In this episode of Deliberate Words, the hosts sit down with senior specifier Jim Robbins to explore the realities of working on large, complex international projects. Drawing from a current mega-project with a globally distributed design team, Jim shares firsthand insight into coordinating across time zones, managing layered design hierarchies, and maintaining consistency across multiple project packages.
The conversation dives into the practical challenges of global collaboration, including communication workflows, document control, metric conversions, and navigating varied interpretations of terminology. Jim reflects on how performance-based specifications, early expectation-setting, and disciplined coordination help keep projects aligned despite geographic and organizational complexity.
Listeners will also hear candid reflections on lessons learned, missed collaboration opportunities, the role of product representatives, and why international work ultimately amplifies the same challenges specifiers face everywhere—just at a much larger scale.
Key Highlights & Takeaways
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International projects amplify familiar challenges—communication, coordination, and clarity matter even more.
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Time zones are manageable; unclear responsibility is harder.
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Consistency across multiple packages is critical to avoid scope gaps and conflicts.
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Performance-based specifications provide flexibility when materials and procurement vary.
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Metric conversion requires judgment, not just math.
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Early expectation-setting and recurring coordination meetings are essential.
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Collaboration platforms only work if all stakeholders participate.
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Product representatives are invaluable when dealing with unfamiliar systems.
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Successful international work requires patience, structure, and adaptability.
David Stutzman + Steve Gantner
