Past Recipients

Natasha Sumner MBA, APMP, CSM, PMP

2017 Barrie Award Recipient

Paper Title
Alleviating the Pain in the Construction Organization

Introduction
‘A competent project manager is the single most-important ingredient and driving force behind a successful project. Myth or Fact?’

• While this may well be the case in most sectors, within the construction realm, what’s of utmost importance is finding the right mix or balance of ingredients; the synergy between the elements that play a role in the project. The challenge herein, is to identify a way for the many moving parts of a project to move in tandem with each other, as it’s where the various parts of the construction project intersect, that the breakdown or pain-points often occur.

John Briesemeister, MS

2016 Barrie Award Recipient

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Paper Title
Construction Execution Plan Alignment for Successful Construction Projects

Abstract
In the international construction industry, after an owner or a company awards a construction contract to an EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) Company, they typically request at the time of project initiation a Construction Execution Plan (CEP), which in most cases is put on the shelf since most project managers or construction managers do not have either the time or experience to write such document. This paper will not only show how this effort is well worth the time and expense expended, but also how alignment with the project’s WBS can significantly improve the effective management of a construction project, which will provide more successful projects in the future for the EPC Company and the owner.

Ermal Hetemi

2015 Barrie Award Recipient

Ermal Hetemi graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Master of Science in Construction Management in 2014. He is an engineer at Henkel Co., Head of Technical Support for Kosovo and Albania.

Ermal is also a PhD Candidate on EDIM (European Doctorate in Industrial Management) Program - Joint Doctorate Degree within University Polytechnic of Madrid & Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm, Sweden).

Paper Title
Attitudes toward Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)

Abstract
The Construction Industry’s problems are many and varied. There is little investment in innovation by the Construction Industry in its technology, training, and education compared to other industries. This includes innovation in the form of collaborative delivery approaches fostered by more flexible and responsive contracts. Today these collaborative project delivery methods are often identified by the term “Integrated Project Delivery” (IPD). 

Even with less investment, innovations in construction industry offer opportunities for advances in product delivery, collaboration, and product improvement. Integrated project delivery (IPD) an organizational innovation in the construction industry, seeks to improve project outcomes through: a collaborative approach of aligning incentives and goals of project teams by sharing risk and reward. This can be achieved by early involvement of all parties and a multiparty agreement. Recent research calls for improved information exchange achieved through project team communication for better project outcomes through this project delivery. The critical question to be answer is: Can IPD improve team communication with its innovative features and improve construction process? Or would those features become disabling for members of the construction industry when sharing information with other project team members? The aim of this study is to understand how IPD, as an organizational innovation, shapes communication in project teams and improve the entire process. Through this study I will try to emphasize the improvements done within construction process, innovations and discuss the innovative features of IPD compared to other delivery methods.