Risk Mitigation in Construction

‼️ I made these mistakes, and my water project failed. It was my first year on site as a young, eager engineer. I was supervising a rural water reticulation project in Esigodini . We were behind schedule and over budget. Pressure was high. Decisions had to be made , and I made the wrong ones. To cut costs, we started compromising on construction standards. At the time, it felt justifiable. But it wasn’t long before the system started failing. And it hurt. I had to watch a community's hope for clean water fade because of decisions I approved. Here’s where I went wrong: 1️⃣ Improper Bedding & Backfilling I allowed pipes to be laid directly on rocky ground with minimal bedding. No proper compaction. It looked like progress, but beneath the surface, it was a disaster in waiting. 2️⃣ No Thrust Blocks at Key Points On bends and critical junctions, we skipped thrust blocks to save time and concrete. When the pumps were activated, joints burst open like a balloon under pressure. I also overlooked proper jointing techniques and quality assurance checks. HDPE welds weren't inspected. Ductile iron pipes were joined in haste. No supervision. No second eyes. Just assumptions. (This is where you need an experienced foreman) 🎯 Lesson learned? Even the best designs fail without proper execution. And in Africa, where every drop of clean water matters, we can’t afford to get it wrong. Africa doesn’t need more pipes, it needs better pipe-laying practices. “It’s not always poor design that kills water projects , it’s poor execution. I learned that the hard way, so you don’t have to.”

I failed 5 times before I figured it out. Here’s every business I tried (and what each taught me)  2015 - Charity Platform ✅ Why I thought it would work: Charities needed fresh ways to raise money. ❌ Why it failed: Big charities move way too slow, red tape killed momentum. 💡 Lesson learned: Work with smaller, agile clients who can act fast. 2016 - Affiliate Site for Dentists ✅ Why I thought it would work: Dentists pay big for leads = $$$ opportunity. ❌ Why it failed: Having a product isn’t enough, I had zero marketing skills. 💡 Lesson learned: Affiliate success = mastering marketing & performance media. 2017 - Talent Agency ✅ Why I thought it would work: I crushed it in influencer marketing—this felt like the next step. ❌ Why it failed: Managing ego-driven talent is a nightmare. 💡 Lesson learned: Winning in one space doesn’t mean you’ll win in the next. New market = new skillset. 2018 - Doodlar (Teespring Competitor) ✅ Why I thought it would work: Teespring made £50M—I wanted a piece of the pie. ❌ Why it failed: I went too broad instead of focusing on a niche. 💡 Lesson learned: Start with a laser focus (e.g., anime fans) before scaling up. 2019 - PetHeart ✅ Why I thought it would work: Pet owners are obsessed with their pets. ❌ Why it failed: I wasn’t a pet owner, I didn’t understand my customers. 💡 Lesson learned: Deep customer insight is non-negotiable for product success. What did I do differently? I embraced failure, learned from it, and applied those lessons to my next big idea. Your failures don’t define you how you learn from them does. So, if you’re struggling, don’t give up. The next big success might be just around the corner.

⏰ How To Improve Your Time Estimates (https://lnkd.in/egWd45RF), an honest article of lessons learned from going massively over on a fixed-price contract — with action points on what our estimates typically miss, how to estimate better and how to be prepared when things go sideways. By Dave Stewart. ✅ “Planned work” may be as little as 20% of the total project effort. ✅ “Extra work” increases proportionally to the complexity of the work. ✅ Account for changes (20%) and unexpected slowdowns (15%). ✅ Access to data, docs, tools, people is a huge estimate trap. ✅ Run postmortems on past projects to anchor yourself to reality. ✅ Estimate with at most 6–6.5 productive hours per day. ✅ Always estimate in ranges, and never in precise numbers. ✅ Safe way to estimate better is to estimate smaller units of work. ✅ Always add at least 15–20% of buffer time: you will need them. ✅ Every new team member speeds up the work by 1.5–1.8×. 🚫 Troubles start when designers aren’t involved in estimates. 🚫 Stakeholders rarely know what causes delays and extra costs. ✅ Re-iterate that late changes are expensive and cause delays. ✅ Life is full of surprises: budget too much, not too little. ✅ When in trouble, raise a hand, rather than doubling down. As Dave has rightfully noted, much of the work we do is actually happening “around the work” — on the fringes of the project, before, between and beyond actual design work. It covers everything, from daily routine tasks (emails, meetings, reports) to complex dependencies, unknowns and legacy limitations. In the past, I was always trying to underpromise and overdeliver. I was thinking that ultimately that would put me in a good light — appearing as accountable, reliable and committed to quality work, despite the initial scope. Yet it has also resulted in poor estimates, delays, late night work and overlapping projects. So instead, I started dedicating time into drafting a very detailed scope of work to estimate better. Typically it includes: 1. That’s how we understood the problem, 2. That’s what we believe the solution requires, 3. That’s the breakdown of tasks we’ll do, 4. That’s the assumptions we make, 5. That’s dependencies we uncovered, 6. That’s data, docs, tools, people need to be involved, 7. That’s how we are planning to solve it, 8. That’s when stakeholder’s (timely) input will be needed, 9. That’s milestones and timelines we commit to, 10. That’s the fixed scope of our final delivery, 11. That’s the delivery date we commit to, 12. That’s how pricing and payment will work, 13 That’s how we’ll deal with late adjustments and scope changes. And most importantly: for every step of the process — in emails, calls, meetings — make sure to mention that late scope changes are very expensive and will eventually cause delays. So ask for the best channels and frequency for communication with stakeholders. Chances are high that you will need it. #ux #design

