Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
“Practical tips to help you succeed but the change does not happen overnight. Be willing to
put the effort and hard work and you will feel the improvement over time.”
This mini e-book explains the four pillars of having a successful project control career from
my own practical experience and observations in today’s market. These three pillars are:
1- The value of professional certifications.
2- Why is English so important and how can you improve it?
3- Sources of knowledge and training.
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
Planning and Project Control Consultant, and an experienced online
instructor with a demonstrated history of working in super large
construction projects. Skilled in planning, scheduling, delay analysis,
prolongation costs claims, dispute resolution and cost control.
He earned a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Cairo University
in 2010 then he traveled to England in 2014 to pursue an MBA in which he focused his research
on managing construction projects.
He is a PMP, PSP and PMI-SP certified. Osama is the founder of Dusam, a project management
consultancy based in United Arab Emirates that offers planning, project control and claim
services.
He launched Smart PM Training ([Link]) as a platform where
professional engineers in the construction industry can learn more about the project control
field.
He realized that most of the current project management education is theoretical and engineers
are not taught how to apply the concepts in a practical way.
He is on a mission to share his practical knowledge and change the project management
education for the better so that engineers can have a thriving career. The slogan for Smart PM
Training is proudly "Project Control Made Practical".
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
1. EARN CERTIFICATIONS
I would recommend you take specialty certifications first. Do not
sit for the PMP exam because everyone else is doing so; rather
earn a certification that is closely related to your field. For
example, if you are a Planning Engineer, then go for a PSP or
PMI-SP before a PMP. If you are working in the cost field or
you want to pursue a career in this area, go for CCP certification.
If you are a Project Manager, then a PMP might be a better
choice.
Certifications are very important. When
you put initials after your name (e.g.
John, PMP), it can help you stand
among the crowd and your profile will
be easily noticed, prioritized and
shortlisted in jobs applications. I
explained the benefits of project
management certifications in detail in my blog post “Are Project Management Certifications
Worthwhile?” which you can read at the below link.
[Link]
Certifications are an investment. You put the hard work once and reap the benefits for years to
come. Start earning certifications today regardless how many years of experience you have or
what your current situation is.
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
2. IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH
If you are not satisfied with your English, start improving today. It can be hard because
you are stepping outside your comfort zone but I can guarantee you that it is
worthwhile. All good resources, books, practice guides, research and articles are
published in English. The contracts of large projects are often drafted in English too. If
you are working in project control, you are probably communicating a lot with different
parties and stakeholders. Improving English is extremely crucial for success in project
control. Here is what you can do:
• Read the books which are mentioned later in this guide in English. Do not look for
translations. Reading has been proven to be very effective to acquire knowledge.
• Watch Project Control Tutorials:
In this way, you improve your English by listening and learn project control at the same time.
It can be hard at the beginning, but you have to force yourself.
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
3. KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING
Obviously, you can start
learning on Smart PM
Training website where
you learn so much about
planning and project
control. Moreover, all
the knowledge in the
world is in the books
and I have personally
learned so much from them. You should read a LOT of books and you will thank me later
for the results. Reading improves your cognitive analysis and affect your thinking patterns
in a very positive way. My favorite books are:
CLAIMS AND DELAY ANALYSIS BOOKS
Building Contract Claims by “David Chappell”
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
Causation and Delay in Construction Disputes by “Nicholas J. Carnell”
Delay Analysis in Construction Contracts by “P. J. Keane & A. F. Caletka”
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
CONTRACTS BOOKS
FIDIC Contracts: Law and Practice
Note: This is not the FIDIC itself. This book explains and interprets FIDIC Clauses
International Construction Contract Law by “Lukas Klee”
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
200 Contractual Problems and their Solutions by “Roger Knowles”
PLANNING AND SCHEDULING BOOKS
Practice Standard for Scheduling by “PMI”
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
COST BOOKS
Project Control – Integrating Cost and Schedule in Construction by “Wayne J. Del
Pico”
Total Cost Management Framework by “AACEI”
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Osama Saad, MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
“If You Always Do What You've Always Done, You'll Always Get What You've
Always Got.” ~ Henry Ford.
You will not feel the change overnight. You need to be persistent and hard-
working, and I can guarantee you success. I hope you enjoyed this guide.
Learn more!
Visit [Link] for the list of our comprehensive trainings.
All the best!
Osama Saad
MBA, PMP, PSP, PMI-SP
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