Time Management Tips for the Young, Overwhelmed Engineer
Overwhelm. 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 […]
From Blueprint to Bots: The AEC Guide to Integrating AI and Automation
I’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 […]
AI in the AEC Industry – It’s Already Here in a Big Way
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 […]
How AI and ML Are Revolutionizing Engineering Design and Construction
As 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) […]
Every Time You Say These 10 Words to Yourself You Are Killing Your Productivity
“It will be quicker if I just do it myself.” Have you ever said this to yourself? These 10 seemingly innocuous words have come back to haunt many engineering managers (and their firms). Most professionals today approach work in a very reactive manner. A task or request comes across their desk and they jump on it, […]
Mastering Productivity: 3 Essential Hacks for Engineers
Image by partystock on Freepik “Time is not refundable; use it with intention.” ~ Unknown As an engineer, your job requires a high level of focus and attention to detail. With so many tasks and projects to manage, it can be challenging to stay productive throughout the day. The good news is that there […]
Discovering and Implementing New Technology in Your Civil Engineering Firm
Civil 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. Today, I would like to talk about a few tips to discover and […]
How Engineering Firms Can Prevent Client Churn
Clients are arguably the most important aspect of running a successful and healthy engineering firm. What’s even more important is retaining them. Did you know it can be anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive to gain a new customer than to retain an existing one? So, how are you preventing client churn at […]
The Five-Day Week Is a Construct, so Why Not a Four-Day Week?
Maybe I should start by saying that I am all for the four-day workweek/three-day weekend. If that makes it sound like I’m trying to get out of work, I’d like to point out that I have been called a workaholic by three different bosses. In fact, one of those bosses refused my request to go […]
Not Enough Hours in the Day? These Tips Can Help You Out
Image by luis_molinero on Freepik Time. It seems no one has enough of it, even though we all have the same 24/7. Here I sit on a Friday morning with — get ready for it — free time! This email came in late yesterday afternoon. “Pam, I hate to do this, but I’ve got […]