Video: How system integration projects succeed

CFE Media interviewed three representatives from the 2015 Integrators of the Year: Charlie Jager of Polytron, Paul Galeski of Maverick Engineering and Steve Malyszko of Malisko Engineering-to get their views on how end users can get the most out of their integrators, and what integrators need from end users.

By Bob Vavra, Content Manager, CFE Media December 31, 2014

Success of any automation or control system integration project depends more on the integration of people than the building of a strong technical system, according to representatives from CFE Media’s 2015 System Integrators of the Year. While both pieces are important, building a collaborative team of all stakeholders in a project — the integrators, the plant personnel and the technology vendors — is seen as critical to ensure a successful project in the time frame needed.

CFE Media interviewed three representatives from the 2015 Integrators of the Year: Charlie Jager of Polytron, Paul Galeski of Maverick Engineering and Steve Malyszko of Malisko Engineering-to get their views on how end users can get the most out of their integrators, and what integrators need from end users. The full video of system integration advice can be found at ControlEngTV on YouTube.

Steve Malyszko, president and CEO of Malisko Engineering:

"The part about working with people has become even more acute. What we’re finding these days because of the intense reduction in personnel, what happens is a person who may have been a production supervisor now becomes project manager of a technical project. This is where the integrator has to be proactive, almost from a self-preservation standpoint. It has become a more acute challenge today than we’ve seen in our 20 years."

Paul Galeski, president and CEO of Maverick Engineering:

"It’s really important to set mutual expectations up front with all the stakeholders; not necessarily just the engineering component, but also their operations people. Write those expectations down, and have a clear agreement on what success looks like, and then then deliver that success. We’ve all found that most integration projects fail not for technical reasons but for people interaction reasons. If those things are really set clearly up front, chances are pretty good you’ll get a good project at the end."

Charlie Jager, president of Polytron:

"Probably the most important factor to focus on is alignment. Sometimes you have your project goals set, and have a good project design, but you miss out on the human alignment. What I mean by that is that you need to get everybody together. You get your team there, you get the team from Polytron there, and some of the technology providers there, and you need to keep them constantly aligned on that goal."

Video: Learn more from these representatives of the three System Integrator of the Year firms for 2015.

Articles:

Read more about each System Integrator of the Year

– Bob Vavra is content manager, Plant Engineering, part of CFE Media.