In the fast-paced world of project controls, your skillset is like a pipeline through which you deliver value. But just like a physical pipeline, any blockage or bottleneck can slow down your entire flow of outputs.
Each day, project control professionals apply a combination of technical skills to complete tasks. For example, tools like Primavera P6, Excel, and Power BI can be a part of our daily workflows to prepare a report. However, it’s rare to be equally proficient in all areas.
Most of us are stronger in some areas and weaker in others. These imbalances can significantly impact productivity and performance.
The Flow of Your Skill Pipeline
Think of your daily output as a flow of information through a pipeline. Every time you generate a report, perform delay analysis, or update a schedule, you’re filling that pipeline. Ideally, this flow should be smooth, continuous, and efficient.
But what happens if a specific skill (e.g. Excel) is a weak point? The pipeline slows down. This weakness reduces the overall flow of outputs to completed the task in hand (e.g. completing the report).
Even if you are proficient at delay analysis, a gap in another essential skill can disrupt your overall efficiency.
Identifying Bottlenecks
In project control, it’s common for professionals to have preferences of some areas. Some planners are passionate about delay analysis and excel at claim preparation. Others are deeply proficient in advanced excel or progress presentation. However, those same professionals may struggle with data visualization in Power BI, or integrating different tools. These weaknesses can hinder your productivity and limit your impact on project outcomes.
Here are a few examples of potential bottlenecks:
✅ P6 Expert, But Weak in Reporting: You create an excellent baseline schedule in Primavera but struggle to turn it into a visually engaging presentation or a report.
✅ Great with Data Analysis, Weak in Communication: You generate meaningful insights but have difficulty presenting the outcomes and the required recovery measures in a clear and concise way to non-technical stakeholders (e.g. site team)
✅ Master of Delay Analysis, Slow in Power BI: You can perform complex delay analysis, but preparing dashboards in Power BI takes twice as long as it should.
The Solution: Invest in Your Weaknesses
The key to unblocking your pipeline is to identify and improve your weaker areas.
This doesn’t mean you should stop pursuing your passion for delay analysis. Instead, it’s about prioritizing the skills that impact your overall output.
Here’s how to do it:
1️⃣ Perform a Self-Assessment: List the tools and skills you use regularly. Identify where you excel and where you struggle.
2️⃣ Review Your Weaknesses Regularly: Skills evolve over time. What you struggled with last year might be easier now, while new challenges may have emerged.
3️⃣ Create a Learning Plan: Focus on improving the areas that slow you down. Whether it’s learning advanced Excel functions, Power BI automation, or improving report-writing skills, continuous improvement will unblock your pipeline.
4️⃣ Balance Your Learning: Don’t only invest in what you enjoy. While it’s tempting to deepen your knowledge of your favorite topics, remember that addressing weaknesses leads to enhanced productivity.
The Impact of a Smooth Pipeline
By investing in your weaker skills, you’ll:
✅ Reduce Frustration: Tasks that used to take hours will become more manageable.
✅ Increase Productivity: Generate more valuable output in the same amount of time.
✅ Improve Your Career Prospects: A well-rounded professional is more valuable to organizations. Employers look for individuals who can handle various aspects of project controls effectively and offer value.
Regularly review your pipeline for bottlenecks, invest in your weaknesses, and unlock your full potential as a project control professional.
Your pipeline doesn’t need to flow perfectly but the fewer blockages you have, the more valuable your contributions will be to your projects and your team. It is a never ending process because nobody can be perfect. I continue to reflect on my weaknesses and actively work to improve them.
Regards,
Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, CCP, PMI-SP
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