People Powering Innovation: Asking the Right Questions

At Weitz, innovation is driven by people who challenge traditional approaches, ask the right questions, and find ways to deliver successful projects. For Travis Moore, Project Manager II at Mesa Gateway Airport, innovation means creating a proactive project environment where teams are empowered to identify challenges early, collaborate effectively, and leverage the right tools to achieve better outcomes. 

One of the questions Travis and his team ask throughout every project is simple: “What’s keeping you up at night?” 

The question is asked consistently across the entire project team, including owners, designers, and subcontractors. By creating open conversations around potential challenges, the team can identify concerns early and work together to develop solutions before they become problems. 

“As construction managers, our job is to prevent problems, not react to them. Asking the right questions to the right people, early and often, helps keep our team in control of the project.” 

This proactive approach has become a key part of the team’s weekly meetings, where they review their “What keeps you up at night?” list and use those conversations to guide decisions, improve communication, and keep the project moving forward. 

Using Technology to Improve the Way Teams Work 

For Travis, innovation also means leveraging technology to create better visibility and more accurate information for the entire project team. 

His team uses tools such as Dusty Robotics for quick, accurate layouts to create a single source of truth that improves coordination and efficiency in the field. They also utilize laser scanning and conduct weekly interior and exterior drone flights to track progress and provide valuable project insights throughout construction. 

While these technologies help teams work smarter, Travis believes their greatest value comes from empowering people with better information. 

By giving teams access to accurate, real-time data, technology helps support better decision-making, improve collaboration, and keep everyone aligned toward the same goal. 

Creating a Shared Vision 

Another key component of his approach is ensuring every person on the team understands not only what they are building, but why they are building it. 

The team uses tools such as 3D-printed models of the jobsite to help visualize the project, understand the sequence of work, and see how individual efforts contribute to the larger plan. 

“If there is no shared vision, everyone is just stacking stones. With a shared vision, we are all building a cathedral.” 

For Travis, innovation is not limited to new technology or processes. It is about creating an environment where people are empowered to communicate, collaborate, and continuously improve. 

By combining thoughtful planning, meaningful conversations, and innovative tools, Travis and his team are showing how people remain at the center of every successful project. Through their commitment to asking better questions, fostering collaboration, and embracing innovative tools, Travis and his team are helping build a future where projects are more predictable, teams are more connected, and innovation continues to move construction forward.