✈️ Human Factors & Decision-Making: when there’s no time to hesitate The scene lasts only seconds. Runway not clear. A Concorde on short final. No margin for debate. 👉 Go-around. From a Human Factors perspective, this is a textbook case: 1️⃣ Situational Awareness The crew acts on what is, not on what should be. The runway isn’t clear. Period. 2️⃣ Time-critical decision making “The decision must be made in the next few seconds.” Delaying a decision is a decision—and usually the wrong one. 3️⃣ Proper use of authority No negotiation with risk. No “maybe it will work.” The commander decides and executes. 4️⃣ Real safety culture A go-around is not a failure. It’s a trained, normal maneuver designed to break the accident chain. 5️⃣ Clear, disciplined communication Standard phraseology. Short messages. No unnecessary explanations when margins are zero. 🔴 Key lesson Safety is not about being right—it’s about deciding on time. In aviation (and many other industries), accidents rarely come from lack of knowledge, but from delayed decisions under pressure. Sometimes, the most professional decision is not to continue. #HumanFactors #DecisionMaking #GoAround #AviationSafety #OperationalSafety #CRM #SituationalAwareness #SafetyCulture

A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure. ~ Segal’s Law More data doesn’t mean better decisions. In fact, it often leads to paralysis, over-analysis, and slower execution. So ... how do you filter out the signal from the noise? While AI cannot replace your instincts and judgment, nor make a high-stakes leadership call on your behalf, it can be a valuable thought partner in decision-making. Here are AI prompts to challenge your own thinking: CLARIFY THE CONTEXT 💭 What is the core problem we’re solving, and how has it evolved over time? 💭 What data or evidence suggests this is the right priority right now? 💭 What are the second- and third-order consequences of this decision? 💭 What does success look like in 12 months? What about failure? 💭 If we had to explain this decision in one sentence, what would it be? MODEL SCENARIOS 💭 What are the best-case, worst-case, and most likely scenarios if we move forward? 💭 How would this decision play out in different competitive conditions? 💭 What factors would make this decision a game-changer or a massive failure? 💭 What are the opportunity costs of choosing this path over others? 💭 If we succeed beyond expectations, what new risks or constraints will emerge? STRESS TEST ASSUMPTIONS 💭 What assumptions are we making that could be flawed or outdated? 💭 What evidence would immediately prove this decision wrong? 💭 What are the hidden risks or unintended consequences we aren’t considering? 💭 Are we making this decision based on past success, or future relevance? 💭 What is the hidden downside of being right? PRIORITIZE SPEED 💭 What is the ONE critical insight that makes this decision 80% clear right now? 💭 If we had to make this decision within 24 hours, what would we prioritize? 💭 Are we optimizing for certainty, or are we delaying out of fear? 💭 If we delay this decision by 6 months, what are the risks and missed opportunities? 💭 What’s the smallest action we can take to test this decision before fully committing? BUILD FEEDBACK LOOPS 💭 What are the top 3 leading indicators that will signal whether this decision is working? 💭 What biases might cause us to ignore early warning signs of failure? 💭 If this decision needs to be reversed, what’s the fastest and least costly way to do it? 💭 How will we ensure that feedback is acted upon, not just collected? 💭 What questions should we be asking 6 months from now to reassess this decision? #leadership #AI #innovation

