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I have a degree in architecture and practiced it for the first six years of my career. I aspired to be a designer and got an opportunity early on to be a project designer. I worked for a company in Orange County and had the chance to design a couple of buildings while I was there, which was a phenomenal experience. I loved it. Having progressed the projects through coordination, code analysis and construction documents, I got the opportunity to see them being built,” begins Naomi Whitesel, Vice President Preconstruction, McCarthy Building Companies.����

“I had a pivotal moment in my career during an owner, architect, contractor meeting about a building that I had designed. I was walking with my mentor to the meeting and told him I was looking forward to divulging that I’d designed the building. I knew the McCarthy team well and was proud to showcase my work. My mentor suggested I refrain from doing so at this stage, which surprised me. That said, the meeting commenced and immediately, a constructability error in the design was highlighted. I was struck by a couple of thoughts; namely, that I didn’t understand why it wasn’t constructable and equally, that the constructability feedback was not making it back to the designers to learn from. This was a humbling moment and I eventually shared that I’d designed the building. The team’s response was great. They took me under their wing, I walked the site with them and absorbed a lot. It made me realize that I still had a lot to learn about buildings and that I probably wouldn’t get the experience I desired staying in a purely architectural environment. So, that was when I decided to transition to the general contracting side of the industry and only really wanted to make that move if it was in partnership with McCarthy.����

“I’ve been with McCarthy now for over 12 years, starting in field operations and managing trade partners. I then went into the office and did estimating for a couple of years, and it was good to reengage with the design element of the process. I naturally transitioned into a design management role, and now lead our design phase services department in California. I oversee estimating, pre-construction, design management and virtual design and construction (VDC). I love seeing everything come together and overseeing the teams that are responsible for making that happen. I engage with clients and design partners very early on in the process.��

“When I was in college, I was in love with the idea of the master builder; somebody who can create something from nothing, a creative thinker, a designer, but also with technical and engineering acumen and the ability to coordinate and execute a vision. Over the years I’ve realized that the concept of the master builder isn’t necessarily a single person, but rather necessitates a highly collaborative interdisciplinary team. What I’m most passionate about is what it takes to bring that kind of team together. Prior to stepping into my current role, I was part of the executive leadership team on the 2.4 billion-dollar California Tower project. My day-to-day was very much about getting the team organized, establishing strong communication channels and problem solving. Today, in my current role, while I oversee all ongoing projects, I very much empower my staff to embrace that organizational role and support them in being able to do so.����

“Traditionally, projects are delivered with a design-bid-build contracting method, where design and construction operate in silos. With modern collaborative delivery methods, however, by bringing the contractor into the design and early planning stages of the build, it’s possible to incorporate cost, scheduling, logistics, and safety expertise into the overall project. While this collaborative approach may not always be seamless, as you’re combining the different skills of execution and creativity, this conflict can be overcome to create trust, communication, and alignment and to truly leverage this wealth of expertise for the greater good of the project.”

This cohesive approach can mitigate issues, enable swift resolution of problems and facilitate both timely and on budget project delivery. “Indeed, considering the California Tower project,” Naomi elaborates, “from its original size and scope, the team was asked if it would be possible to approximately double the proposed plans. With time as a constraint, we only had a weekend to establish costs and timelines that would align with the new budget. When we reached the end of the validation stage after a couple of months, we were still considerably over the target budget. At this stage, we decided to incorporate agile swarming, which is a great technique that pushes a team to collaborate at high levels, preventing it from falling into independent, asynchronous work. The concept of swarming was created by Toyota and comes from a lean manufacturing system; the idea being that if anybody spots a defect along the production line, they are empowered to shut down the whole factory floor so everybody can swarm, focus on the problem and how to resolve it. While it seems counterintuitive to halt production, it does mean you’re not continuing to crank out defective work while you solve that issue.����

“We implemented that process, brought the team together to focus on the best interests of the project and ran multiple models. Over a two-week period, a single proposal was reached. It was taken to the leadership team and the decision was almost immediately taken to move forward. Four years later, and those decisions have been upheld and we continue to work in accordance with them. This really highlights that if we understand how the client defines value, we can focus on formulating the best approach for each unique project.��

“While the instinct is to get started on a project straightaway, it’s crucial to take a step back. Rather than reacting, focusing on who will be involved in a project and creating alignment is the first step. Establishing communication and trust are key and taking the time to do so is essential. Putting frameworks in place for intentional communication is also critical, as it enables negotiation, which, in turn, engenders trust.”��

Alongside technology, systems, and modeling software, the relatively new ease with which teams communicate remotely has broadened access to expertise. “We no longer rely on a local specialist,” Naomi explains. “In one sense, it’s totally broadened our reach in terms of who we’re able to onboard, in another, there is an element of distance that can reduce the gravity of commitment. Personal interaction often better facilitates conflict resolution and negotiation, for example, so I think it’s important to bear that in mind.��

“Looking to the future, collaborative construction is the way forward. Traditionally, the hard bid approach, where the owner hires the designer to draw up the project plans and then bids the work out to general contractors for the lowest bid, was the preferred process. Today, the collaborative delivery method, with more of a shared risk and reward model, is gaining pace.����

“In this industry, there are so many smart, talented people and we get to work with all of them. If you go into projects with the mindset of being part of a team, then you can benefit from the opportunity to learn something new. Moving around within different roles hasn’t given me all the answers but it’s helped me to ask better questions. I do my best to pay forward the experience and mentorship I’ve been lucky to receive. I had a great mentor, called Marc, who is retired now but still calls me on my birthday. He had my best interests at heart, both personally and professionally. Leaning in, building a connection with someone who’s starting out and supporting them on their career path is phenomenal,” she enthuses.����

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