Professional Development
Related News Archive: 2011
PS 465 (aka RTB) AND B+M/30 & E (aka BOK)= $$$+R
PS 465 (aka RTB) AND B+M/30 & E (aka BOK)= $$$+R Want to make more money? Want to get more respect from the general public? Support ASCE's PS 465 (aka RTB) AND B+M/30 & E (aka BOK). I know what you are thinking, my article title got replaced with some HTML code right? Or maybe my newborn was banging on the keyboard while I was typing. Then again all engineers like a good equation right? Well the ASCE has a lot of momentum going with a couple key initiatives that I summed up in that simple formula. Now I am guessing you all want to know what all that means right? More »
Think Ahead
In a prior article, the issue of the scope of liability of a negligent surveyor was discussed. The case involved a surveyor who was found to be liable to a future buyer of surveyed property even though the surveyor never had a contract with that future buyer. Several factors were cited in the decision that went into the determination of the liability for the negligent survey. Points mentioned were the extent to which the transaction was intended to affect the injured party, the foreseeability of harm to him, the degree of certainty that the injured party suffered injury, the closeness of the connection between the surveyor's conduct and the injury suffered, the moral blame attached to the surveyor's conduct, and the policy of preventing future harm More »
How to Hold Productive Staff Meetings
Many people believe that they conduct effective meetings,when in fact all they do is host a party. Or worse, they deliver a monologue. In either case, their meetings produce impressive amounts of talk with minimal results. Here’s how to make your staff meetings more productive. More »
A Culture for Communication
The Orange County Branch would like to hear from members who have interest in participating in a formal mentoring program, as either a mentor or a protégé. It is anticipated that our program would be similar to the existing mentoring program at other branches, with modifications tailored to meet the needs of participants in our Branch. Information regarding mentoring programs in ASCE can be found on SURVEY MONKEY. More »
"More" on Prompt Payment for Design Professionals on Public Works Projects
In my last article, the topic of prompt payment laws for design professionals on public works projects was discussed. There are also prompt payment laws that benefit subconsultant design professionals on public works projects. A "subconsultant design professional" is defined as a design professional having a written contract with a "prime design professional." A "prime design professional" is a design professional having a written contract directly with the public agency. More »
A Culture for Communication
Leaders create, manage, and refine an environment that facilitates success for their organization. This is important because an organization’s culture determines everything that happens, including how people communicate, how they behave, how they make decisions. As a leader, this is one of your primary responsibilities. More »
Prompt Payment for Design Professionals on Public Works Projects
Engineers have the right to demand prompt payment on public works projects and they are entitled to additional sums as penalties from a public agency that fails to pay as well as attorney fees in the event of litigation to enforce payment. In contracts for public works improvements, the public agency is required to pay the prime design professional any progress payment within 30 days of receipt of a written demand for payment in accordance with the contract. In addition, the final retention payment must be paid within 45 days of receipt of a written demand. If the public agency disputes in good faith any portion of the amount due, it may withhold from the payment an amount not to exceed 150 percent of the disputed amount. More »
Fall/Winter 2011-12 Continuing Education Seminars
Summary of Society Continuing Education Seminars Coming to California More »
A Blueprint for Leadership
A good listener, enthusiasm, passion, shows appreciation, a visionary, role model, trusting, integrity, organized, knowledgeable, credibility, persuasive, charisma, team building, clarity of purpose, problem solver, attitude of service, leads by example, patience, willing to act without complete knowledge, understands followers, consistent, empowers other people, and adapts to change. More »
A Design That Failed to Avoid Foreseeable Damage
A County in Arizona hired an engineer to design a bridge to cross a river. Plans were prepared and approved by the County. The design criteria set by the County required that the bridge and the approaches withstand a 25-year flood. In addition to the bridge and approaches, the design included construction of dikes at the edge of the river upstream of the bridge for a distance of about 250 feet. The dikes and approaches to the bridge were not designed with any means for draining of water trapped behind the dikes and upstream of the approaches. As a result, water would pond behind the dikes and upstream of the bridge approaches until it reached a level to overflow either the dike or the approach. More »
Extra Pay to the Contractor For Non-Disclosure by the Public entity
A School District entered into a contract to construct an elementary school according to plans and specifications developed by the District. Three years after the start of construction, the District terminated the contract, declaring that the contractor was in material breach and default. The District then sought proposals from other contractors to correct defects in the original contractor's work and to complete the project. The District provided prospective bidders with copies of the original plans and specifications. It also provided over 100 pages of what the parties characterized as a "current correction lists" or as "pre-punch lists," cataloging work by the previous contractor that the District's inspectors found to be defective, incomplete or missing. More »
SWE & ASME Host Professional Development Conference - April 16, 2011
On Saturday April 16, 2011 the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in conjunction with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) hosted a Professional Development Conference at Hoag Hospital’s Conference Center in Newport Beach. The event provided personal and professional development to 42 attendees that ranged from college students to engineering managers at different companies throughout Southern California. More »
Communication Check List from Able Leader, September 2002
Do you pay complete attention to others when they are speaking? [A wandering focus discourages open communication.] Do you manage your thoughts during a conversation, focusing them on understanding what the other person is saying? [Effective listening requires more concentration than any other form of communication. If you are thinking about anything other than what the person is saying, you are defeating your ability to understand.] More »
