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November 2016 //
Canadian Government Executive /
7
Strategy
pable “extended team” they are working
with. Coordination is key in almost every
step of the way. For example, work on the
West Block needs to be completed in 2017
so that occupants of the Centre Block will
have enough time to move in and work on
the Centre Block can begin.
The West Block will be “fit-up” to accom-
modate House of Commons Chamber and
support ceremonial functions, four com-
mittee rooms, as well as office and support
functions necessary for the Prime Minis-
ter, House Officers, party leaders and party
whips.
“I am not only dealing with architects,
builders and trades teams, I’m also con-
sulting with public servants and parlia-
mentary administrators,” says Dimillo. “A
lot of it deals with listening and commu-
nicating the concerns and requirements of
one group to another group. Many of the
challenges are technically complex but a
lot depends on achieving a consensus and
being able to work together.”
Uncommon relationships
To achieve this, the project manager needs
to listen and understand the concern of
each stakeholder beyond the “normal
must-haves,” he explains. “In order to do
this, I need to forge what could be seen as
uncommon relationships.”
For example, technical data on the de-
sign of load bearing structures meant for
heritage buildings as they relate to Cana-
dian seismic and climatic conditions was
essential to the project. However, such
data was not available through regular
construction industry channels. This was
an opportunity to seek out the assistance
of university students.
“They helped us with development and
implementation of an evidence-based ap-
proach to obtain the needed data. The
Schulich School of Engineering (Univer-
sity of Calgary) used their seismic ‘shake
table’ in this process,” says Dimillo. “My
team provided the masonry construction
materials, such as wall anchors, that were
used to construct large replica wall sec-
tions which were tested live on the shake
table.” While working in this manner,
Dimillo observed the development among
the participants from various sectors of a
“strong culture of partnership towards
serving the customer.”
“I could see that we were all coming to-
gether to achieve the same goal,” he says.
A “Simple and Complicated”
Management style
Dimillo studied architecture and building
mechanical systems at Algonquin Col-
lege. He has been with the PWGSC since
1983 when he joined the department as
a senior mechanical systems designer
after a one-year stint with Northern Tele-
com. He worked briefly as senior project
manager with Foreign Affairs and Inter-
national Trade Canada from 2009 to 2010
and returned to PWGSC as senior direc-
tor. Dimillo describes his management
style as “simple and complicated.”
“I like to think of myself as a convincing
person…in a sense I am good at bringing
two people to a consensus,” he says. “But,
at the same time, I am outcome-driven
and a problem solver.”
These traits come into play many times
in the LTVP project. Dimillo points out
that he always has to listen to partners
and stakeholders keeping in mind to
“overlook un-related issues and always
working towards a common goal.”
It’s not always that easy when you are
working with a team of more than 55
public servants and some forty co-located
project managers and some parliamen-
tarians as well. But things tend to come
together in the end.
Dimillo has the following advice for
project managers:
• Seek input and seek advice and exper-
tise. No one knows it all.
• Build a confident and competent team.
Get a good cross-section of new hires
and experts
• Building a good team is not a static pro-
cess. Take the time to nurture, mentor
and train people
• Move towards the problem. Be results
driven.
He views project management as an “ex-
tremely measurable” practice. “We always
need to meet hard deadlines,” Dimillo
says. “If our time is not scheduled, things
don’t open on time. It’s that simple.”
Many of the
challenges are
technically complex
but a lot depends
on achieving a
consensus and
being able to
work together.
— Ezio Dimillo