Program

Practitioners Forum

Design-build is no longer “alternative,” but instead a mainstream delivery method that continues to grow in popularity. With continued growth expected, DBIA leaders and members must constantly look for ways to evolve the organization to meet not only the needs of members, but to help advance the design and construction industry.

This years’ Practitioners Forum will take an up close and personal look at DBIA’s strategic goals, and why DBIA Board leadership feel they are drivers to our success.  In addition to soliciting your input, we’ll engage in polling on top concerns voiced by members in this highly volatile materials market and get a read on what teams have done to better manage risk.  Other issues to be discussed include trends in teambuilding, the emergence of progressive design-build, strengthening DEI in our industry, and more.

Discussions and input from this important forum will be used to help shape future organizational goals and direction as well as be shared with our Owner’s through various channels including Regions and Committees. Don’t miss your opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of design-build and DBIA. 

Few phrases have generated more buzz in the past few years than workforce development. COVID-19 has precipitated immense industry changes across every facet of our work and challenged our traditional thinking of what workers value. The world is truly a different place than it was just three years ago, and ensuring we can grow and retain the necessary workforce to support our projects is now an urgent crisis and not just a back-burner priority. And as we diversify our career pipeline and more women and workers of color are part of our project teams, cultivating a jobsite culture where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging will be essential. The BIL and USDOT Infrastructure Investments will be asking public agencies to include workforce planning in their grant applications, adding to the critical opportunity before us to examine the intersection between workforce development and jobsite culture. Join us as we leverage the experience and expertise of industry mavins to understand the key linkage between worker wellbeing and workforce development in a (post) COVID world. Hear strategies and tactics to foster and develop a healthy thriving project team culture to deliver project excellence.

Robbie applies lessons from Microsoft’s Xbox and equally significant, but failed projects, to demonstrate how organizations of any size and within any industry can successfully innovate internally. Technology plays a role, but business models, customer experience, and leadership skills are equally important. Robbie demonstrates how employees, managers, and leaders can be “explorers, pioneers, and settlers” to drive successful new initiatives.

Among our most popular events, the Owners' Forum allows open, honest discussion and provides Owners the opportunity to share views, answer questions and find solutions to project delivery challenges with peers. At this year’s Transportation and Aviation conference DBIA will reunite all Owners- New and Experienced- to come together in networking, learning and discussion around owner specific challenges and opportunities. Attendees will have the opportunity to network both as a small group and ask questions or industry panelists as a large group. (Industry professionals, including consultants, are not permitted in this session.)

"Owner Advisors are not allowed in the Owners Forum unless DBIA has obtained written confirmation from the Owner that the Advisor is at the conference specifically serving as an extension of the Owner.'

Industry professionals, including consultants, are not permitted in this session.

The Federal Highway Administration Office of Civil Rights has researched market-ready best practices of the DBE Program in the context of a Design-Build project and compiled findings in a handbook.This presentation will share practices from the handbook which support efficient, effective, and equitable integration of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program in Design Build contracting from project conception to completion.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is working to incorporate equity into all programs, processes, and procedures and working to dismantle racism within the organization - including the design and delivery of our construction program. Upon the arrival of WSDOT Secretary Millar, WSDOT began work to enhance inclusion. This has grown to WSDOT incorporating equity into their programs, processes, and procedures. WSDOT will discuss internal and external equity issues and how they interact with the transportation system.

Esse Quam Videri is a Latin phrase that means “To be, rather than to seem.” These are words to live by when it comes to workplace culture. All things being equal, the reason people choose to join an organization or stay with one is the culture. These are very challenging times to find, train & retain top talent in our industry. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to create a genuinely world-class culture vs. one that seems to be world-class.

What needs to be added to or changed in our current approach?

Often, the approach to talent acquisition is traditional rather than transformational. Is your plan to do what everyone else is doing but somehow achieve better results? Who is your ideal candidate? What is the #1 personality trait that you look for? What is the #1 question that you must have answered before moving forward in the interview process? There must be a process that goes above & beyond the ordinary to achieve & sustain extraordinary results.

The 'Great Resignation' has been underway for the past several years. The only year of the last four years that record job resignations didn't occur was 2020! In 2022, over 50 million people quit their jobs in the U.S. The 'Great Resignation' has created the 'Great Migration.' So where are these job seekers migrating to? Create a 'Great Destination' & find out.

This interactive session will require courage & honest reflection on what is truly driving your company’s culture. An underperforming culture will eat strategy for breakfast, lunch, & dinner. Culture begins & ends with leadership & is the key to unlocking the full potential of your organization at every level. Moving an employee from the interview to having a powerful impact on your organization is the ultimate goal. By achieving this, you will create a 'Great Destination' for future employees.