1. Your Background
1.1. What is your general academic and career background? (intention is to understand specific specialty better and gain an understanding of individual perspectives)
1.2. How did you get into this role?
1.3. How do you like to work? What is your working style?
2. Followup on Fall PE Summit / Vital Report
2.1. did the fall PE summit clarify your role or muddy it further?
2.2. would it be better for the summit to break out into region specific groups so you can focus on your common issues?
2.2.1. What other groupings would make sense?
2.3. What behaviors have you changed following the initial PE workshop if any? If none have changed why do you think this is the case?
2.4. Please recap the pros and cons for you from the last workshop.
2.5. How would you structure the next PE gathering?
2.6. PE: "I plan to reach out to one colleague I normally would not have."
2.6.1. +2
2.7. PE: The summit took people with PhDs in Project Mgmt and gave them Kindergarten information.
2.8. PE: Parabola Presentation was not helpful.
2.9. PE: Next time would be great to walk through a specific project, lessons learned, do a site walk, and discuss over a beer.
2.9.1. PE: Drop the activity we need time for discussion.
2.10. PE: Workshops need to have more hands on content, and something we can walk away with and use at the end of the day.
2.11. PE: Wish leadership had been more actively participating in the workshop.
2.12. PE: Use the Parking lot items to inform the next agenda.
2.13. PE: Very useful to start unpacking who has what skills. Would like to spend more time on that.
2.14. PE: We need to focus on one area, one theme. I think we tried to bite off more than than we could chew.
2.15. PE: There was not enough time devoted to the guide.
2.16. Vital Report
2.16.1. Of the various Org models on the next page which one best represents your experience?
2.16.1.1. What barriers exist to get from your current model to your ideal?
2.16.2. Did the vital report capture what you thought it should? What parts of the report do you think are the most important and why?
2.16.3. Page 24/40 includes high level suggestions for the next workshop, what do you think is most important?
2.16.4. There was significant time spent discussing an ideal project process, pg 27/40 tries to capture this, what are your thoughts on that discussion?
2.16.5. Page 29/40 states that the PE’s want the next workshop to focus upon one specific aspect of the project guide (some say onboarding architects, others requirements). Do you agree with this and why?
2.16.6. When should PEs yield to schedule squeezes from clients?
2.16.7. Should PEs start projects without a defined client need?
3. Skills and Training
3.1. are there additional skills you feel you need to add to be more effective and successful?
3.2. Are more technical skills needed within Google to help interpret requirements for project specific implementation?
3.3. If you could wave a magic wand and acquire new talents, what would you do first?
3.4. Re the Guide - What parts of the technical content make sense to you? What percentage would you need someone with the right expertise to help you understand / implement?
3.5. HMW Train existing PE’s and hire new PE’s that maintain a balanced global set of talents.
3.6. Are you aware of who has what skills on the PE team?
4. PE Onboarding
4.1. Previous FMs
4.1.1. What were your pain points as an FM that you now intend to address as a PE?
4.1.2. Jason and Adam: What was the crash course you needed to aid in your transition?
4.1.3. What do you wish PEs had asked you and when do you wish they had asked it?
4.2. What was your onboarding experience like?
4.3. Chris Alwan: What were your pain points as a PM that you now intend to address as a PE?
4.4. Karen / Rachel: As a Noogler what are the issues you have observed that could be improved? suggestions for improvement?
5. Role Definition
5.1. what did you think your job was when you got hired as a PE?
5.2. what is your role & responsibility now?
5.3. did the fall PE summit clarify your role or muddy it further?
5.4. is it clear what is expected of you?
5.5. Describe in your own words the new expectations of the PE?
5.5.1. How is this different from what you are doing now?
5.6. Vital Report: We think the PE relationship Org charts are really interesting. Do you agree that the ideal model presented is the right model? Please elaborate.
5.7. Is there a sweet spot in terms of the definition of your role? What would be an example of over-defining your role?
5.8. how can the CBRE PM support you better?
