The Construction Source

APRI L 2021 “We understand the way they want their projects to work,” Cathy says. “Our project management skills and abilities help with that.” Cathy explains that Hay Design approaches every project with the same diligence, no matter how large or small. They begin with a process of research and study to ensure they have a thorough understanding of the requirements. That includes soliciting a lot of input from all the stakeholders of the project – including the users, other employees, senior management, and the project team – and infusing that input into the design. They also consider other factors, including environmental sensitivity, adaptability, and longevity. When administrating a project, Hay Design also always releases a project schedule. That schedule plans out every benchmark that has to be met, from start-to-finish, in order to ensure that the project is completed on time. The company’s relationships with their industry partners are also vital. Over the years, they have formed close ties with a select group of suppliers and contractors, and Cathy credits those relationships for keeping her up-to-date on the latest advances in the industry. “We depend on our suppliers,” she says. “They teach us what’s new on the market. They keep us informed on new technology and also how to use it. We regularly host suppliers and providers for seminars and workshops.” “Working with contractors is also really important,” she adds. “I learn from contractors every day. We know there’s a big difference between designing something on a computer and implementing it on site. We learn a lot from our trades. They bring a lot of value to the table.”