2020 Project Management Series

In response to COVID-19 public health advisory, Courses 2-4 have been pushed back a month and moved online. Please stay tuned for further program information.  

Revised and refined since the 2019 sold-out premier, this 4-part project management series is tailored to prepare practitioners for the deep interdisciplinary collaboration that distinguishes design and construction practice in our region.  Getting it Done: The Art of Project Management will focus on the “secret sauce” and most powerful components of successful project management: Communication, Collaboration and Client Care. While we will ground the classes in a review of “traditional” project management tools and resources, our primary focus will be weaving those tools into deeper people and teaming skills and approaches. Each moderated course will convene local experts—architects, engineers, contractors, owners and other industry perspectives—to present skills-based content and participate on interactive panel discussions. The series is designed for cohort-based learning with architects, engineers and contractors at every table. The primary goals of the series are:

• Apply communication, collaboration, and client care skills as the core principles of successful project management
• Build capacity, commitment, and application to deep collaboration for diverse AEC teams
• Promote shared understanding across disciplines and build long-term relationships among our profession’s current and future leaders
• Develop tools and management techniques to master rapidly-evolving project delivery methods and formats

Intended Audience

We invite a committed cohort of up to 80 A/E/C professionals from a variety of firm sizes and experience levels/project type experiences to gain a competitive edge and build new relationships through this interactive, in-depth study of project management.  One of the goals of this series is growing interdisciplinary collaboration among a diverse group of A/E/C professionals, so the following registration spots are reserved to help meet that goal:

• 55 Architects + Architectural Designers | Targeting up to 2 individuals from the same firm 
• 25 Engineers + Contractors | Targeting up to 2 individuals from the same firm 

PLEASE NOTE: Series registrants commit to participate in all four courses, March-June, understanding that the content has been designed sequentially for cohort-based learning. A few a la carte registration spots are now available, see below to register.

Course Dates + A La Carte Registration

All courses will be held at The Mountaineers, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. 

Course 1 | Wait, What’s My Job?
March 4, 2020 (full day)

Courses 2-4 have been pushed back a month and moved online. Please stay tuned for further program information. 

Course 2 | Can’t Work Without ‘Em… (people!)
April 1, 2020 (full day) May 6, 2020 

Course 3 | Making it Work (in the day-to-day)
May 6, 2020 (full day) June 3, 2020 

Course 4 | Change Management with (relative) Ease
June 3, 2020 (full day) July 1, 2020 

The registration deadline is 2 days prior to each respective course. Please direct any registration inquiries to Zoe Guckenheimer. In alignment with AIA Seattle’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and support sustainable food sourcing, all catered meals are vegetarian. 

Course Descriptions + Learning Objectives

March 4 | Wait, What’s My Job?

The kick-off is all about getting to know one another, defining the role of a project manager, establishing shared meaning on terms, and defining that the ‘secret sauce’ of great project management is (spoiler alert!) not the newest project management tools (but we’ll touch on those briefly). Rather, it’s the “soft” skills and techniques you use every day that matter most.  Hear from your peers and interdisciplinary panelists about what it means to be a collaborative project manager.  Course learning objectives include:

1. Deepen and personalize the definition of project management
2. Apply traditional, core project management tools and resources to support people-smart project leadership
3. Explore how different contract forms drive collaborative project delivery and their associated risks/rewards
4. Understand the key provisions of a design professional agreement and how to prevent challenges

April 1 May 6 | Can’t Work Without ‘Em… (people!) This course date has changed. Please stay tuned for further program information. 

Relationships are foundational to every aspect of project management.  Now that you know what your job is, course 2 prepares you to set up your projects for success.  Get to know (and adapt to) different styles and personalities, develop tools for kicking-off projects, apply effective meeting facilitation, and integrate client care throughout.  Hear from your peers and interdisciplinary panelists about their techniques, and from owners and clients about their expectations.  Course learning objectives include:

1. Define and apply the principles of successful collaboration with all team members (A/E/C/O)
2. Develop tools for adapting your PM approach and tools to different communication and learning styles
3. Explore various methods and tools for launching projects, focusing on decision-making protocol and communication process
4. Develop process for setting, maintaining, and checking in on expectations, with all project stakeholders

May 6 June 3 | Making it Work (in the day-to-day) This course date has changed. Please stay tuned for further program information. 

