Engineering Management Institute

Organization/Productivity/Time Management

Utilizing the 80/20 Rule and SMART Goals for Better Decision-Making

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This is a guest blog post by Pamela A. Scott

SMART GoalsGreetings, friends. I hope you have learned a great deal from reading these blog posts from Anthony and Engineering Management Institute contributors over the years. Anthony and his team have done an incredible job pulling together resources and information for all of EMI’s members. When I sat down to write words of wisdom for you this month, I decided to see what’s already been done.

Why reinvent the wheel?

The 80/20 Rule

One of the first blog posts to catch my attention was Anthony’s post on the 80/20 rule (the Pareto Principle), which ran on March 13, 2024. I was introduced to this principle a lifetime ago. It has helped me and others make smarter decisions.

For example, my physical therapist (PT) keeps collecting books he wants to read to expand his knowledge. Guess what his problem is. He never has enough time to read those books. Does that sound familiar to you?

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Boost Your Productivity and Learning With the Power of the Pomodoro Technique!

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This is a guest post by Matthew Douglas

Pomodoro TechniqueIn a world filled with distractions and competing demands, finding an effective way to manage time and increase productivity is a common challenge. The Pomodoro Technique, a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo, has gained widespread popularity for its simple yet powerful approach to enhancing focus and productivity. In this Learning and Development Lab blog post, we will explore the principles of the Pomodoro Technique and how it can transform the way you work and study.

What Is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that encourages individuals to work in focused, concentrated intervals, typically 25 minutes in length, followed by a short break. The technique is named after the Italian word for “tomato,” inspired by the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo initially used to time his work intervals. Now let’s get into how we can implement this powerful technique.

To use the Pomodoro Technique, follow these simple steps:

  1. Set a Timer: Choose a task to work on and set a timer for 25 minutes, known as a “Pomodoro.”
  2. Work Intensely: Focus on the task at hand without any distractions or interruptions until the timer rings.
  3. Take a Short Break: When the timer rings, take a short break for five minutes to rest and recharge.
  4. Now Rinse and Repeat! After completing four “Pomodoros,” or sessions, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes to relax and rejuvenate before starting the next cycle.

Here are the benefits you can gain by implementing the Pomodoro Technique:

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A Revolution of Efficiency and Reliability: The Future of Technology for Maintenance Engineers

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This is a guest blog by Lindsay Walker

Efficiency and ReliabilityWelcome to the thrilling frontier of maintenance engineering! Gone are the days of grease-stained fingers and reactive repairs. Technology is ushering in a proactive, data-driven, and cost-effective era, empowering engineers to become heroes of efficiency and reliability. So, buckle up as we explore the top tech trends poised to transform your world.

Efficiency and Reliability

5 Ways How Technology Empowers Engineers

1.   Predictive Maintenance: Foreseeing the Future of Machines

Imagine knowing when your equipment will falter before it even hiccups. Predictive maintenance, fueled by Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, makes this dream a reality. These digital detectives gather real-time data, analyze patterns, and whisper warnings of potential issues. The results? Less downtime, optimized schedules, and significant cost savings — a symphony for any engineer’s ears.

2.   Augmented Reality: The Holodeck Arrives (Almost!)

Remember bulky manuals and frustrating guesswork? Enter augmented reality (AR), where smart glasses overlay digital data onto the real world. Imagine troubleshooting with step-by-step instructions superimposed on your equipment or collaborating with remote experts in real-time. AR not only streamlines processes but also reduces training needs and minimizes human error — a true game-changer for hands-on tasks.

3.   Cloud-Based CMMS: Data at Your Fingertips

Paperwork purgatory? No more! Cloud-based computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) platforms are the holy grail of centralized data storage and streamlined collaboration. Access equipment histories, maintenance schedules, and work orders from anywhere, anytime. But the magic doesn’t stop there. Advanced analytics crunch historical data, providing valuable insights for data-driven maintenance decisions. Say goodbye to reactive chaos and hello to proactive control!

4.   Robots to the Rescue: The Rise of Robo-Techs

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Maximizing Productivity: How Engineers Can Prioritize Tasks for Greater Impact and Success

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productiveImagine you made a to-do list every morning, and you attacked it throughout the day. Completing one task after the next in a very productive manner. Every time you cross something off, you feel a little better about yourself and what you’ve accomplished. Does this sound familiar?