⸻ Excavation Safety Management (Summary) 1. Excavation Permit Before any excavation work begins, a Permit to Dig must be obtained. This ensures: • Identification of underground hazards such as gas, electricity, and telecom lines. • Planning of risk controls and safe work procedures. • Coordination between HSE, site engineers, and relevant authorities. • Proper documentation of all planned activities. Reference: OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, ADOSH CoP 11.0 – Permit to Work Systems, Dubai Municipality Safety Code. 2. Site Safety and Risk Control Measures The following measures must be implemented at all excavation sites: • Conduct a site survey using GPR or certified utility maps. • Provide shoring or shielding for excavations deeper than 1.2 m or in unstable soil. • Place excavated material at least 60 cm from the edge. • Provide ladders or ramps every 7.5 m for safe access and egress. • Install barricades and warning signs along all excavation edges. • Ensure adequate ventilation in confined or deep excavations to prevent gas accumulation. • Conduct daily inspections by competent personnel, especially after rain or vibration. • Implement water management systems such as sump pumps or drainage. Reference: OSHA 1926.651 & 1926.652, ADOSH CoP 18.0 – Trenching and Excavation Safety, Trakhees EHS Standards. 3. Heavy Equipment Control When using excavators, hoists, loaders, or similar machinery: • Carry out daily and periodic inspections of all equipment. • Ensure only trained, licensed, and authorized operators are engaged. • Define clear movement zones and avoid operating too close to excavation edges. • Use warning devices including reverse alarms, flashing beacons, and clear signage. • Follow proper shutdown procedures: park safely, turn off engine, engage brakes. • Maintain effective communication between operators and ground crew using radios or hand signals. Reference: OSHA 1926.602, ISO 45001 Clause 8.1, ADOSH CoP 10.0 – Safe Use of Machinery. ⸻ General HSE Compliance Notes • Always use Permit to Work (PTW) systems. • Apply Hierarchy of Controls: Elimination > Substitution > Engineering > Admin > PPE. • Provide Toolbox Talks (TBT) daily before excavation. • Ensure Emergency Response Plan is in place. ⸻ #ExcavationSafety #WorkplaceSafety #ConstructionSafety #HSE #SafetyFirst #OSHAStandards #OSHAD

Embracing Failure: Lessons Learned from a Recent Experience LinkedIn is often a platform where we highlight our successes, but I believe it's equally important to share our failures and learning experiences. Allow me to take you through a recent setback and the valuable lessons it offered. Last November, our team received an invitation to respond to an RFI alongside 10 other global negotiation training companies. This opportunity came from one of the largest corporations in their industry headquartered in Europe. They sought a comprehensive global training program for 400 procurement professionals, a task well within our expertise. The RFI was extensive, leading us to submit a detailed 38-page proposal. We learned that we were shortlisted as one of the three potential suppliers. The client proposed an innovative agile procurement process, including a live workshop at their HQ. However, challenges arose from the outset. Negotiating cost compensation for our team's travel proved difficult, and scheduling the event became nearly impossible. Ultimately, the workshop shifted to a virtual format on an unfamiliar platform. Despite meticulous preparation, the workshop itself felt more like an interrogation than a collaborative session. Feedback was unexpected and critical, leaving us feeling disheartened and perplexed. During the workshop, frustration mounted within our team as we grappled with unexpected challenges and criticism. At one point, a colleague couldn't contain their exasperation and exclaimed, "If only you had spent all this time and preparation running a pilot workshop with each supplier, all of us would have saved so much time." This outburst encapsulated the frustration we felt at that moment. It underscored the hindsight realization that investing time in pilot workshops could have provided invaluable insights early on, potentially streamlining the process and avoiding the pitfalls we encountered. Following the workshop, we were informed that the client had decided to proceed without us. Their reasons? They perceived our approach as overly academic and doubted our ability to scale the workshop effectively. While disappointing, this experience provided some valuable insights: 1. Value Your Time: Don't invest significant hours in RFIs and engagements without ensuring appropriate compensation. 2. Know Your Medium: Creative workshops may not translate effectively to online formats; consider the limitations of virtual environments. 3. Clarify Expectations: Ensure clients have a clear understanding of their objectives and are prepared for the engagement. 4. As an advisor i often sit on the other side of the table and always recommend the buyer offer the supplier compensation for more time consuming proposals. Sharing this experience isn't merely about airing frustration; it's about embracing the opportunity to learn and grow. By reflecting on setbacks, we can refine our approach and ultimately achieve greater success.

