In the Construction Readiness Assessment (CRA), Health, Safety & Security is a stand-alone category, but a strong safety culture spans the entire project lifecycle and is woven into workforce readiness, planning, execution, and even handover. This year’s Construction Industry Institute (CII) RT-422 research reinforces that reality, presenting 19 artificial intelligence (AI) use cases that shift safety from reactive response to proactive prevention. 

One of my earliest conversations at a CII conference was with a now-retired professional who told me, “If you always make safety a priority, cost and schedule performance will follow.” That insight rings truer than ever. AI is now giving us tools to act on safety risks faster, anticipate hazards earlier, and embed prevention into every stage of project delivery.

While CII members continue to outperform industry averages for Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART), the persistence of fatal incidents underscores the continued need for innovative approaches to safety.

RT-422 identified 19 AI use cases that move safety from reactive response to proactive prevention. These span the project lifecycle and roles, from design engineers and field engineers to the craft workforce.  The research covers innovations like AI-driven hazard detection, real-time environmental monitoring, adaptive safety training, and predictive analytics for risk mitigation.

By embedding these AI capabilities into CRA-aligned planning and execution, owners and contractors can elevate readiness from procedural compliance to actively engineering safety into every project start.

Why this matters for advancing Construction Readiness

The RT-422 findings have high applicability across several CRA categories:

• Health, Safety & Security: AI-powered hazard identification and real-time monitoring systems strengthen safety programs before the first crew mobilizes. 
  
• Human Resource Management: Adaptive, AI-driven safety training ensures the workforce is prepared for project-specific risks and evolving site conditions. 
• Tools & Equipment: Wearables, sensors, and AI-enabled devices enhance personal protection and situational awareness. 
  
• Planning: Predictive safety analytics allow risks to be identified and mitigated during the planning phase, not after incidents occur.

Integrating these AI solutions into CRA discussions helps both owners and contractors shift from asking “Do we have a safety plan?” to “Is our safety program built to prevent incidents under the conditions we will actually face?”   

Shout-Out to the RT-422 Research Team

The Artificial Intelligence for Construction Safety research was made possible through the collaboration of CII owners, contractors, and academics. Special thanks to the RT-422 research team members for their contributions: 
 
McDonough Bolyard Peck, Air Products, Fluor Corporation, ExxonMobil Corporation, Oracle USA, Texas A&M University, Kiewit, Worley, McDermott International, FTI Consulting, Ontario Power Generation, S&B Engineers, Cargill, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Alvarez & Marsal, Deloitte, Bruce Power, The Procter & Gamble Company, Louisiana State University. 
 
Their combined expertise ensured this research is grounded in real-world safety challenges and delivers actionable AI solutions for serious incident and fatality prevention.

The Challenge

Present: Too often, safety decisions are made without a full, real-time picture of site conditions. Are you using live data and situational awareness tools to make faster, better safety decisions as work unfolds?

Future: AI can predict risks, adapt training instantly, and prevent incidents before they happen. The first step could be as simple as piloting one tool, applying it to a high-risk scope, or sharing early wins. How will you lead adoption, while also addressing worker trust, data quality, integration complexity, privacy, and cost, so AI-enabled safety becomes a reality on your projects?

For many of our customers, the Construction Readiness Assessment (CRA) is a proven assurance step—ensuring the people, processes, and plans are in place to start construction with confidence. This research challenges CRA users to go further: beyond “Are we ready to start construction?” to the deeper “Are we positioned to succeed?”

The Construction Industry Institute (CII)’s new RT-414 Playbook for Developing the Next Generation of Frontline Supervisors builds directly on that assurance mindset, advancing how we think about readiness in three critical CRA categories: Project Team, Human Resource Management, and Planning.

This research confirms and extends what we know about the role of Frontline Supervisors (FLS). It recognizes that Frontline Supervisors, often employed by contractors but pivotal to owner success, are the linchpin in executing the plans, processes, and safety culture your CRA verifies. It challenges us to not only confirm that the right number of supervisors are in place, but that they are equipped—through targeted training, leadership development, and technology readiness—to lead crews effectively in the workforce and technology environments over the next 15 years.

By integrating the Playbook’s insights into CRA-driven discussions, owners and contractors can move beyond “Are we ready to start?” to “Are we ready to succeed under the conditions the future will bring?”