5.9. Define expectations for the PE/PM relationship and roles.
5.10. How do you split responsibilities with the PMs you work with? Is this ideal?
5.11. What is great PM talent and how do we hire it?
5.12. Do you think REWS has any major blind spots that impact your work and that are not being addressed.
5.13. What do you wish you had more time to do in your job?
5.14. PE: The most useful part of the PE summit was better defining the PE role.
5.14.1. +1 PE: Much better clarity on the role of the PE
5.15. PE: Post-summit I plan to delegate more to CBRE and reach out to peers more.
6. Data, Analytics, & Metrics
6.1. -How do you currently define success? (Schedule and budget only or do you use additional results to define success)
6.2. What are the most important metrics you (or leadership) use today to measure the success of a project?
6.3. How do you manage quality on your projects and what metrics do you use?
6.4. Google says that we design to data. Do you think this is accurate?
6.4.1. If yes, please give some examples. If no, what should we be doing?
6.5. What role do you see Analytics and statistics playing in how you manage future projects.
6.6. HMW rethink KPIs so that we encourage adoption of the Guide, process, etc.?
6.7. HMW get PEs asking "what can we achieve" vs. "what do we have to achieve"?
6.8. how would you like to document baseline and aspirational requirements for your projects?
7. Integrated Design
7.1. How would you define "Integrated Design" and where / when do you think it would be most helpful?
7.2. Do you think that Google wants it’s spaces to be designed and operated as integrated and holistic systems?
7.2.1. If yes, do you think we’re currently doing this? If yes how? If not, what should we be doing differently?
7.3. PE: With regards to the Guide, I want to learn more about integrated process and how to align with stakeholders.
8. how much interaction and input have you had into the development of the guide so far?
8.1. how much of the guide have you had a chance to review?
8.2. what are the major hurdles in review and feedback?
8.3. One conclusion from the PE summit was that they wanted to be more involved in guiding the development of the Guide. Do you agree? Is this more than just ensuring there is a lessons learned mechanism?
9. Collaboration w/ PE Team
9.1. Would a Google+ PE community help you connect with your colleagues to share ideas and collaborate?
9.2. How often do you informally sync up with other PEs? What medium do you use (phone, email)?
9.3. Are you aware of who has what skills on the PE team?
9.4. How might we most effectively share lessons learned between teams?
9.5. Should we continue to fund, schedule and support a regular forum for PE global?
9.6. Should we allow time for project presentations across the team?
9.7. Should a role within the PE team be established to facilitate communications between the PEs?
9.8. PE: Lessons learned should be in conversations and presentations, not in the cloud.
10. Project Process
10.1. how much time do you have to get in the weeds?
10.2. On your current projects, roughly how do you split your time between design development, budget issues, and managing schedules?
10.2.1. In your opinion, what would be an optimal time split?
10.3. what are your pain points in a ‘typical; project .. if such a thing exists :)
10.4. is everything a fire drill or do you get a chance to plan and develop strategy?
10.5. Describe your ideal project from start to finish. What about your ideal management style drives success on this project?
10.5.1. How is the the ideal process you just described different from today’s realities? What do you think needs to happen to get Google closer to your ideal?
10.6. What is your ideal project initiation process?
10.7. How does the front end of projects set up to make you successful or not?
10.8. Walk us through a typical project initiation process? Is this ideal, or how could it be improved?
10.8.1. Who do you need to coordinate with most regularly when starting up a project?
10.9. Has there ever been a successful project where you worked through goal setting and design intent, then handed off execution entirely to the PM or another team?
10.10. How do you manage quality on your projects and what metrics do you use?
10.11. How do you determine if your project was successful or not?
10.11.1. Is what you described the same or different from how Google leadership determines if your project was successful?
10.12. What is currently working? What is not? What would you change? (Intentionally broad)
10.13. What do you think you have control of? What things are not in your control but should be?
10.14. How would you define the role of a commissioning agent?
10.15. Should lessons learned be a documentation requirement of CBRE?
10.16. HMW get PEs asking "what can we achieve" vs. "what do we have to achieve"?
10.17. Vital Report: How should PEs respond to late outside demands?
10.17.1. Can the portfolio management team communicate site strategies more clearly to reduce confusion?
10.18. PE: Provide more CBRE support and Google assistants. Without proper support, we end up with a lot of busy work.
10.19. PE: We simply need more bench strength... at least in the Americas
10.20. PE: With regards to the Guide, I want to learn more about integrated process and how to align with stakeholders.
10.21. PE: I would really like to spend more time understanding the programming phase of the project process
10.21.1. +1 PE: We need to have local flexibility, but I want to know how I can stay more aligned with Global Standards
11. The Guide & Other Tools
11.1. What are the tools you use today to do your job?
11.1.1. Vital Report: It was mentioned that teams need tools to help them manage the financial aspects of projects. How do you handle this now and how might it be better?
