Navigating Major Programmes

The Powerful Impact of Specialization and Dedication on Long-Haul Projects with Wendy Itagawa

Episode Summary

In engineering today, more and more people are choosing the generalist route, often pivoting off that solid, multi-faceted educational foundation into different fields. But what happens when you take the opposite route, honing in to pursue an aspect of your work that truly drives your passion? In today’s episode of Navigating Major Programmes, hosts Riccardo Cosentino and Shormila Chatterjee speak with a Master Builder who did just that. After spending her early years on industrial projects, Wendy Itagawa returned to school for a Master’s in structural engineering, focusing on bridge design. Today, she serves as the Executive Director of Vancouver’s Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project, of which she’s been an integral part for more than seven years. She shares how working with and leading teams through the whole lifecycle of projects impacts how she views the work she has completed on some of the country’s most high-profile transportation initiatives. ”I ​really ​believe ​that ​even ​if ​it's ​a ​design ​build ​contract, ​it ​doesn't ​necessarily ​mean ​you ​don't ​have ​to ​be ​in ​one ​of ​these ​progressive ​collaborative ​models. ​So ​really ​comes ​down ​to ​the ​relationship ​and ​helping, ​helping ​each ​other. ​And ​I ​think ​sometimes ​what ​I've ​seen ​is, ​you ​know, ​owners ​or ​on ​their ​team ​that ​too ​almost ​afraid ​of ​helping ​too ​much ​or ​because ​you're ​afraid ​of ​getting ​claims ​or ​creating ​too ​many ​changes. ​But ​I ​think ​it ​actually ​prevents ​that ​and ​you ​know, ​claims ​are ​going ​to ​happen ​either ​way. ​So, ​but ​you ​can ​mitigate ​impacts ​a ​lot ​more ​if ​you ​do ​work ​collaboratively ​because ​you ​can ​sometimes ​reduce ​the ​time ​and, ​and ​costs ​if ​you ​work ​together ​on ​it. ​So ​yeah, ​I ​think ​sometimes ​being ​like ​that ​hands ​off ​owner ​approach ​is ​not, ​is ​not ​helpful.” - Wendy Itagawa

Episode Notes

In engineering today, more and more people are choosing the generalist route, often pivoting off that solid, multi-faceted educational foundation into different fields. But what happens when you take the opposite route, honing in to pursue an aspect of your work that truly drives your passion?

In today’s episode of Navigating Major Programmes, hosts Riccardo Cosentino and Shormila Chatterjee speak with a Master Builder who did just that. After spending her early years on industrial projects, Wendy Itagawa returned to school for a Master’s in structural engineering, focusing on bridge design. Today, she serves as the Executive Director of Vancouver’s Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project, of which she’s been an integral part for more than seven years. She shares how working with and leading teams through the whole lifecycle of projects impacts how she views the work she has completed on some of the country’s most high-profile transportation initiatives.

”I ​really ​believe ​that ​even ​if ​it's ​a ​design ​build ​contract, ​it ​doesn't ​necessarily ​mean ​you ​don't ​have ​to ​be ​in ​one ​of ​these ​progressive ​collaborative ​models. ​So ​really ​comes ​down ​to ​the ​relationship ​and ​helping, ​helping ​each ​other. ​And ​I ​think ​sometimes ​what ​I've ​seen ​is, ​you ​know, ​owners ​or ​on ​their ​team ​that ​too ​almost ​afraid ​of ​helping ​too ​much ​or ​because ​you're ​afraid ​of ​getting ​claims ​or ​creating ​too ​many ​changes. ​But ​I ​think ​it ​actually ​prevents ​that ​and ​you ​know, ​claims ​are ​going ​to ​happen ​either ​way. ​So, ​but ​you ​can ​mitigate ​impacts ​a ​lot ​more ​if ​you ​do ​work ​collaboratively ​because ​you ​can ​sometimes ​reduce ​the ​time ​and, ​and ​costs ​if ​you ​work ​together ​on ​it. ​So ​yeah, ​I ​think ​sometimes ​being ​like ​that ​hands ​off ​owner ​approach ​is ​not, ​is ​not ​helpful.” — Wendy Itagawa

Key Takeaways:

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