Being involved in the development of AACE’s recommended practices has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my professional career. I have received a tremendous amount of benefit from participating in the development of the RP’s. First, it allowed me the opportunity to research and investigate the topic of choice, which further allowed me an opportunity to sharpen my own skills and knowledge. Second, it provided the opportunity to collaborate with my peers and industry practitioners. It’s through these collaborations that we shared different aspects of the functions of cost engineering and project controls, which challenged us to introduce different and complementing viewpoints of how other industries operated. I believe that without participating in AACE activities, such as developing RP’s, I would not have advanced my career or progressed my professional experience or increased my network. Many friendships grew as I became more and more involved.
For me, I am able to contribute in the development of these RP’s in two ways. The first is by being the primary author and driving the efforts for a recommended practice that is warranted within the industry (AACE’s Technical Board has a list of recommended practices that require authors to complete). The second way for me to be a contributor to the RP was by participating in the writing process. This included working with the primary author to develop content, or by reviewing the RP and providing feedback and comments based on my skills and knowledge. It’s easy to get involved. Volunteer your time to participate, or even author an RP. I believe you would find it to be an exhilarating and uplifting experience.