At this year’s PPI Symposium, the Project Production Institute presented the PPI Technical Achievement Award to two leaders who are fundamentally changing how capital projects are conceived and delivered: Ed McCann and Will Lichtig.
These awards recognize individuals whose work materially advances the application of operations science and project production management to capital projects and infrastructure delivery.
Ed McCann – Advancing Productivity in UK Infrastructure
Ed McCann, Senior Director at Expedition Engineering, Past President of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, has spent more than 35 years challenging an industry that too often accepts poor performance as normal.
He played a central role in growing Expedition from a start-up into an award-winning consultancy and now leads the UK Infrastructure Client Group Productivity Improvement workstream. Across roles and sectors, Ed has consistently pushed for a shift toward:
- Treating projects as production systems
- Integrating product and process design
- Applying rigorous modeling and controls to manage work
Ed was characteristically modest in accepting the award, crediting the PPI body of work and Todd Zabelle’s book as pivotal in shaping his thinking. He emphasized that there is no single “magic bullet” – real progress requires both systemic change and practical capability on the ground, from better client contracting to people who can actually design and run production systems.
With major public-sector infrastructure owners already committing to adopt the new PAS standard he is helping lead, Ed’s influence on how projects are specified, contracted, and delivered is only just beginning.
Will Lichtig – Redefining Project Delivery Through Lean and ILPD
Will Lichtig, Chief Innovation Officer & Executive Vice President at Boldt, is recognized nationally as a leader in Lean and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). Trained as a lawyer but an innovator at heart, Will spent 25 years dealing with disputes and failures on projects before choosing to focus on what actually makes them succeed.
That journey led him to lean construction, deep collaboration with pioneers in the field, and a career-long commitment to continuous learning and better outcomes for the people who build in the field, not just those in the office.
At Boldt, Will has been at the forefront of developing and implementing Integrated Lean Project Delivery® (ILPD), including:
- Target value design
- Lean production planning and control
- Built-in quality
- Structured problem solving and continuous improvement
His work provides a clear example of what happens when curiosity, courage to change, and respect for production come together in how projects are delivered.
Moving from Reporting on Projects to Running Production Systems
Both Ed and Will combine deep technical understanding with a practical focus on the people and systems that do the work. Their contributions are helping shift the industry from simply reporting on projects to designing and running production systems that reliably deliver them.
PPI is pleased to recognize Ed McCann and Will Lichtig with the PPI Technical Achievement Award and looks forward to continuing to collaborate with leaders who are accelerating the adoption of Project Production Management across capital projects worldwide.