Nick De Smedt

As a lead piping design engineer, I have a large number of assignments spread across various projects. Here are some of the most important ones:

- I lead my team to: develop the 3D design in detail, perform the calculations, and ultimately produce the required documents and reports, preferably within the set deadlines (and, if possible, within budget).

- I also have to handle follow-up and reporting to project management—fortunately, just for the piping discipline. This involves progress reports, change management, action lists, etc.

- I’m often responsible for coordinating collaboration with the co-leads from the other disciplines, mainly because I need to get information from everyone in a timely manner. If they need anything, they know where to find me, though I do my best to provide them with what they need on time, of course.

- I have frequent contact with clients—initially to gather information and schedule meetings, later to obtain approvals and discuss options, and finally to conduct model reviews and deliver the project documentation (for the next phase or construction).

- An important part of being a lead is taking care of your team. Everyone needs to be engaged in (meaningful) work; you need to offer support when questions arise; you need to take your team members to the sites so they can physically walk through the facilities; and if personal issues come up (illness, family matters, ...) you try to redistribute the workload so that person doesn’t have to worry about it. As a lead, you strive to create a safe and pleasant environment where your team enjoys working. Additionally, you must provide closer guidance to junior colleagues (you learn piping on the job, so as a lead, I provide them with part of their training).

All in all, this means I divide my day between (not always particularly exciting) project meetings, communication with the client (email, chat, phone calls, meetings, site walks, etc.), consultations with other disciplines, and team oversight and management.

As a lead, you spend a lot of time checking things. Personally, I spend quite a bit of time poring over the 3D model to compare it with the P&IDs (and other documents) and to make sure the design meets our requirements.