Scrum Trainer Spotlight: Felipe Engineer-Manriquez
We celebrate Felipe for being a source of inspiration to professionals in the construction industry. He is a committed Lean practitioner and coach with over a decade of direct experience implementing Lean with design and construction professionals. Today, we thank him for spreading good Scrum within his industry and committing to the growth of the Agile Education Program powered by Scrum Inc.™
Scrum Meets Construction
For Felipe, there is a distinct duality when it comes to his professional life. On one hand, Felipe has over two decades of experience in the construction industry.His original roles date back to the early 2000s and include titles such as “Project Engineer” and “Project Manager” at major commercial construction companies. On the other hand, Felipe is a passionate Lean practitioner. As an active member of the Lean Construction Institute and an international Lean speaker, he has become a figurehead in the Lean Construction world. Felipe’s goal is to marry his two passions, efficiency and construction, and help others enjoy the benefits of bringing Lean principles and Scrum to the complex, intricate environment of design and construction.
A True Scrum Enthusiast
Felipe is a busy, yet efficient, man. In addition to being a Scrum Trainer, he hosts The EBFC Show (The Easier, Better, for Construction Show) to serve and inspire people in the design and construction industry. He also holds a Board Member seat with SkillSignal and works full-time for McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. as the National Director of Lean.
To some, a workload like Felipe’s is unattainable. However, he credits his adoption of the Scrum framework in his day-to-day life as the critical element needed to achieve his goals. When asked how Scrum has influenced his life, Felipe says, “I used to work every single day, 7 days a week, and I was not effective at all. I learned about Lean and it changed my ways of working significantly. But it wasn’t as game-changing as Scrum. Scrum has been exponential. Now, I have time to run a podcast. I have time to manage a YouTube channel. I work full-time for the 5,000 people in my organization… Before I knew what Scrum was, all I could do was work. I couldn’t do all of the other things. That’s been the most transformative thing.”
Through his podcast, through serving his coworkers and clients on a daily basis, and by “drinking his own champagne,” Felipe hopes to serve as an inspiration for those who feel stuck. Felipe truly believes that Lean principles and Scrum can help individuals, teams, and organizations live more authentically, deliver more value, and feel more passionate — regardless of age, job title, or industry.
Scrum in Construction: Is the Industry Changing?
Felipe’s experience in the construction industry led him to The Bay Area (California, USA), a “hub” for Lean Construction. While Scrum and Lean principles are gaining traction in the design and construction space, due to the influence of thought leaders and “hubs” like Sacramento, there are some major barriers to the adoption of Lean practices in the industry at large. Traditional project management and credentialing bodies like the Project Management Institution still dominate the market in North America. However, Lean and Scrum have highlighted areas for improvement and the potential of a better way of working. According to a 2018 report by Construction Dive, almost $1.63 trillion could be saved annually from infrastructure productivity changes, including an adoption of Lean or Scrum.
Introducing the Scrum framework outside of IT or software development has always been an interesting challenge for Scrum Trainers and Scrum Coaches, but Felipe is optimistic about the future of the construction industry. With the Scrum framework, in particular, design and construction firms could realize the potential of eliminating waste, amplifying efficiency, and delivering faster in a safer environment.
Join Felipe for an Upcoming Scrum in Design & Construction Course
Interested in learning from Felipe and others in the Design and Construction industry about implementing Scrum and gaining market advantage? Join Felipe on March 18th and 19th for an online learning experience; students will learn how individuals and organizations can build effective Scrum teams and introduce the role of the Scrum Master to help teams excel in designing and building projects.
Join Felipe, Dee Rhoda, and Dr. Jeff Sutherland: https://www.scruminc.com/scrum-courses/?eventtemplate=48-scrum-for-design-construction&event=1494
Contact Us for a Discount: Are you interested in training 2-3 members of your design and construction team? Enable your project engineers, project managers, and superintendents with a Scrum Master by Scrum Inc. credential. Contact us for more info on group training discounts — training-support@scruminc.com
Felipe’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/engineerfelipe/
Felipe’s Podcast: https://www.theebfcshow.com/
Felipe’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu336GuMH79R-Y7p0n_E8Fg
Become a Scrum Trainer by Scrum Inc.: https://education.scruminc.com/become-a-trainer/