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13 May 2026 · 1 min

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1:02

In this presentation, William Doyle, founder of Sima (now part of the Think Project Group) and long‑time NEC contract tutor who helped draft NEC4, argues that successful NEC4 contracting hinges on three core elements—culture, knowledge, and discipline. He explains that a healthy project culture reduces disputes, that on‑site knowledge enables better decisions, and that disciplined, robust record‑keeping is essential because records are the "oxygen" of NEC4 processes. Doyle stresses that modern digital tools and data analytics can simplify record‑keeping, increase transparency and accountability, and ultimately lead to healthier projects and better outcomes.

Chapters

NEC4 is demanding, and rightly so. Do it properly and you positively influence project outcomes. But modern contracts demand transparency and accountability. The timescales are tight and there's a lot to do. That's why 20 years ago I founded Sima, now part of the Think Project Group and used by over 50,000 practitioners. I've worked for NEC contracts since 2007 as a tutor and helped draft NEC4. During this time, I've come to believe 3 things are essential to successful NEC contracting: culture, knowledge, and discipline. A healthy culture avoids arguing facts, unnecessarily eroding precious trust capital on things we can simply record. Knowledge of what's happening on site fuels better decision-making. Records are the oxygen to NEC4 processes. Establishing a discipline avoids gaps, inconsistency, and error. With the right tools, this can be kept simple and made easy. Today's data gives us insights we can use for tomorrow's projects. I believe that if we invest in robust records, the rest of NEC become so much simpler. Healthy records lead to healthy projects.