MDCAdvisor® Expert Newsletter
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Time Impact Analysis Rosetta Stone for CPM
In this edition: Time Impact Analysis (TIA®) The Rosetta Stone for CPM Schedule Analysis Robert C. McCue, P.E., Consulting Engineer Mark D. Steele, P.E., Consulting Engineer Critical Path Method (CPM) schedules and formalized methods of analyzing schedule impacts...
Avoiding RISK of Intellectual Property (IP) Infringement
While MDCSystems® has served Lady Justice for many decades in expert witness and forensics engineering, technology, and construction, we are pleased to announce that MDCSystems® now offers intellectual property forensics and expert witness services. As with many legal...
Risk Management Is it Time to Finally Implement Fire Resistive Residential Construction in CA?
By Robert C. McCue, P.E.& Michael A. Pollock, P.E. Our shared recollections of California wildfires go back to the early 1950's. Yes, somewhat dating me. Nevertheless, I recently did a quick search for information on this recurring problem and was surprised to...
Risk Management – Restarting the Construction Project (COVID-19)
By Robert C. McCue, P.E., and Michelle N. Delehanty, P.E. Consulting Engineers The current COVID-19 shutdowns of construction projects across multiple industries all over the world are unprecedented. The plans to begin construction work again will be riddled with...
Risk Management – Is the Coronavirus the Latest Black Swan Event?
The Coronavirus puts new emphasis on the evolving complexity of risks that must be balanced in the design and construction industries. The most unpredictable facet of construction risk management is the effects of unstable just-in-time supply chains. We are aware...
Keeping the “Big Three” in balance for the life of the construction work!
Robert C. McCue and Michelle N. Delehanty
Consulting Engineers
In construction projects there are three main areas of importance to a successful project – scope, schedule, and budget. It is vital to have a clear definition of the scope of work, a defined schedule including milestones, and the cost of performance based on the scope and schedule. These “Big Three” must be in balance at bid submission time, remain in balance when the actual work starts, and continue to be balanced until project completion.
Complexity: The Fifth Dimension of Project Management
Complexity: The Fifth Dimension of Project Management Advisor Vol. 70 by Robert C. McCue, P.E. MDC Systems® Consulting Engineer MDCSystems® has been providing Forensic Project Management (FPM®) services for over forty years for industrial, transportation and...
The Fast Paced Design and Construction
The fast-paced design and construction industry continues to make impressive progress across the country and around most of the world. While many worry about the inevitable slow down / recession a more immediate problem confronts both Owners and Builders. Capacity...
Embracing Your Promotor Fidei Integrated Project Delivery
By E. Mitchell Swann, PE Featured in the September 2018, MDCAdvisor® Newsletter I recently finished reading an interesting book[1] on systems failures and the thinking (or lack thereof) that led to those failures. Each chapter delves into a concept, a case study and...
International Arbitration Conference
In this edition
- International Arbitration Conference in Dubai, March 8-9, 2017
- ABA Construction Forum, Mid-Year Winter Meeting, February 2-3, 2017
Project Management: Change Orders
Once upon a time in Philadelphia, a charity hospital was seeking to modernize and expand its facility. Fundraising and design work had proceeded for a number of years, however, there never seemed to be quite enough money in the building fund to begin the project.
Risk Management
The design review should be performed by the architects and engineers that are preparing the plans and specifications for the project. While it is commonly accepted that all plans and specifications are reviewed before being issued, we have found that this is not always the case. Competing pressures to both conserve budget and accelerate the bidding phase of the project often lead to shortcuts in the process.
Project Management Risk – The Real Cost of Value Engineering
Problems stemming from “value engineering” are a common source point in many of our forensic engineering and claims management engagements involving systems, equipment or materials where the actual performance is found to be ‘problematic’ with respect to project expectations. Misunderstandings concerning the purpose and intent of value engineering are often at the heart of the problems we have noted. As a caution, the “value engineering” intent to reduce first costs will almost always succeed in the short term, but may fail to deliver “best value’ in the long term.
Risk Management – Internet of Things
In this edition
- Internet of Things (IoT): Managing Risk and Reward
- Mitch Swann, P.E., Named to Pennsylvania Uniform Construction
- Code Review and Advisory Council
Design Build in Name Only
Where is the critical path? This is one of the questions most often asked concerning schedule analysis. For some types of projects it is easy to anticipate where the critical path should be; for instance in high-rise building construction, the critical path is most likely to be: excavation, foundation, structure, weather enclosure (building envelope), MEP, finish activities.
Convergence of Design & Construction
In this edition
- MDC Offers Engineering Inspection Services Using Drones
- Convergence of Design & Construction: Old Wine in New Bottles
Top 10 Documents Your Expert Will Request and Why
In this edition
- Top 10 Documents Your Expert Will Request and Why
- MDC Systems® Attends ABA Forum on Construction Law, Annual Meeting, April 28-30, 2016; Nashville, TN
Construction Defect Inspector Protected Against Contractor Defamation
In this edition
- Join MDC Systems® at the Forum on Construction Law Midwinter Meeting, San Francisco, January 21-22
- Construction Defect Inspector Protected Against Contractor Defamation
Case Stresses Importance
In this edition:
- Case Stresses Importance of Notice Requirements of the Contract.
- MDC Systems® Addends ABA Construction Forum, Austin, Texas, October 8-9
Construction Manager at Risk…
In this edition:
- Construction Manager at Risk Held to Assume the Risk of Design Changes on Massachusetts Public Construction Project
- Mitch Swann Presents at 2015 ASHRAE Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA
Building Information Modeling – Boon or Bane?
In this edition:
- Building Information Modeling (BIM): Boone or Bane?
- MDC Systems® Attended the ABA Construction Forum’s Annual Conference, Boca Raton, FL