engineering professionals to excel through these transitions, in my opinion, is directly related to how well their companies have prepared them for each transition.

Here Are 5 Actions Your Organization Can Take to Help Engineering Professionals Handle Management Transitions and Become Great Managers and Powerful Leaders

  1. Provide your younger professionals with a mentor, but not just any mentor — one who is a leader in the protege’s field and who can provide the right type of guidance. This mentor should already be an effective manager or leader in the same field that the younger engineer is aspiring to manage; in this way, the younger engineer can seek very specific management advice from the mentor. Otherwise, you may be wasting both parties’ time as management in different engineering fields can require vastly different responsibilities.
  2. Have them present or engage in real-life project situations for managers that matter. Think about the things that an engineering manager has to do on a regular basis and put your aspiring managers in positions to do those things as often as possible. There is no better way than learning on the job.
  3. Ask your new and aspiring managers what managerial skills they feel they need to improve on. You might even do an assessment or survey to find out which skills they are weak in. Assess as many new or aspiring managers in your firm as possible. Then, and only then, should you provide them with the training needed. This will ensure that the organization gains the best return on the training investment and properly cultivates effective managers and leaders in the long run.
  4. Provide both project management and soft skills (people skills, communication, building relationships, engaging people) training that will transfer back to the job. Very few engineering organizations do this effectively. When delivering training to engineers, provide them with a framework that they can use to apply what they’ve learned on the job. Otherwise, they will go to said training, be given a ton of information, and not have the time or tools to integrate the new content/skills into their job responsibilities. (Trust me on this — I can’t tell you how many project management training binders I put on my shelf as an engineer, only to never open them again after the training.)
  5. Have them shadow their own managers as much as possible when you are getting ready to promote them. Whether it be meetings or important phone calls, have these aspiring engineering managers listen, observe, take notes, and determine strategies that might work for them, so when it’s their turn, they are ready! There is no excuse not to have your professionals perform this shadowing exercise. While it may cost you some of their time, the lessons they learn will be invaluable and will greatly increase their odds of success as managers.

Please share any experiences or strategies in the comments below on strategies you can add to these five that have been helpful in your organization’s leadership development practices.

At the Engineering Management Institute, we help engineering companies cultivate well-rounded managers and leaders through effective professional development programs. Our Engineering Management Accelerator and Project Management Accelerator online interactive workshops provide project and people management skills training in a very accountable way for engineering professionals. Our next sessions are in Q1 2023 that you can check out here.

If you’re interested in enrolling some of your managers or aspiring managers, please contact our office at 800 920 4007. We also offer our Engineering Management Training Needs Assessment as an inexpensive first step in deciding on how to maximize your training spend and your people.

This article was originally posted on LinkedIn here.

Please leave your comments, feedback or questions in the section below on strategies that have been helpful in your organization’s leadership development practices.

  • If you enjoyed this post, please consider downloading our free list of 33 Productivity Routines of Top Engineering Executives. Click the button below to download.

    Download the Productivity Routines

Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success

Filed Under: Blog, Leadership/Management Tagged With: Anthony Fasano, Become Great Managers and Powerful Leaders, Help Engineering Professionals Handle Management Transitions, The Transition from Engineer to Manager

5 Strategies for Engineers to Enhance Their Communication Skills

December 26, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Tiffani Teachey

Communication Skills

“Great communication begins with a connection.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

As engineers, we are constantly faced with the challenge of communicating complex technical information to a variety of audiences. Whether we are working with colleagues, clients, or stakeholders, it is important that we are able to clearly and concisely convey our ideas and explanations. Effective communication is essential for the success of any engineering project, as it allows us to collaborate effectively with others and ensure that our message is understood. In this blog, we will explore five key strategies that engineers can use to improve their communication skills and enhance their ability to effectively convey technical information. From practicing active listening to using visual aids, these strategies will help you effectively communicate your ideas and collaborate with others to solve complex problems

Communication Skills

Here Are a Five Key Strategies That Engineers Can Use to Improve Their Communication Skills:

[Read more…] about 5 Strategies for Engineers to Enhance Their Communication Skills

Filed Under: Blog, Communication/Public Speaking Tagged With: 5 Strategies for Engineers, Effective communication is essential for success, Enhance Your Communication Skills, Tiffani Teachey

Tips to Run a Successful Software Pilot Project at Your Firm

December 19, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest blog by Nick Heim, P.E.