With the contract as your guide and the secret sauce in your grasp (relationships + communication + collaboration), course 3 will explore some critical know-how and know-why to get a project done.  Understand design and construction scheduling and get a better grasp on budgets, forecasting profitability, and the financial motivations of everyone involved.  Practice collaboration-building methodologies of target value design and pull scheduling.  Learn from your peers and a variety of disciplines about how they get projects done.  Course learning objectives include:

1. Apply sound processes for establishing project schedule and managing profitability and cost risk
2. Define, implement, and track schedule efficiency
3. Apply different approaches to defining, measuring, forecasting and assessing project performance
4. Monitor project evolution with an understanding of all participants’ profit, professional, and other goals

June 3 July 1 | Change Management with (relative) Ease This course date has changed. Please stay tuned for further program information.

The final course circles back to the fundamentals with change and risk management in mind.  Learn to identify, communicate and manage risk throughout a project, to manage conflict (remember all those different styles and personalities?), hone your negotiating skills, and explore successful change management.  Hear from your peers and colleagues about identifying and managing the inevitable and ensure success start to finish.  Course learning objectives include:

1. Apply contract negotiation and documentation approaches to strengthen relationships with clients and reduce challenges
2. Monitor and integrate changes in projects with an understanding of all participants’ risks and profitability goals
3. Understand differences and apply techniques for conflict styles and strategies for conflict resolution
4. Define and set personal goals for applying communication, collaboration and client care skills learned

All sessions and speakers subject to change.

Speakers + Panelists Include:

Adam Crain 2Plys | Dace Campbell McKinstry | Marlene Chen, AIA, LEED AP Olson Kundig | Christopher Colley, RA, Assoc. DBIA, LEED AP Graham Construction | Jason Collins PCS Structural Solutions | Mohammed Haq, P.E. PAE Engineers | Laura Lohman and Reeve Elliott Seneca Group | Patreese Martin, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Bohlin Cywinski Jackson | Sam Miller LMN Architects | Tom Owens Mendel Owens | Lindsey Pflugrath Cairncross & Hempelmann | Jeremiah Powers NBBJ | Elizabeth Rinehart, LEED AP Walsh Construction Co. | Ted Sive, FSMPS, Honorary AIA (Seattle) Ted Sive Consulting | Heather Johnston and Heather Skeehan GLY Construction | Bill Strong, FSMPS, CPSM, Associate AIA Bill Strong Consulting | Rico Quirindongo DLR Group | Jim Phillips Forma Construction | Cheryl Jacobs NAC | Allan Montpellier PAE Engineers | Brian Aske Lease Crutcher Lewis | Carrie Sturts Dossick University of Washington, College of Built Environments | Janice Zahn Port of Seattle

All sessions and speakers subject to change.

Special thanks to our Project Management Series Planning Taskforce

Marlene Chen, AIA, LEED AP | Olson Kundig
Christopher Colley, RA, Assoc. DBIA, LEED AP | Graham Construction
Reeve Elliott | Seneca Group
Mohammed Haq, P.E. | PAE Engineers
Patreese Martin, AIA, LEED AP BD+C | Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Heather Skeehan | GLY Construction
Ted Sive, FSMPS, Honorary AIA Seattle | Ted Sive Consulting  | Program Moderator 

Special thanks to our Project Management Series Sponsors

Registration or Credit Questions?
Contact Zoe Guckenheimer Program and Project Coordinator at AIA Seattle

Program Content Questions?
Contact Cassie Blair, Associate Director of Programs & Impact at AIA Seattle