11.2. what has your experience been with the current iteration of the OPR?
11.3. Describe in your own words what you perceive as the purpose and desired outcomes of hte guide? What should it be?
11.4. do you need a better explanation of the premise behind the guide and how it is intended to help you be successful?
11.5. what is your current perception of the guide?
11.6. Are there any areas that the guide got it right?
11.6.1. Has Google done anything right with the work to date?
11.7. major concerns with the development of the guide?
11.7.1. Are there any gaps Google needs to be aware of?
11.8. What parts of the technical content make sense to you? What percentage would you need someone with the right expertise to help you understand / implement?
11.9. What does the guide need to be maintained? Used? Understood?
11.9.1. Should we create a Google team to support PE project Guide development and access.
11.9.2. The project guide could be a living document with real time updates or it could be a static document that is updated at specific revision intervals. Do you have a preference for one vs. the other and if so, why?
11.10. What would you recommend moving forward?
11.11. PE:"For me this is simple. I would want to focus on exactly how the guide can be used (step by step) to onboard a new architect and get them up to speed fast."
11.12. PE: Guide is a necessary tool but should not replace basic job training like R2R, mentoring, conferences, etc.
11.13. PE: I plan on pouring over the guide in my spare time.
11.13.1. +1
11.14. PE: With regards to the Guide, I want to learn more about integrated process and how to align with stakeholders.
12. What have we not asked of you?
13. Asim, Caspar, Drew
13.1. Asim
13.2. Caspar
13.3. Drew
13.4. Why do you think John asked us to talk to you?
13.4.1. Why do we think John asked us?
13.5. What have we (Asim, Caspar, Drew) learned and how do we summarize this to communicate it quickly to the PE’s?
14. Useful Documents
14.1. Original Question Ramblings
14.2. Drive Folder
14.3. Team Alignment Doc
14.4. Critical Documents Folder
15. Other Stakeholders
15.1. Who are the strategic partners to help you achieve your job? (both now and in an ideal situation)
15.2. what needs to improve in other stakeholder’s engagement with your projects?
15.3. External to REWS
15.3.1. How do you interact with your Google clients now? Is this ideal, or how could it be improved?
15.3.2. Should we fund the development of best practice guidelines for engaging and following up with clients?
15.3.3. Vital Report: What are best practices for client engagement?
15.3.4. Do you see there are communications issues with teams outside of REWS? If so, how might we solve these?
15.3.4.1. HMW Broadcast the PE role to REWS stakeholders and other Google entities.
15.3.5. What do you think building occupants want from you?
15.3.5.1. Are their asks reasonable? Are you able to deliver? What should stay the same? What should change?
15.4. Leadership
15.4.1. Are you being put in a position to succeed in delivering to Google leaderships expectations?
15.4.2. Do you feel like you are getting enough direction from Leadership and are aligned with REWS's goals? If not, HMW get leadership input to you more quickly / directly?
15.4.3. What do you think the following people want from you? Larry, Patrick, David, Your Mgr (John, Pat, Jen, Anthony)
15.4.3.1. For these groups, are their asks reasonable? Are you able to deliver? What should stay the same? What should change?
15.4.4. Do you feel you get enough recognition for your work by leadership / within REWS, in general? If not, how might we change that?
15.4.5. PE: We need more timely / clearer direction from Larry... better yet, gain his trust so we can do our jobs.
15.4.5.1. +1
15.4.6. PE: We need to push back on Google leaders who pursue pet projects and waste money.
15.4.7. PE: We need to get in front of high level leadership (VP and up), have a RE planning session, and understand how we can better support their business needs.
15.4.8. PE: Leadership needs to make sure PEs are adequately supported in years to come.
15.4.9. PE: This was a good start but I don't think we had enough time to really develop the PE community. Leadership needs to continue to support this (~3 mtg / yr?)
15.4.9.1. PE: Leadership needs to approve our travel to the PE summit sooner.
15.5. Facilities
15.5.1. What kind of interactions do you have with FMs today? What would be an ideal way to collaborate?
15.5.1.1. If FMs are key stakeholders to client engagement, HMW empower FMs to offer design guidance at project inception?
15.5.1.2. How do we keep FMs from simply responding to a design?
15.5.2. How do you interact with Fac Ops now and what do they want from you?
15.5.2.1. Are their asks reasonable? Are you able to deliver? What should stay the same? What should change?