Page 82 - IEC Insights Nov-Dec21_WEB

FEATURE

SCIENTISTS VS. ARTISTS:

THE QUEST FOR REPLICATING SUCCESS

BY DR. HEATHER MOORE & SONJA DANESHGARI, MCA INC.

Do you sometimes wonder how it is possible that with working with structure and data) than
so much chaos and ever-changing requirements on the Artists (those working with gut feel or
tribal knowledge). The larger the job and/
job site, most of the jobs still make money? And then, on or the more jobs you take on increases
the other hand, wonder why a great job ‘all of a sudden’ the risks (Business Risk, Technical Risk,
Integration Risk) and can easily lead
loses all its profit at the last 20% of completion? to “Killer-jobs,” which can potentially
threaten the company’s existence.

The traditional way of managing a job 1. The industry is changing and the To avoid these extreme situations, and
is almost an art – our project managers Industrialization of Construction® is well ensure your profits stay consistent and
and general foremen are the artists, who on its way. positive, the knowledge of the ‘Artist’ as
somehow manage to get the whole circus 2. Schedules are getting tighter and there well as the different variables of the job
on the road and with their tricks, and is less time available to pass on the site need to be captured and structured in
years of experience can achieve a positive knowledge with the one-by-one and a scientific approach, to be able to analyze
outcome most of the time. ‘learn as you go’ approach. and use the information.

The problem with this approach is the lack 3. There is a growing skilled labor Most companies are not set up to retain
of scalability, reliability, and projectability. shortage, which also reduces the any learning and knowledge that the
The knowledge that the successful percentage of Project Managers that ‘Artists’ / Project Managers gain, and
‘Artists’/Project Managers have stays with have field experience. therefore the knowledge is lost when
them, versus staying with the company. If this individual leaves the company. Only
this Project Manager leaves, all the learned With the ever-changing conditions in the a learning organization can provide
knowledge leaves with him. construction industry, it becomes riskier
and riskier to not be able to know where you with the infrastructure to bridge
This is a problem for the construction a job will end up before it is too late. This the gap between the well-experienced
individual(s) and the rest of the company.
company since: drives us to need more Scientists (those

80 Insights Magazine | November/December 2021 | www.ieci.org