#2. Project Management

Once your compression package vendor completes initial engineering work, it’s time to build. How efficiently will engineering drawings turn into the powerful, precision equipment your company needs? That’s up to the art and science of project management.

At Compass’s Calgary, Alberta facility, Engineering Manager Mike Drury points to a track record of 1,000 projects since 2001. What makes this kind of productivity possible?

“We have a well-defined process for project management,” he says. “For one thing, we maintain continuous contact with the client, both face to face and by teleconference. This kind of transparency can be tough, but it’s more collaborative and difficult conversations go surprisingly well.”

Compression equipment manufacturing depends on powerful tools, exacting engineering and high-pressure logistics. You might call that the science of project management. The art comes by harnessing the human factor – experience, persistence, creativity – through collaborative, real-time communication.

Compass uses SharePoint software to power collaboration and problem-solving throughout the project management phase. As Drury explains, it’s a true difference-maker.

“With SharePoint, we can deliver information to Production instantly,” he says. “We have no paper drawings; it’s all done electronically. We give Production access to the 3D models, right in front of them, and they see a live feed of materials through our ERP at all times – what’s arrived and what’s coming next – giving them huge ability to plan their projects.”

One thousand projects in, Compass commands a project management process that’s proven to deliver. Still, no one wants to stop there. They’re pushing for more.

“It comes down to having a certain mindset,” says Drury. “You want to continually improve the process, learn from experience and park your ego because we don’t know everything. By doing all this, we can do a better job for the client today than we did yesterday.”