Shout-Out to the RT-414 Research Team

The Playbook for Developing the Next Generation of Frontline Supervisors was created through the cross-sector collaboration of industry leaders, contractors, owners, academics, and advisors. Special thanks to the RT-414 research team for their contributions: 

ExxonMobil, Chevron, Bruce Power, Irving Oil, Black & Veatch, Kiewit, Zachry, McDermott International, Southern Company, Bechtel Global, Burns & McDonnell, Dematic, Pathfinder, Baker Construction, Deloitte, and Arizona State University. 

Their combined expertise ensured this Playbook is grounded in real-world challenges and opportunities that span the entire construction industry ecosystem. 

Future-Proofing Project Execution: The Playbook for Developing the Next Generation of Frontline Supervisors

Why it matters for both Owners and Contractors 

Frontline Supervisors are the critical link between strategy and safe, productive execution in the field. In most capital projects, these supervisors are contractor employees, yet their performance directly determines whether safety, quality, and schedule goals are met.

For contractors, the playbook offers a clear, structured approach to developing the next generation of supervisors.

For owners, it provides the tools—like the Owner’s Reference Guide—to evaluate a contractor’s ability to build and retain these capabilities. Ultimately, it is owners who can act as the catalyst for change, setting expectations during procurement and contractor selection that FLS capability be treated as a priority alongside safety, quality, and cost.

By anticipating the workforce and technology shifts outlined in the Playbook, owners can drive the industry toward a new generation of supervisors ready for the challenges of 2040.

Key insight from the research 

As part of its work, RT-414 used scenario planning to explore three plausible futures for the construction industry through 2040:

• Conservative Advancement – steady progress in tools and methods with gradual workforce changes.

• Tech Boom – rapid adoption of advanced technology, including AI, robotics, and automation.

• Labor Bust – significant workforce shortages requiring higher productivity from smaller crews.

Across all three scenarios, Artificial Intelligence (AI) consistently emerged as a transformative factor in how Frontline Supervisors (FLS) plan work, make decisions, and integrate technology in the field.

The Playbook identifies AI literacy—alongside leadership and trade skills—as a “no regrets” investment for both owners and contractors. In practice, this means supervisors will need to:

• Confidently prompt AI tools to obtain useful outputs.

• Interpret AI-generated data and insights accurately.

• Apply AI outputs effectively to lead crews safely and productively.

From AI-driven project management tools to adaptive eLearning, and from real-time decision support to automated reporting, FLS will need to confidently prompt, interpret, and apply AI outputs to lead safe, efficient crews. Owners who partner with contractors to embed these skills now will be positioned for greater project success in every future. 

Why this is impactful for long-term planning 

This research is more than a training guide, it’s a scenario-based, risk-resilient strategy for building the leadership capacity your projects will depend on for decades. Organizations that adopt these principles can: 

• Strengthen Project Team readiness by ensuring leadership positions are filled with proven, future-ready supervisors. 

• Elevate Human Resource Management by securing, retaining, and developing skilled FLS through structured training and career pathways. 

The Challenge 

The CII Playbook makes one thing clear—your future project performance will be shaped by the readiness of your frontline leaders. 

• For owners: Are you making FLS capability a formal evaluation criterion when selecting contractors? Are you prepared to push for supervisors who are ready for both the human and technological realities of the jobsite in 2040? 

• For contractors: Are your FLS development programs aligned with the skillsets required across all three future scenarios? Are your supervisors being trained now to integrate AI tools into field operations without disrupting safety, quality, or productivity? 

And most importantly, what will you do differently this year to ensure your frontline leaders are ready for the decades ahead? 

Introducing Carve Hybrid Intelligence

In capital project assurance, the stakes are high — and so is the pressure on decision makers to cut through complexity and make the right call. Yet, too often, assessment reports leave executives wading through details without clear, actionable insights.

At Valency, we understand that the best decisions rely on information that’s clear, structured, and ready to support confident action. That’s why we developed Hybrid Intelligence – a breakthrough capability in Valency’s Carve project assurance platform. It’s built to turn complex assessment findings into executive-ready insights.

Currently in Beta, Hybrid Intelligence will be fully released in late June 2025.