Local Weather Data x Critical Risk Management We talk a lot about environmental impacts on high-risk activities—like wind speed & direction impacting crane lifts, work at height, and heavy equipment operations—but how representative is the weather data we rely on? Most of the time, we use forecasted conditions from national meteorological services which are great for general awareness but often don’t reflect site-specific conditions. A forecast from a weather station 30km away doesn’t capture sudden wind gusts at a crane lift zone, temperature variations on-site, or microclimates created by terrain. Having local, real-time weather data at the actual worksite enables better risk management decisions. Instead of relying on broad forecasts, organisations can monitor live conditions at the precise location where critical work is happening. PLUS you get your own comprehensive data set for analytics... In the photos I'm holding a Davis EnviroMonitor Gateway LTE & Vantage Pro2 GroWeather Sensor Suite which is an example of a local weather monitoring system. This system provides real-time, hyper-local weather data directly from the worksite, enabling data-driven risk management decisions. It delivers real-time updates every 2.5 seconds; has wind speed, temperature, humidity, and rainfall monitoring plus solar radiation and evapotranspiration data which is also valuable for heat stress risk. This model has LTE connectivity (basically you can stick a SIM card in it) for remote monitoring and integration with cloud platforms. These systems aren't that expensive and offer new insights for local risk management that I've found can make a pretty big difference to your risk control strategy. Is anyone else implementing local weather systems for crane ops or other critical risk management? #safetytech #safetyinnovation #IoT

After multiple business and digital transformation journeys, one pattern keeps repeating. Technology rarely fails. Plans rarely fail. What fails is how change is absorbed once the program team steps away. Here are six lessons experience teaches—often the hard way: 1) Technology moves faster than people Systems can be implemented quickly. Ways of working don’t change at the same pace. I’ve seen teams technically enabled, yet still default to old habits because confidence and trust take time to build. 2) Progress comes from focus, not force The moments that moved the needle were never about pushing harder. They came from deliberately narrowing scope—fewer initiatives, clearer priorities, and protected execution bandwidth. 3) Decisions delayed cost more than decisions wrong Waiting for perfect alignment often created more cost than making a call and adjusting later. Momentum consistently favored teams that decided early and corrected fast. 4) Simplifying work creates more impact than adding tools The biggest gains didn’t come from new platforms alone, but from removing steps, handoffs, and unnecessary approvals before digitising the process. 5) Alignment matters more than intensity High energy without alignment led to friction. When business, IT, and operations agreed on outcomes and trade-offs, execution became smoother and resistance reduced naturally. 6) Clarity beats effort every time Clear ownership, clear success measures, and clear decision rights outperformed even the most hardworking teams operating in ambiguity. The real takeaway: Transformation is less about big launches—and more about what quietly changes in daily decisions and behaviors.

Lessons I Learned Managing AI Projects🔍 AI projects are exciting, but they are also complicated and challenging. Over the years, I’ve led AI and data strategy initiatives across industries, and one thing that I have to make clear to teams from the start is: that AI is not just a tech project; it’s a business transformation. So, what does it take to land AI projects successfully? 1. Start with the Problem: It’s tempting to jump into the latest AI model or software or whatever, but the real question is: What is the business problem statement we want to solve? Aligning AI to a strategic problem ensures impact and adoption. 2. Data is the Foundation: A brilliant AI model with poor data is like a sports car without fuel. How are we getting the model to work if there is no data to train it properly? Data quality, governance, and accessibility should be addressed early; otherwise, AI projects will stall before they even start. 3. Cross-functional collaboration: AI isn’t just for data scientists or coders. Business leaders, IT teams, and end-users must collaborate. The best AI solutions combine technical expertise with business knowledge. 4. Explainability & Trust Matter AI models can be powerful, but if stakeholders don’t understand or trust them, they won’t be used. Transparent AI, ethical considerations, and clear communication are non-negotiable. 5. AI is an Iterative Journey Unlike traditional projects with a clear end, AI requires continuous learning and adaptation. Successful AI projects focus on quick wins, continuous feedback, and scaling over time. What has been your biggest learning in managing AI projects? Would love to hear your thoughts below! 👇 #AI #DataStrategy #Leadership #EmergingTech #DigitalTransformation