Times are tough. There's no doubt about that. With the unemployment rate now at 8.5 percent (as of March 2009), job security is at the forefront of many Americans' minds. So, how do you stay up in a down market? The Boy Scout motto provides a reliable answer: "Be prepared." If business is down, now is not the time to shirk preparatory functions. Rather, it is the perfect time to hone your skills, sharpen your management tools and educate your staff.

If you've put off learning about building information modeling, take the time to read this month's two excellent articles on BIM implementation. Then, sign up for WPL Publishing's webinar series on this latest construction technology. The final presentation, on integrated project delivery (IPD), is April 8. If you missed the first four presentations, you can purchase recordings. If you're still wondering if BIM is right for you, the review of three case studies in this issue may just help you decide.

Are you still doing scheduling the old-fashioned way? Perhaps now is the right time to update those skills, too. This issue includes a scheduling call to arms from Gordon Aronson, a Primavera how-to with Doug Findley, and an exclusive interview with Primavera founder Joel Koppelman.

Larry True offers some helpful tools for predicting the success of your next job. Though we may not be able to guarantee your job success - only you can do that -- we can confidently predict that the information in this issue of Construction Project Controls & BIM Report will help you on your way to your goal.