Why CxAs Need Project Management Skills

3 Questions With Ian McIntosh, PhD, CCP

 
When it comes to the Commissioning Process (CxP), proper planning can make all the difference. Each year, UW-Madison Interdisciplinary Professional Programs (InterPro) offers a course on project management as part of the Qualified Commissioning Process Provider (QCxP) certificate program.

“Project Management for the Commissioning Process” will help commissioning authorities balance the demands of scope, schedule, budget and quality on projects. Students will learn how to avoid common problems, including scope creep and overruns.

InterPro asked program director and instructor Ian McIntosh for his thoughts on why commissioning authorities should take the time to learn how to implement project management best practices. McIntosh has more than 20 years of experience in the field and is also the principal and Chief Learning Officer at ianTEACH, LLC. He is a BCA Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP).

1. Why should commissioning authorities (CxA’s) learn about project management (PM) principles?

Many CxAs (owner-led and 3^rd party) are extremely smart and technically advanced professionals. They know systems. They know how to troubleshoot. They know how to solve critical problems.

However, many unfortunately don’t understand enough about the management side of commissioning beyond the execution of the work. Tried and true PM principles will help to round out their expertise as they learn how to initiate, plan, monitor, control and close out the work in addition to executing it.

2. Why did you decide to develop this course?

The Cx Program at UW-Madison exists to transform the Cx industry through education. As an instructor and Cx practitioner for the last 2 decades, I’ve come to see where there’s a void in this area of Project Management that needs to be filled. Developing this course will not only increase attendee’s PM knowledge-base, but also provide practical tools they can apply back at organizations.

3. What do you think will be the biggest “takeaway” from attending the course?

The biggest takeaway will likely be a realization that there is far more to managing commissioning projects than was originally imagined. Yes, commissioning is a quality process. However, project management principles promote balancing the tension between quality, budget, scope and schedule while utilizing soft skills such communication, teamwork, leadership and ethics.

Interested in the QCxP certification? Please visit this page to discover upcoming course options and dates.