Day in the Life: Tayma Abdul Hai | Technical Quality Lead

Walk us through what a typical day might look like? The more detail the better!

Alright, so picture this: my day kicks off by parking my trusty Ninebot under the warmest hot desk in town. After a cup of rocket fuel – also known as coffee – I dive into the email jungle, sorting them into categories: Urgent, Excellence to-do list, Project reviews & audits, inquiries, and lastly new projects / new hires. These categories keep me focused through my week and help me succeed and stay organized.

Being the Technical Quality Lead is like being the superhero of project efficiency. I'm on a mission to make sure our projects run smoother than a well-greased scooter. I'm here to ensure the project teams have the right tools and know-how to whip up high quality deliverables. 

Now, during the day, I'm like a friendly poke-bear, checking in on project teams, poking them about the status of things, and follow up on the aftermath QA QC audits. I'm all about those juicy lessons learned. And the Project Support Team? They're my eyes and ears – the unsung heroes of the office. 

Another side to my role, I play matchmaker for project teams like Fire Protection and Commissioning, helping them juggle their workload and get eyes on financial planning. You might catch me rolling in to chat with these teams or to chat to you about joint projects.

But wait, there's more! I get VIP invites to meetings and emergency QA QC question sessions. As I'm here to help with your inquiries and be part of finding solutions. Fun fact, lunch?! I'm the guy powering through the day on chocolate-fueled brain cells until 6 pm hits. That's when I remember to eat something else.

What are the pros and cons?

Pros:

• Always challenged with daily inquiries and getting exposed to different teams! I get to problem solve new challenges and be part of the solution.

• Working in this role, I have learned the ins and outs of the professional provincial requirements across Canada.

• I get to practice dynamic project management, which is what I studied and feel passionate about.

Cons:

• Getting engagement and traction is sometimes challenging! My top focus when working with project teams is efficiency and working to reduce rework and mistakes, but when there are tight deadlines, it sometimes requires compromises on quality vs speed of delivery. The long-term goal is to work together with the project teams, so it doesn’t have to be one or the other. 

What are some stand skills you have that make you great at what you do?

I am driven by a profound interest in management literature. I’m a little bit obsessed with this quote by Alvin Toffler's “The illiterate of the future are not those who can't read or write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn,”; it is a bit of a harsh quotes, but it highlights how crucial adaptability and proactive learning is to stay relevant and up-to-date in these times, or in other words, the importance of individuals' ability to deconstruct outdated knowledge, embrace new insights, and effectively convey this knowledge.

In my dynamic role, I am consistently confronted with new challenges and tasks that often require delving into unfamiliar territories. This necessitates an ability to rapidly acquire and apply new knowledge. I thrive in situations where I must proactively seek out and master new skills or information to address the diverse array of responsibilities that come my way.

My strength lies not just in learning but in efficiently finding the most efficient tool or solution, and then conveying and implementing this knowledge to enhance our workflow, ultimately contributing to the success of our company. 

A positive attitude, I firmly believe every issue has a solution, Whether it involves fostering better communication among teams or implementing project checks,  .. I reject the notion of 'it's just the way it is' or 'it's always going to be like that. It might take time to see the results but if we put in the effort, things will get better. 

A willingness to listen, engage and collaborate often times someone reaches out, they really are frustrated and want to vent. They express concerns that need to be resolved. Being there to listen is almost as valuable as answering their questions. 

What are the common problems you and your team tackle? 

Questions around liability and provincial requirements, launching new software and adopting them, technical know-how, developing on the job tools and manuals that not only protects our Engineers from suspension or getting fines but also has a direct impact on improving the quality of our project deliverables.  

What advice do you have for someone who is interested in learning more about what you do?

I highly recommend obtaining a management degree or accreditation, it is invaluable in my role: Understanding the intricacies of how each component of a project operates, coupled with insights into the renowned golden triangle of project management is really the reason why I can communicate effectively with project teams and offer solutions.

Equally important is to develop your technical knowledge, particularly in codes and provincial requirements. This is essential for developing Introba’s professional business practices and policies.

Also, come talk to me!