Insight Overview (Valency’s Carve Hybrid Intelligence)

Project assurance teams often find themselves caught between too much data and too little clarity. Common challenges include: 

• Executive Summaries that Miss the Mark: Reports can be inconsistent, incomplete, or overly technical (leaving decision makers without a clear picture of key risks and gaps). 
• Lack of Reliable Benchmarks: Without a robust way to compare assessments to industry and company data, it’s hard to know how well a project is really performing. 
• Time-Consuming Reporting: Facilitators spend hours or days pulling together insights manually (slowing down decisions that need to be made quickly). 
• Difficulty Seeing the Big Picture: It’s one thing to gather data; it’s another to see the patterns and implications that matter for project success. 

These pain points can delay critical approvals and expose projects to avoidable risks. 

A study by Autodesk and FMI Consulting revealed that bad data costs the global construction industry $1.8 trillion annually, with 95% of construction data going unused, leading to inefficiencies and increased risks. 

How AI Is Improving Project Assurance

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how project teams approach these challenges. Instead of manual data sorting and subjective reporting, AI in project assurance can: 

• Reveal Outliers and Gaps: AI compares project data to historical and industry benchmarks, pinpointing exactly where a project is on or off track. 
• Turn Data into Concise Insights: AI summarization converts dense technical details into focused, decision-ready statements, freeing facilitators to focus on context and recommendations. 
• Accelerate Decision-Making: With AI-driven analysis, project leaders can move from data to action more quickly and confidently.

A Deloitte report found that using AI in construction project management can reduce delays by up to 30% and cut costs by as much as 20%. 

Importantly, AI doesn’t replace human judgment, but strengthens it, turning complex data into a clearer foundation for informed decisions. 

Carve Hybrid Intelligence builds on these AI capabilities, focusing them specifically on PDRI assessments and project assurance. 

What Is Carve Hybrid Intelligence? 

Valency’s Carve Hybrid Intelligence is designed to help decision makers move from complex results to confident decisions — faster and with more clarity.

It combines three critical components:

• Expert logic: The process of seasoned PDRI facilitators is used to highlight critical concerns based on Construction Industry Institute (CII) research at the section, category, and element levels. 
• Benchmarking: Your project is compared to Valency’s industry benchmarks and your company’s historical assessments. This reveals outliers and gaps. 

Benchmark-Backed Insights (Valency’s Carve Hybrid Intelligence)

• AI-Powered Summarization: Technical details, comments, and action items are translated into concise summaries, so your executives and project team can quickly see what matters most.

Example of AI-Powered Summarization (Valency’s Carve Hybrid Intelligence)

Throughout the process, the facilitator remains in control. While AI accelerates the process of preparing the summary report, every insight is reviewed by your facilitator to ensure the final output always reflects their judgment and subject matter expertise. 

After refining the insights, the PDRI Facilitator can seamlessly incorporate them into the Executive Summary. With Carve’s blueprint-driven templates (customizable across your organization) facilitators can quickly create consistent, professional summary reports that align with your company’s standards.

Reviewing and Editing AI-generated Insights (Valency’s Carve Hybrid Intelligence)

The Foundation of Trust: Valency’s Generative AI Governance

As Carve Hybrid Intelligence empowers your project assurance with advanced AI, our commitment to responsible, secure, and transparent AI deployment is paramount. At Valency, this commitment is formalized and rigorously upheld by our Generative AI Governance Framework.

This framework ensures that Carve’s Hybrid Intelligence capabilities always operate with the highest integrity. It’s our disciplined approach to safeguarding intellectual property, promoting unwavering transparency, and meeting the exacting expectations of global organizations, aligning our generative AI practices with leading global standards for ethical and trustworthy AI.

How Carve Hybrid Intelligence Helps Decision Makers, Project Leaders and Facilitators

• For Decision Makers 
  • Concise executive summaries that highlight what matters most (no more wading through assessment details). 
  • Insights built on current benchmarks and CII best practices. 
  • Informed investment decisions.
• For Project Leaders 
  • Instant visibility into where your project stands compared to industry and company benchmarks. 
  • Easier identification of gaps, outliers, and priority areas for your project’s success. 
  • Consistent, data-backed insights that support better decisions throughout the project lifecycle. 
• For Facilitators 
  • A dramatic reduction in time and effort to create a polished Executive Summary (what took hours now takes minutes). 
  • Structured, data-backed insights so nothing critical is missed. 
  • Flexibility to refine and finalize insights, maintaining quality and aligning with corporate standards. 

