There is already too much work. And now I need to travel for work? Now there is more to do. And even more to remember! How will I manage? 1 Introduction Those who travel regularly for work have a routine that is as innate as looking both ways before crossing the street. But even frequent travellers can forget important items. Because most of us are not frequent or even regular business travellers, business travel can become very stressful and worrisome. Non‑routine actions, such as irregular business travel, mean there is an inherent risk of forgetting or overlooking something important. Once ..read more

This article describes how to greatly improve your resume (Section 1) and cover letter (Section 2) at a high level. It also describes the benefits of using a career coach (Section 3). This article draws from my first-hand job-seeking successes and failures over the last 40 years. I am not a professional recruiter or resume writer; however, my hope is that you will leverage my successes to find employment and success in your career. 1 Your Resume It is difficult to prepare a compelling and succinct resume. This is true for any professional: from someone who has almost no experience to someone w ..read more

Worldwide, only 6 million people speak Danish. Why learn it? Because, while reaching the destination is rewarding, it is in the journey that we learn the real lessons. It is all about the journey. The lessons I learned from my journey culminated over decades. I used them to identify the need for, and then to write, the first glossary written specifically for capital projects in energy and other sectors. If this >700-page glossary is the destination, then this article summarizes the journey. This article discusses my: Roots and upbringing in Standard, Alberta, Canada with a Danish-Canadian ..read more

Read the article here: How to Reduce the File Size of Documents and Photographs So They Can Be Emailed Note Because of the complex nature of this article, with many bulleted and numbered lists, cross-references, figures (images), headings and subheadings, and other features, it is provided as a downloadable pdf document. About the Author Roy O. Christensen is a Welding Engineering Technologist who has over 35 years’ experience with O&G, pipeline, and other projects. He has authored countless instructions, manuals, plans, proposals, reports, specifications, and other documents that continue ..read more

A supplier non-conformance report (NCR) is often a bain (a thing that ruins or spoils) that causes chronic headaches and drains money and time from capital projects in energy and other sectors. But inefficient work processes and a lack of analysis leave a boon (something extremely beneficial, helpful, or useful) of lessons unlearned, which is tantamount to leaving money on the table! Are you leaving money on the table? 1 Introduction Project personnel focus on activities that lead to a project’s successful completion … and rightly so. They work hard to ensure documents, equipment, and material ..read more

For supplier quality surveillance (SQS), using shared folders and Microsoft (MS) Excel spreadsheets is tried and true (proven in the past to be effective and reliable). However, some information technology (IT) solutions for SQS, like MS SharePoint, are better and truer (more effective and reliable) than using conventional shared folders and MS Excel spreadsheets. INTRODUCTION Shared folders and MS Excel spreadsheets are tried and true to a point. But did you know there is an IT solution for SQS that is demonstrably better? IT solutions are already widely used with services available on demand ..read more

1 Introduction This article summarizes considerations and requirements for welding procedure specification (WPS) reviews. Smart projects review WPSs as described in this article. Suppliers (i.e., constructors, fabricators, manufacturers, or organizations) may be required to use certified (this may also be defined as accepted or registered) WPSs by the code of construction such as ASME BPVC Section IX[1], CSA W47.1 [2] and CSA W59[3], regulations, owner’s specifications, or a combination. Depending upon if the scope of work is for pressure or structural equipment, certification may be required ..read more

Introduction Did you know it is possible to create high-quality Microsoft (MS) PowerPoint presentations with audio and video narration using PowerPoint alone? It is! I recently discovered this and started recording my own videos. This article shares my experience, lessons learned and, hopefully, transfers knowledge. But why bother? Isn’t my existing PowerPoint presentation sufficient? Maybe. But adding audio and video takes presentations to the next level. Unlike a PowerPoint slide show, video presentations are: Easy to consume. An audio-video presentation is like a television show. It requi ..read more

Introduction Reading a glossary for career advancement and enjoyment is becoming increasingly common. Read a glossary to: Confirm understanding of known terminology; For enjoyment and to lighten mood; Improve education; Increase vocabulary; and, Master effective communication. OK, but wait! Read for a glossary pleasure and to lighten mood? Who does this? After all, technical content is dry by nature. Related: What Reading is Essential for Your Career? A Glossary! Technical Content is Dry by Nature Technical content is dry by nature. It is matter-of-fact, lacks embellishment, and deliberately ..read more

1 Abstract The project’s supplier quality surveillance (SQS) plan was prepared using a conventional criticality rating procedure (Section 2.2). Before and after purchase order (PO) award, these unexpected changes occurred – which made the original SQS plan inadequate: The requisition engineer (RE), who did not participate in the criticality rating review, added a quality verification point (QVP) for witness of trial fit-ups. This was the first punch (Section 3); The project learned that the transmission structures would be fabricated in a third world country. This was the second punch (Sectio ..read more