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CONSTRUCTION WORLD SEPTEMBER 2017 2
COMMENT
EDITOR & DEPUTY PUBLISHER
Wilhelm du Plessis
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Erna Oosthuizen
LAYOUT & DESIGN
Lesley Testa
CIRCULATION
Karen Smith
TOTAL CIRCULATION:
(Second Quarter ’17)
4 740
PUBLISHER
Karen Grant
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
Crown Publications cc
P O Box 140
BEDFORDVIEW, 2008
Tel: 27 11-622-4770 • Fax: 27 11-615-6108
The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.
PRINTED BY
Tandym Cape
@ConstWorldSA
LAST CHANCE
There is less than a month left to enter Best Projects. Please turn to
pages 34 and 35 to learn more. We are looking forward to your entries.
To get there, however, Larry Feinberg, Executive Director of
the ASAQS, says that it is imperative that the profession
includes new methodologies and is seen to embrace a new
way of thinking.
This is where the concept of ‘agility’ comes in. Businesses of
today are, by and large, operationally not dissimilar from when
things changed drastically with the industrial revolution that
started in 1760. In 2017, some three centuries later, there is a
need to adapt, change, and innovate to survive in the modern
and ever-changing landscape.
Transcending industries
Agility is something that transcends industries. At its very
core, agility is about being nimble, loose and relaxed – the
opposite of tough and inflexible. Dr Dorothy Ndletyana, one of
the keynote speakers, said that agility is about the ability to
move and change direction when it is required. Whether you
are a contractor or an engineer, being agile is crucial in these
challenging times.
12 Principles of agility
Even though the 12 principles of agility were initially created to
illustrate an effective software developer, these principles can
be adjusted to fit any kind of business.
The theme of the ASAQS’ Annual
Conference was ‘Agility: Swift and Strong’.
The main purpose of this conference is
to add value to the quantity surveying
profession – value that can be leveraged.
The ultimate aim is to have a QS part and
parcel of every professional team.
• The highest priority should be to satisfy the customer.
• One should welcome changing requirements – even late in
delivery.
• Offer new and innovative services/products at regular intervals.
• It is imperative that you do not operate in isolation.
• Employees must be motivated and an environment of support
must be created.
• Face-to-face communication is the most efficient and effective
within a team.
• A working product/service is the only measure of progress.
• Agility promotes sustainability: the product/service should be
able to be maintained indefinitely.
• Continuous attention to excellence enhances agility.
• Simplicity – the art of maximising the amount of work not done
– is essential.
• The best products, services and effectiveness emerge from
self-organising teams.
• At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more
effective, then tunes and adjusts its behaviour accordingly.
Whether you are a civil contractor, builder, engineer or architect:
how agile are you?
Wilhelm du Plessis
Editor