A structured approach to gambling intended to increase the odds of winning is better known as – a betting strategy.  When talking about betting strategies there are three different categories:  Positive Progression Betting – Your bet is increased each time you win; Insurance Betting Systems – Each time you lose a bet you decrease the amount that [...]

Capturing historical data is an essential part of the project controls team’s responsibilities; however, there is often a tendency to ignore the tracking of information that is “to the left” of the data date while the team instead focuses only on what’s ahead. Given the high pressure environment of most construction projects, this is an [...]

It occurred to me while traveling to one of the two fabulous casinos in Connecticut that one aspect of making construction projects successful is very similar to making money at the casino. In casinos, with the exception of the lucky, it is the professionals that do the best at the tables. How do they do it? [...]

I have the pleasure to announce that ARCADIS Construction Claims Services is launching a complimentary web-based informational seminar series.  We invite you to participate in Tools of the Trade – Building Skills to Prevent, Mitigate and Resolve Construction Disputes. This webinar series, designed for public and private owners, general contractors, construction managers, designers and their [...]

Like most people my age, I grew up with a steady diet of Wild West movies and TV shows. They had a lot in common – a brave sheriff standing up to a gang of rustlers, the restless townsfolk living in fear, the farmer who was single-handedly standing up to the bad guys…you know the [...]

I have an 11 year old son. I enjoy telling him stupid stories and joking around with him, especially in front of his friends. One of my regular bits is that I will proclaim to him that I am not really who he thinks I am and that I’ve been living a lie. I’ve told [...]

When a construction project finishes later than planned, there is commonly a great deal of discussion regarding what caused the delay, and who was responsible. As a result, when delays are present on a project, the parties (and their analysts) are often locked in long discussions regarding the project’s Critical Path – the logic chain [...]

Depending upon the suitability of the selected APD to the project, the experience of the participants and the execution of the APD plan, the success or failure of the project can hang in the balance. The expectation of problems due to the use of traditional design-bid-build has been replaced by a new trend of similar disappointments and problems arising out of APD projects.

I rarely have heated arguments with my wife.  She is much smarter than I am. It is usually easier and wiser for me to just give in. For that matter, I rarely get in arguments with anyone. Most of the time my thought is that the time and energy I put into arguing with someone would be better spent [...]