Now in Beta: Help Shape the Final Release

We’re currently working with a select group of Carve users to refine Hybrid Intelligence. Beta participants are testing the feature on real assessments, helping us ensure it meets the needs of executives and project leaders. 

Feedback from the beta program will be used to shape the production release in late June 2025. 

See Carve Hybrid Intelligence Live at the CII Annual Conference

We’re delighted to be selected for this year’s Innovation Showcase at the Construction Industry Institute (CII) Annual Conference, happening July 28–30, 2025 in Nashville.

If you haven’t registered yet, check out the conference details here. This is one of the best global events for capital project practitioners, showcasing both the latest CII research and leading industry innovations. Drop by our booth to see Carve Hybrid Intelligence in action.

If You’re Unable to Attend the CII Conference…

Join us for our post-conference webinar, A Transformative Leap Forward in Project Assurance, on September 4th 2025, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT)

Or book a private demo today to see how Carve Hybrid Intelligence can elevate your project assurance process. Request a demo

How to Reduce the Risk of a Delayed Return to Service 

Most owners avoid commissioning capital projects during a turnaround event at all costs. But when it’s essential, how do you reduce the risk of schedule delays? 

Turnarounds, shutdowns, and outages are already high-stakes events. When capital project commissioning must be executed within that fixed window, the risk of delaying the return-to-service date increases dramatically—and so do the financial consequences. 

Even with the best planning, late-stage commissioning challenges can derail schedules and prevent facilities from returning to service on time. For these high-risk scenarios, we recommend adopting a structured and proven assurance approach: Valency’s Carve for Commissioning & Operational Readiness.

The Challenge  

According to the Construction Industry Institute (CII), the transition from construction to operations is where the greatest leakage of business value occurs¹. Their data shows that 40% of projects experience commissioning schedule overruns. 

When those overruns happen during a turnaround, it doesn’t just delay commissioning of the related systems.  It delays the entire operating unit’s return to service. The result? Lost production and lost revenue. 

Mitigating the Risk 

To mitigate this risk, owners are leveraging Valency’s Carve for Commissioning & Operational Readiness—a purpose-built assurance solution aligned with CII best practices. 

Here’s how it helps you stay ahead of the risk when commissioning a capital project must be done as part of a turnaround:

• Evaluate readiness across all commissioning categories well before the event
• Prioritize commissioning and operational readiness deliverables that must be completed prior to the turnaround
• For teams that may be struggling with optimism bias, Valency’s Carve for Commissioning & Operational Readiness provides a proven assurance framework to take a consistent, evidence-based approach to readiness 

The Results 

Valency’s Carve for Commissioning & Operational Readiness is specifically adaptable for projects tied to shutdowns or outages. Carve supports project teams by helping them focus on early and thorough preparation for commissioning and startup. 

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Assessments should start early and review all commissioning readiness categories—not just those typically addressed prior to pre-commissioning.
• Carve supports your project team by identifying hot spots that must be addressed to de-risk the commissioning schedule during the turnaround event.
• Carve helps guide the prioritization of pre-event actions, ensuring no critical factors are not overlooked in the lead-up to the event.
• Each assessment helps drive alignment between the turnaround maintenance organization and operations to support effective integration of capital project commissioning and turnaround activities. 

Reduce Commissioning Related Schedule Risk  

When commissioning during a turnaround is unavoidable, you need more than just great experience. A structured, objective, and focused approach to assurance is essential. That’s exactly what Valency’s Carve for Commissioning & Operational Readiness delivers. 

It’s a practical solution to reduce the risk of a commissioning-related delay and protects your return-to-service date. 

Let’s connect if you’re planning a capital project that must be constructed and commissioning as part of a turnaround event. Contact Us Now.

¹ Source: Construction Industry Institute (CII), “Commissioning and Startup Practices,” RS300-1 

With decades of experience in risk management and capital project execution, Raul Fuentes helps organizations strengthen their project assurance practices—not just by managing risk, but by aligning each initiative with the business’s broader purpose. 

As part of Valency’s Facilitator Spotlight series, we showcase the insights of our Senior Consultants—industry leaders who combine deep technical expertise with practical facilitation skills to deliver long-term value. These are the professionals who guide teams through the complexities of capital project delivery with clarity, empathy, and purpose. 

