Tonight we began learning about what architects, engineers, and construction managers actually do. Each of three disciplines prepared a presentation and/or an activity to demonstrate and explain what it is we do on a daily basis.

First up, the architects. They presented on the typical steps in the design process, going from a concept all the way to final design and completion. The presentation used a number of their projects as examples, many of which are scattered around the globe.

   

Next up, the construction folks. To better understand one aspect of their job, scheduling, they led the group in an activity. The goal: using a bar diagram, schedule out your morning from when you wake up until when you leave to go to school/work. At first, no activities were allowed to overlap. This seemed really inefficient because of course you can brush your teeth in the shower! But really.. whether it’s waking up or building a building, a number of activities can and will overlap. So we did the same schedule, allowing some overlap, and the whole morning routine seemed much more efficient.

We learned that a schedule for a big construction job can include thousands of line items!