It’s how a lot of people work, including myself, on most days. It’s also how companies tend to operate. They react to industry trends and often get away from their core services.

As a professional engineer who has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering, I have been trained to think very analytically. I can see all of the components of what needs to be done to accomplish a task or a project, and I want to attack them, one by one, and complete the project.

However, if we take that approach, without an overall strategy in how we want to operate, we may be much less productive than we think we are. I’ll give two examples here, one individual example, and one company example.

A Personal To-Do List With No Importance Scale

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Automation of Inspection Reporting Using Artificial Intelligence

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

Inspection ReportingAs engineering professionals, we continually seek innovative ways to improve our industry, enhance efficiency, and ensure the safety of the public.

Today, I would like to highlight one piece of emerging technology that I believe will have a significant and immediate impact on inspection workflows — use of artificial intelligence to generate reporting.

How Does Automation of Inspection Reporting Using Artificial Intelligence Work?

The premise of this type of technology is ingesting inspection data (photos, videos, voice memos, etc.) and having artificial intelligence (AI) analyze the data to convert it into a written report format.

This will require a minimum amount of data to be included (e.g., describing what one is seeing during a site visit on a video recording) such that the software can convert the inspection data.

Instead of the time-consuming process of starting at a blank screen, generating a report from scratch, or modifying a report from a similar project, the idea here is to start with data that was already generated during the inspection to reduce the time frame from inspection to report.

Example Using InspectMind AI

An application that utilizes this type of technology is InspectMind AI.

Let’s walk through an example, assuming that you are back at your desk (web application) or field trailer/vehicle (mobile application) with inspection data in hand.
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Time Management Tips for the Young, Overwhelmed Engineer

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This is a guest post by Matthew Douglas

Time ManagementOverwhelm. Seems like the common state of the fellow engineer. But if you have a family at home, overwhelm doesn’t quite fit the description needed. If you are anything like me, the common day is filled with work, kids, and cleaning, which all add up to exhaustion if we are being honest. But alas, if we want to succeed, we have to find a way through the burnout.

Society operates on a level that is not very forgiving for those with other obligations that occupy their time. Just think about it: daily, you most likely have to juggle a mixture of work, school, kids, career development, finances, etc. The point is it takes a lot to be an adult and if you are newly graduated, welcome to the party. 😀

But you don’t have to live like this. This doesn’t have to be your portion. Although you may have a lot on your plate, there are ways you can change and habits you can implement to have more control over your life. Here are five tips you can incorporate into your daily routine to improve your efficiency:

Tip #1: Get Some Rest

Now you may be thinking, what does rest have to do with time management if you’re spending your time resting in the first place? Well, it is important to get as much rest as needed because the lack of sleep causes a domino effect on your body. Every major function of your body requires that your body rest to function properly. On top of that, your cognitive abilities are affected drastically. So working smarter and not harder is the way to go — you want to ensure you’re getting the proper systems in play that will allow you to get better rest and be more productive.

Tip #2: Plan Ahead

This is an important one. Planning gives you the chance to have some adaptability. Simply speaking, the further ahead you plan, the easier it will be to see upcoming problems.

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How Mind Mapping Can Revolutionize Your Productivity

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This is a guest post by Matthew Douglas

Mind MappingAre you tired of feeling overwhelmed by your to-do lists and scattered thoughts? Mind mapping might just be the solution you’ve been looking for. This powerful tool can help you organize your ideas, boost your creativity, and improve your overall productivity. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of mind mapping and how you can start using it to transform the way you work and think.

So What Exactly Is Mind Mapping?

Mind mapping is a visual technique that allows you to organize information in a way that reflects the natural flow of your thoughts. It typically starts with a central idea or theme, and then branches out into related concepts and subtopics. This non-linear approach to note-taking and brainstorming can help you see connections between ideas that you might have otherwise missed.

How Can Mind Mapping Benefit Me?

One of the key benefits of mind mapping is its ability to stimulate creativity. By visually mapping out your ideas, you can uncover new insights and perspectives that can lead to innovative solutions. Additionally, mind mapping can help you improve your memory and retention of information, as the visual nature of the technique makes it easier for your brain to process and recall the information.

Mind Mapping

OK, so now we know what mind mapping is and how its beneficial, but what does a mind map even look like?