In this edition, we feature Raul Fuentes, a highly experienced project risk advisor and facilitator with extensive experience across Latin America. Raul’s approach blends strategic foresight with structured facilitation, helping project teams not only mitigate risk, but ask the hard questions early: Does this project make sense for the business? Are we aligned on why we’re doing this? 

But it wasn’t just the numbers that drove his success. It was his ability to interpret risk not as a checklist, but as a lens through which organizations make smarter, more aligned decisions. 

He’s known for asking tough questions early in the project lifecycle—challenging assumptions, surface misalignments, and ensuring technical efforts are grounded in business strategy. Raul often facilitates Business Engineering Alignment Meetings (BEAMs) to support this kind of early alignment, especially during FEL-1 and FEL-2. 

“A company doesn’t exist to develop projects. It exists to create business value. A good project must serve that purpose.”   

Risk Isn’t Just About Safety—It’s About Strategy 

In Raul’s experience, one of the most common misconceptions about project risk management is that it’s solely tied to health, safety, or environmental concerns. While those elements are critical, Raul emphasizes that true project assurance also means looking at business, operational, financial, and reputational risks—the kinds of risks that can quietly derail a project or compromise its long-term viability. 

“I look at risk from a top-down perspective. It’s about how uncertainty affects the business objectives of a project. That’s where strategic risk lives.” 

This approach is particularly valuable during front-end planning, when the cost of change is low and the opportunity to shape project success is highest. For Raul, tools like PDRI (Project Definition Rating Index) are not just about identifying gaps, they’re about surfacing unknowns that could affect everything from cost to stakeholder support. 

Coupled with BEAMs, Raul ensures business and engineering teams don’t fall in love with a solution too early. His facilitation pushes teams to step back and ask, “Does this serve the business strategy?” 

Facilitating Diverse Voices—and Managing Strong Ones 

Having facilitated assessments across a range of cultures and industries, Raul understands how important it is to read the room and how facilitation is as much about listening as it is about guiding.

From setting up the right room layout to understanding who will be in attendance and creating space for quieter voices to contribute, Raul prepares meticulously to ensure each facilitation session is both productive and inclusive.

He also recognizes how dominant voices, especially senior leaders, can unintentionally silence others. 

“You must create a space where everyone feels safe to speak, especially those who might be intimidated by hierarchy. That’s when the real insights emerge.” 

This sensitivity is especially crucial during BEAM sessions, where cross-functional stakeholders need to align on both technical feasibility and strategic purpose. Raul’s role is to guide—not dictate—the conversation. 

He sees the facilitator’s role as one of orchestration, ensuring that discussion stays aligned to the objective while also adapting to what the team needs in the moment. It’s a balance of structure and sensitivity that comes from experience.

Risk + Facilitation = Smart Capital Investment

Today, Raul continues to work with Valency clients across North and South America, facilitating assessments such as PDRI, Construction Readiness, and Qualitative and Quantitative Risk Assessments.

Using Carve, Valency’s cloud-based assurance platform, Raul integrates structured risk assessments with real-time benchmarking data, collaborative facilitation tools, and AI-powered insights to help teams drive confident decisions across the project lifecycle.

For him, facilitation and risk management are inseparable. Good facilitation uncovers hidden risks. Good risk management drives meaningful action.

“Whether it’s a $100 million project or a $2 billion one, every project deserves the same level of care, alignment, and strategic thinking.” 

Final Thoughts 

Raul Fuentes brings not just experience, but perspective. His ability to challenge assumptions, connect technical and business thinking, and foster alignment early makes him a valuable asset to any project team. 

At Valency, we’re proud to work with facilitators like Raul who embody thoughtful leadership, grounded expertise, and a relentless commitment to project success 

With decades of experience and a passion for front end planning, Valerie Weaver guides teams through capital project assurance with clarity and thoughtful leadership. 

As part of Valency’s Facilitator Spotlight series, we’re showcasing the experiences of our Senior Consultants—leaders who guide teams through the complexities of capital project delivery with clarity, empathy, and expertise. This edition features Valerie Weaver, whose thoughtful leadership and structured approach have helped organizations gain clarity and the confidence to move projects forward with purpose. 

She was also presented with the opportunity to work with some extremely knowledgeable project leaders who took the time to coach and mentor her. “That really put my learning on the fast track,” she says. 

For those considering a similar shift into a facilitation or project readiness role, training courses like VAL-102 with PDRI Certification offer that same structured foundation—equipping professionals to lead with both competence and confidence. 