Software Pilot ProjectCivil engineers are designers and builders of everything related to infrastructure: roads, bridges, dams, ports, and many others.

While construction and maintenance of any asset happens in the physical world, there is a lot of work in the digital world that accompanies it.

In my last blog post, we talked about a few tips to discover and ultimately implement technology in your civil engineering firm.

Today, I would like to go into more detail about running a software pilot in your civil engineering firm.

Note: For more information and insights related to this blog post, please refer to Episode 6 of the AEC Engineering and Technology (AECTECH) Podcast.

1. Understand What a Software Pilot Is

In the context of civil engineering firms, a software pilot is a type of software testing where a user group trials the software prior to it being deployed firm-wide.

Software Pilot Project

Due to the nature of our field (project work, field conditions, etc.), a software pilot is more involved than testing the technology 100% from the comfort of your desk.

This means that the software will need to be tested under a variety of conditions and may be more resource-intensive than a typical office-based pilot.

That being said, let’s talk about a few tips that can help your firm run a successful software pilot project!

[Read more…] about Tips to Run a Successful Software Pilot Project at Your Firm

Filed Under: Blog, Business Development Tagged With: How to evaluate if a software pilot is successful, Nick Heim, Run a Successful Software Pilot, Software Pilot Project at Your Firm

3 Keys to Effective Communication for Successful Engineers

December 12, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Jeff Perry, MBA

effective communication

“The art of communication is the language of leadership” ~ James Humes

Are you an effective communicator?

Pause a moment before you answer that.

If your instinct is to say “yes,” let me ask another question: Do those you work with believe you are an effective communicator?

It might be worth asking them! If they are honest with you, even if you are doing well they will share opportunities for you to improve your communication approach.

In many ways, effective communication is a HUGE key to your personal and professional success. So let me share three keys to effective communication that can help you in your career!

1. Simplify Communication

“Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.” ~ Albert Einstein

Engineers work on remarkably complex products, processes, and systems. Many go deep into learning and applying specialized technical knowledge. They need to learn new programming languages, understand complicated technical details, and put it together into something that is great for end users.

[Read more…] about 3 Keys to Effective Communication for Successful Engineers

Filed Under: Blog, Leadership/Management Tagged With: Ask a better question, Effective Communication for Successful Engineers, Jeff Perry, Simplify your communication

3 Ways Engineers Can Use Their Skills to Sell Anything

December 5, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Tiffani Teachey

sell anything

“The customer doesn’t care about features – they care about solving their problems”
~ Trish Bertuzzi.

As an engineer, you are likely used to a logical and systematic way of thinking. You may be wondering how you can use these skills to sell anything. There are three ways you can use your engineering skills to sell effectively. We will explore each of these ways and give tips on how to use them in your sales process. Whether you are just starting in sales or have been selling for years, read on for some helpful advice!

Engineers can use their engineering skills to sell anything through the following tips:

  1. Utilize specific skills that engineers have that can be useful in sales
  2. Engineers can overcome sales objections
  3. Common sales strategies that engineers can use

Utilize Specific Skills That Engineers Have That Can Be Useful in Sales

[Read more…] about 3 Ways Engineers Can Use Their Skills to Sell Anything

Filed Under: Blog, Business Development Tagged With: Common sales strategies that engineers can use, How Engineers Can Use Their Skills to Sell Anything, Tiffani Teachey, use your engineering skills to sell effectively

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