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The Project Chatter Podcast

The Project Chatter Podcast

Dale Foong and Val Matthews 221 Episodes Aug 22, 2026

Project Chatter is a podcast where project professionals, specialists, and experts discuss the latest trends in project management and PMO. Hosts Val and Dale share tried and tested best practices and unfiltered thoughts about the industry. The show aims to help listeners progress their careers, improve project controls skills, or simply enjoy the banter between an Aussie and a South African.

Episodes

S10E223: Robots on Site - Why Humanoids Won't Build Your Project with Eliot Dixon
S10E223: Robots on Site - Why Humanoids Won't Build Your Project with Eliot Dixon Aug 22, 2026 01:06:45 Every robotics demo looks the same: a humanoid doing kung fu, a humanoid dancing, a humanoid folding laundry. Eliot Dixon has spent his career in the parts of robotics that never make the showreel, and his view is blunt. The humanoid form factor exists because human environments are a compromise, not because it is the best way to get work done.Eliot's route into robotics started on a farm and
S10E222: Why Great Project Leaders Go to the Movies with Dawn Mahan
S10E222: Why Great Project Leaders Go to the Movies with Dawn Mahan Aug 7, 2026 00:53:34 What if the fastest way to align a project team wasn't another 47-slide deck, but a two-minute film clip?In Episode 222, Dale and Val sit down with Dawn Mahan, project leader, educator and author, to unpack why movies are surprisingly powerful tools for project leadership, communication and team alignment. Dawn coined the term "Project Land" to explain why the world of projects behav
S10E221: Scaling a Consultancy: Mindset, Margins and the 30% Rule with Josh Stone
S10E221: Scaling a Consultancy: Mindset, Margins and the 30% Rule with Josh Stone Jul 21, 2026 00:49:32 Most consultancy owners can tell you their revenue. Very few can tell you their net profit. That gap is where the money quietly leaks out.In this Australia-only episode, Val sits down with Josh Stone, who grew a civil and structural consultancy from £3m to £30m over a decade, sold out, and now coaches 70+ engineering, surveying, architecture and town planning founders on how to build businesses th
S10E220: Is Project Controls Behind on AI? | Yash Desai, Movar Reply
S10E220: Is Project Controls Behind on AI? | Yash Desai, Movar Reply Jun 26, 2026 01:05:00 Most data scientists have never touched a project. Yash Desai looked at the project controls world through the data first, and what he found says a lot about why this industry lags behind others on AI.In Episode 220, Dale is joined by returning co-host Martin and first-time guest Yash Desai, Head of Data and AI at Movar Reply, for a practical conversation on where data, AI and robotics actually fi
S10E219: Why 88% of Schedules Fail, and What AI Still Can't Fix with Michael Pink
S10E219: Why 88% of Schedules Fail, and What AI Still Can't Fix with Michael Pink Jun 17, 2026 00:55:41 88% of project schedules don't follow best practice. So why are we so keen to feed that data into AI and trust the output?In this episode, Dale and Val are joined by Michael Pink, Founder of SmartPM, for a sharp conversation on the forensic side of delay and the state of AI in project controls.Mike has analysed hundreds of thousands of schedules and built a career on working out who delayed what,
S10E218: Breaking into the job market in the age of AI, with Nick Chizuka
S10E218: Breaking into the job market in the age of AI, with Nick Chizuka Jun 11, 2026 00:55:58 Top of his MBA class at the University of Bath, technically sharp, and still firing out 20 to 30 applications a day with little to show for it. Nick Chizuka joins Dale and Val for an honest conversation about what it takes to land a role in project controls and consulting right now, and why the rise of AI has made the graduate market tougher than it was even a year ago.It is a candid look at the g
S10E217: Lisa Silander on 30 Years in UK Project Controls
S10E217: Lisa Silander on 30 Years in UK Project Controls May 1, 2026 00:55:14 Dale and Val are joined by Lisa Silander, Global Practice and UK Technical Lead for Project Controls at AtkinsRéalis.With 30 years leading planning and project controls teams across aviation, rail, water, manufacturing, and nuclear, Lisa has shaped delivery on some of the UK's most demanding capital programmes including Heathrow Terminal 5, Heathrow Q6, the Heathrow Expansion Project, Thames W
S10E216: CaSA Digital Community of Practice Fight Night
S10E216: CaSA Digital Community of Practice Fight Night Apr 22, 2026 00:42:54 We recently hosted the Controls and Skills Authority Digital Community of Practice Fight Night in Birmingham. This lively panel debate explores the impact of AI on project delivery, jobs, and industry practices. Experts challenge the notion that AI is just a tool or a threat, examining cultural, technical, and structural factors shaping AI adoption in construction and beyond.3 FightsCulture is the
S10E215: AI Regulation - Navigating the Future of Responsible Innovation with Isabela Parisio
S10E215: AI Regulation - Navigating the Future of Responsible Innovation with Isabela Parisio Apr 3, 2026 01:21:59 In this episode, Isabela Parisio, a legal expert in AI regulation, shares insights on the challenges and opportunities of regulating artificial intelligence. Topics include regulatory sandboxes, definitions of AI, accountability, privacy, military applications, and the future of AI governance. Key TopicsRegulatory sandboxes for AI testingDefinitions and scope of AIAccountability and liability in A
S10E214: Understanding the Complexity of Modern Data Centers with Dr Atif Ansar
S10E214: Understanding the Complexity of Modern Data Centers with Dr Atif Ansar Mar 20, 2026 00:56:49 In this episode of the Project Chatter podcast, Val and Dale welcome Atif Ansar, co-founder of Foresight, to discuss the rapidly evolving world of data centers. Atif shares insights on the explosive growth and increasing complexity of data centers, highlighting the challenges related to energy supply, skilled labor, and technology redundancy. The conversation explores the role of AI in enhancing d
S10E213: Unmasking Watermelon Projects: How to Achieve True Transparency in Projects with Dave Lockley
S10E213: Unmasking Watermelon Projects: How to Achieve True Transparency in Projects with Dave Lockley Mar 6, 2026 00:45:03 In this episode, project delivery expert Dave Lockley shares insights on transforming complex change portfolios into measurable business value, the pitfalls of watermelon projects, and how technology can improve project transparency and decision-making.Key TopicsWatermelon projects and transparencyThe role of technology and AI in project managementLeadership and decision-making in projectsChapters
S10E212: Building a Project Control-Friendly Culture with Rod Whiting
S10E212: Building a Project Control-Friendly Culture with Rod Whiting Feb 2, 2026 00:54:15 In this episode of the Project Chatter podcast, Dale engages with Rod Whiting, a seasoned expert in project controls, who shares his extensive journey in the field since 1983. Rod discusses the evolution of project controls, emphasizing the importance of a project control-friendly culture within organizations. He highlights how understanding and valuing project controls can significantly impact pr

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