Making Assessments Matter 

In her work with Valency today, Valerie facilitates PDRI assessments, actively using Valency’s cloud-based project assurance platform, Carve, with a focus on informed decision making and project readiness. Carve helps organizations rapidly adopt project assurance best practices aligned with the Construction Industry Institute (CII).  

But for Valerie, it’s not just about using the tool. It’s about making the insights meaningful. She’s less interested in the score itself and more focused on whether the team truly understands what that score represents. 

“PDRI isn’t just a checklist. It’s a planning activity.” 

Valerie frames her recommendations in the context of each client’s work process. She listens carefully, speaks their language, and uses Carve to pinpoint where benchmarking data can guide attention and decision-making. 

Still, she sees it often. Teams celebrate a “green” score while leaving important action items unresolved. 

“I always encourage teams not to focus so much on the number,” she says. “The value is in the roadmap—the actions that ensure they’re truly ready for what comes next.” 

The Dynamics in the Room 

Some of the most powerful insights from a PDRI assessment don’t come from the report. They come from the people in the room. But that requires space, neutrality, and sometimes, a little bit of courage. 

Valerie notes that dominant voices, particularly project managers, can unintentionally overshadow others. 

“It’s human nature. You want to show your project is on track. But that can make others hold back.” 

That’s where she turns to Carve’s polling tools. Anonymous input allows everyone a chance to speak honestly. It’s often in those moments when outlier scores emerge, and the meaningful conversations begin. 

“Sometimes the entire conversation shifts when you launch a poll,” she says. “People feel safer stepping forward.” 

But not all challenges are cloaked in silence. Sometimes the team identifies a problem and begins exploring solutions right there in the session. 

“For example, engineers want to solve things on the spot,” she says with a smile. “But facilitation is about timing. You have to guide the energy without losing it.” 

When a conversation starts to drift too far into the weeds, Valerie works with her co-facilitator to capture it as an action item. This gives the team the opportunity to revisit it later with the appropriate stakeholders—without derailing the session. 

“PDRIs can be long,” she adds. “You want to keep momentum without losing those valuable points of discussion.” 

Strengthening Stage Gate Process: A Culture of Discipline 

For organizations looking to mature their stage gate process, Valerie’s message is clear: start with structure, then teach it well. 

“You need a well-documented work process. And then you need to train everyone! Not just the project team, but the leadership, too.” 

True alignment happens when people across the organization share a common understanding. For Valerie, that’s what makes discipline stick—when everyone, at every level, knows the process and pulls in the same direction. 

A Career That Keeps Evolving 

After decades in oil and gas, Valerie could have stepped back completely. Instead, she stepped into a new kind of role with Valency; one that values both her expertise and her curiosity. 

Today, she supports projects across a range of industries, from aerospace to advanced manufacturing. Every new engagement brings something different, and that’s exactly what keeps the work rewarding. Before each assessment, she immerses herself in project documents, meets with the team, and asks thoughtful questions, especially when navigating unfamiliar projects. 

“Every project is unique,” she says. “The value starts when the client walks me through their world.” 

But what Valerie values just as much as the work is the freedom to choose it. Valency gives her the space to take on projects where she can have the most impact without sacrificing the flexibility she’s earned. 

“It’s a career after a career,” she says. “I still get to contribute. I still grow. And I get to do it on my terms.”

Final Thoughts 

Valerie Weaver’s facilitation style isn’t loud. It isn’t flashy. But it’s powerful, rooted in preparation, empathy, and the belief that clarity creates confidence. 

She doesn’t just guide teams through assessments. She helps them see their work in a new light. With structure. With discipline. And with space for every voice in the room to be heard. 

“You don’t have to shout to lead,” she reflects. “Sometimes the best leadership happens when you simply create a space where others feel safe to speak.” 

For professionals inspired by Valerie’s path, training like VAL-102 offers a strong starting point for building the skills to lead with confidence and support project readiness, especially to facilitate impactful PDRI discussions. 

From oil & gas to decarbonization, Tim Podesta shares insights on front end planning, risk, and how to guide teams toward better project outcomes.

As part of Valency’s Facilitator Spotlight series, we’re showcasing our Senior Consultants and their experience in capital project delivery. In this first edition, meet Tim Podesta, who brings over three decades of experience in project assurance, risk management, and front-end planning.