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From Blueprint to Bots: The AEC Guide to Integrating AI and Automation

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This is a guest post by Markus Weidner

AiI’m pretty sure everyone has seen an attention-grabbing headline about how robotic process automation, machine learning (RPA/ML), and artificial general intelligence (AI) threaten our very existence. While this “new” raft of technologies is not new at all (large language models, for example, have been around for years), the very public realization about its impact and the hyperbolic howls of our human demise is noteworthy. This is not a flash-in-the-pan event.

Moreover, it’s wise to adopt a position where we accurately assess and estimate the potential for huge advances in several industries, including our own. For example, the rapid adoption of LLMs has already led to some people using RPA/ML learning to help cover periodic labor gaps and shortages. So it’s not all bad.

As the months and years roll along in this post-AI world of business, and as the hype curve wanes, the true productive uses will emerge quickly and relentlessly, and we will edge toward a moment when suddenly the notion of the absence of AI will be all but forgotten.

A bit of history…

In a recent talk on AI, I noted, to mild surprise, that the actual term “artificial intelligence” has been around since 1956. In fact, Alan Turing not only holds the title “father of modern computing” but also contributed to the United States’ ultimate victory during WWII.

A series of rapid developments after Turing’s computer laid the groundwork for what we take for granted today: In the 1970s, research was already underway to have computational systems solve complex problems. In the 1980s, AI was already being used on a limited basis in robotics and computer-aided drafting.

In fact, by the 2000s, we were already devising neural networks capable of deep learning in what, in many cases, were the precursor to today’s large language models. The most famous computer brain of its time, IBM’s “Watson,” even beat Ken Jennings at Jeopardy in 2011.

The last 13 years have simply been a whirlwind of accelerated development with literally no end in sight and tech stars such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg advancing their own agendas and roadmaps toward an AI-driven future.

Our own advancements

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AI in the AEC Industry – It’s Already Here in a Big Way

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This is a guest post by Matthew Douglas

AI in the AEC Industry

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Zweig: Minds and Machines Conference in Nashville, TN. The conference was a very interesting, in-depth look into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and the inevitable impact its implementation will have in our industry. It might come as a bit of a shock but at this very moment, there are already 60,000-plus AI companies across the globe, with over 18,000 founded in the United States. That’s a huge amount!

But even more, that just means that AI is already here — if you haven’t seen it yet, you will see it very, very soon. Now in the AEC space, we may feel a bit disconnected from it, but it will certainly infiltrate our industry — and, in fact, it already has, although not in mass consumption yet. We publish a podcast focused on this topic at EMI, the AEC Engineering Technology Podcast.

So to start us off, let’s do a brief overview of what was discussed at the conference. We’ll start off with a session entitled AI 101. This session summarized which AI technologies were on the menu to be discussed at the conference, a brief look at the current applications in the AEC space, and ideas of where we can see ourselves in the foreseeable future.

Another session took a deeper dive into the various sectors of AEC and how AI is currently molding its way into different use cases. Nvidia, for instance, is currently working on a 3D modeling application to rival the likes of industry titans like Autodesk and Bentley. Interestingly enough, this software will reach over into the asset management/public infrastructure industry too, once geolocation services are added into the mix (which will challenge companies like ESRI and Trimble). In addition, Autodesk is coming out with a platform called Forma, which will be a cloud-based software for early-stage planning and design.

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How AI and ML Are Revolutionizing Engineering Design and Construction

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

AI and MLAs engineering professionals, we continually seek innovative ways to improve our industry, enhance efficiency, and ensure the safety of the public.

Today, I would like to highlight some of the themes discussed in Episode 033 of the AEC Engineering and Technology Podcast, where Rob Otani, CTO at Thornton-Tomasetti, and I discussed how AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) are revolutionizing engineering design and construction.

If you find this summary interesting, check out the full-length episode!

1. Understanding the Core Essence of AI Applications in Engineering

  • The foundation of impactful AI applications lies in an in-depth understanding of the field’s intricacies.
  • One of the most valuable things we can do is to utilize AI tools to address tangible, persistent engineering issues.
  • Those entrenched in the day-to-day operations, grappling with repetitive tasks, possess the acumen to pinpoint areas requiring innovative solutions.

2. The Vision That Sparked Innovation: Leveraging Machine Learning for Practical Solutions

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