Tim’s career spans oil, gas, petrochemicals, and energy, evolving alongside the industry’s shift toward decarbonization. His expertise in structured planning and facilitation has helped organizations mitigate risk and achieve stronger project outcomes. His approach? Start with the right project—then execute it with precision.

A Journey That Began Before Valency

Tim’s story with Valency actually predates the company itself. In 2010, Tim was working as a Group Project Advisor at BP and involved in research work with the Construction Industry Institute (CII), where he met Sandra MacGillivray, Valency’s Managing Director. The two collaborated on multiple research teams, and when Sandra founded Valency in 2013, it made perfect sense for them to reconnect.

Since then, Tim has been instrumental in delivering Valency’s core services; facilitating workshops, training clients, and supporting Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI) Assessments in the Europe and Asia-Pacific region.

“There are busy months and quiet ones,” he says, “but the past year especially has seen a lot of growth. More organizations are looking seriously at best practices; not just as a checkbox, but as a real foundation for success.”

Project Assurance with Purpose 

With 35 years of experience in capital projects, Tim understands that assurance is not about scrutinizing teams or acting as an auditor. Instead, he focuses on helping organizations make strategic decisions, ensuring that projects are both well-planned and successfully executed. 

He’s seen how high-stakes industries like oil and gas tend to apply rigorous assurance processes, sometimes to the point of diminishing returns. 

“There’s always a risk of over-assurance,” he explains. “When it starts to feel like policing, teams disengage. They go into defensive mode, and that’s when things fall through the cracks.” 

“The sweet spot is where rigor meets pragmatism, with facilitators working alongside project teams rather than overseeing them from above.”

Why the Rush? 

Tim has observed that whether a company is new to capital projects or has delivered dozens, they often share a tendency: the desire to go faster. However, it is especially prevalent among those new to delivering capital projects. 

“Even well-established organizations fall into this trap. They think experience means they can skip steps. But rushing almost always leads to shortcuts—and shortcuts lead to risk.” 

This is where PDRI becomes more than just a planning tool. For Tim, it serves as a critical pause, giving teams the structured space to ask the right questions: Have we properly defined the scope? Are our stakeholders aligned? Are we truly ready to execute? 

“PDRI doesn’t slow a project down,” he explains. “It actually saves time by identifying gaps early, before they become costly problems.” 

Listening and Leading 

Facilitating a PDRI Assessment isn’t just about asking technical questions. It’s about managing people. Personalities. Power dynamics. Communication styles. And that, Tim admits, is where the real challenge lies. 

“Every assessment is different,” he says. “You’ll get people who want to rush through. Others who sit silently in the background. My role is to listen—to really hear every voice in the room—but also to lead and guide the process so it stays productive.” 

The best contributors? “Those who express their views and listen to others. That’s where the magic happens.” 

The trickiest? “Those who won’t speak or engage, no matter how you prompt them. But that’s part of the job too, trying to bring out whatever insight might be there.” 

Even in Valency’s VAL-102: PDRI Principles and Practices training, where participants engage in interactive mock PDRI exercises with exaggerated role-play, Tim sees real value. 

 “It’s over the top, sure. But those sessions highlight the very real dynamics facilitators deal with in the field.”  The course equips professionals with the skills to lead effective PDRI sessions, ensuring stronger project outcomes from the start.  

The New Frontier: Net-Zero Projects 

While Tim’s background is rooted in traditional sectors, his current passion lies in decarbonization and hydrogen projects. These initiatives, often tied to broader net-zero goals, come with their own set of complexities. 

“The technologies are newer, permitting is more challenging, and there’s often a learning curve,” he explains. “But that just makes best practices even more essential.” 

Tim believes project assurance best practices deliver equal, if not greater, value decarbonization projects versus traditional projects. “You’re still reducing risk, increasing operational readiness, and setting up for success during startup and commissioning. With hydrogen, in particular, commissioning is critical.” 

By delivering training and staying engaged in what he calls “the new world”—where innovation, policy, and sustainability intersect—Tim remains at the forefront of capital project trends. 

A Facilitator’s Philosophy 

At the end of the day, what drives Tim is the belief that facilitation isn’t just about process, it’s about people. Listening. Engaging. Challenging assumptions. Helping teams see what they might be missing. 

No matter the project—whether in traditional energy or emerging sustainable solutions—his guiding principle remains the same: “Choose the right project, and do it right.” 

The success of capital project delivery relies on a smooth handover, as any delays, errors, or miscommunications during this phase can lead to increased costs and operational delays. Operational readiness ensures that personnel, systems, equipment, and processes are fully aligned to achieve schedule certainty and operational excellence from day one. This guide offers practical insights and proven strategies for ensuring a smooth transition in industrial projects, emphasizing Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), comprehensive turnover packages, and readiness assessments. 

What is Operational Readiness? 

Operational readiness is the process of preparing all components of a project—people, systems, equipment, and processes—for safe and efficient startup right from the beginning. It addresses that each element adheres to safety regulations, performance standards, and compliance requirements. 

A well-developed operational readiness plan helps mitigate risks, prevent costly delays, and improve productivity, creating a foundation for long-term project success. Through comprehensive checklists, clear acceptance criteria, and standardized testing methods, teams can enable a smooth transition to full operational status. 

Essential Checklists and Documentation for Operational Readiness 

Document control and checklists play a central role in operational readiness, helping teams to track and verify key milestones. By tracking and verifying each stage of readiness, these tools help teams address potential issues early, reducing risks related to safety, compliance, and unexpected delays.  The following are essential elements that support effective project handovers: 

1. Turnover Packages: These packages include all required documentation that verifies equipment, and systems are in line with project standards. They often include inspection and testing reports, and certification records, providing a comprehensive overview of the project’s progress and confirming that every component is ready for commissioning. 
2. Acceptance Criteria: Defined early in the project, acceptance criteria set clear standards that equipment must meet to gain approval. Key items in these criteria include Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), which act as essential checkpoints to ensure equipment meets necessary requirements both at the supplier location and at site. FAT and SAT allow teams to verify that systems are not only functional but also safe and fully aligned with design specifications and regulatory standards. 
3. Deviation Lists: These lists document minor faults or variances that, while not preventing equipment from being deployed, may need future adjustments. A well-maintained deviation list enables teams to manage outstanding issues effectively, minimizing potential risks during start-up.

Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) 

Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) is conducted at the manufacturer’s site before the equipment is transported to the project location. This testing process allows for early identification and resolution of potential issues, ensuring that the equipment meets specific performance and safety standards under controlled conditions. Key aspects of FAT include: 

1. Approval and Checklist Requirements: Includes detailed safety, performance, and compliance standards, checklists that help stakeholders confirm that equipment aligns with contractual requirements.
2. Defining Approval Parameters: This includes criteria like performance thresholds and safety features, which provide a consistent evaluation standard and allow for adjustments pre-delivery, saving time and costs.
3. Deviation Lists: Including any identified issues, deviation lists help maintain transparency in equipment quality and serve as a reference for future troubleshooting. 

Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) 

Once the equipment arrives at the project site, it undergoes Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) to verify its functionality in real-world conditions and ensure smooth integration with other systems. Key aspects of SAT include: 

1. On-Site Functionality Checks: SAT verifies that the equipment works as intended on-site, checking compatibility with other systems and communication with site-specific technologies like the Manufacturing Execution System (MES).
2. Operational Testing: This phase tests the equipment under real operating conditions, environmental factors, and loads, revealing any hidden issues not detected during FAT. 
3. Final Approval for Operation: After successfully completing SAT, the equipment is approved for full integration into site operations, indicating it meets all performance and safety standards. 

Conducting a Commissioning & Operational Readiness (COR) Assessment 

To support our clients, we provide a range of services designed to strengthen project assurance. Our offerings include expert facilitation services for COR assessments, ensuring a thorough and unbiased review of readiness factors. We also offer Carve, a cloud-based platform for managing Commissioning & Operational Readiness, which enables teams to track progress and maintain alignment across all project phases.  

Get started by joining our free webinar, Introduction to Commissioning & Operational Readiness (COR) Assessment, on February 13, 2025, or reach out to us at sales@valencyinc.com for more information. 

Conclusion 

Operational readiness is essential for successful capital projects, ensuring smooth handovers and timely start-ups. By including FAT and SAT, preparing comprehensive turnover packages, setting clear acceptance criteria, and conducting COR assessments, teams can reduce risks, prevent delays, and lay the groundwork for long-term success. A strong handover strategy enables project teams to transition confidently from construction to full operation, maximizing value and efficiency.