Random Thoughts

This is the story of how, almost unintentionally, I moved from the world of chemistry into Life Sciences. It’s a journey of changes, lessons, and challenges. My hope is that, as you read it, you’ll find inspiration, a useful idea—or at least a good read.

My entry into Life Sciences wasn’t something I actively sought from the start. With a background in Chemical Engineering and years of experience in R&D within the chemical sector, my professional aspirations eventually led me to explore opportunities outside the lab. That exploration opened the door to the world of medical devices.

I studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Barcelona, and when I graduated, I was convinced that job opportunities would come easily. They didn’t. At that time, the internet was still underdeveloped, and job applications meant sending résumés and cover letters by regular post. Many of those applications ended up as rejection letters—letters I still keep today as a reminder that perseverance pays off. Eventually, I earned a research grant at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), marking the beginning of my professional career. There, I had an exceptional mentor who encouraged me to gain international experience. What was supposed to be one year in the U.S. turned into almost three and a half. During that time, I significantly improved my English and immersed myself in a new culture of work and life.

My first step into medical devices came from a desire to move beyond pure R&D and into project management. In that very first role as a project manager, I also created an account on ProjectManagement.com, which was an invaluable resource to start understanding this marvelous field. The guidance of great professionals like Kiron and Rami, amongst many others, made the early learning curve much smoother and inspired me to keep developing as a project leader.

That’s where I learned to lead complex initiatives and coordinate multiple stakeholders. I also discovered that a project plan is much more than a Gantt chart: it’s a living tool that must adapt constantly, reflect input from the people involved, and anticipate problems before they surface. This experience opened the door to the pharmaceutical industry in Amsterdam, where I further developed my career in Life Sciences.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to lead projects of all kinds: from strategic initiatives to supply medical devices to a key client, to digitalization projects with critical timelines, to technology transfers and scale-ups in both upstream processing (USP) and downstream processing (DSP). Each project pushed me to grow new skills and adapt to different rhythms and circumstances—while always keeping the ability to prioritize and move forward, even when things didn’t go as planned.

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned can be summed up in the principle of ABC: Assume nothing, Believe no one, Check everything. Never take things for granted. Validate assumptions. Execute diligently. And above all, keep communication flowing. Clear, consistent communication can be the difference between a project that moves forward and one that stalls.

For those starting out in Life Sciences, my advice is simple: know your value and your value proposition. Research the company, understand your strengths, and learn to sell yourself. Define your area of expertise, ensure you have the right training and certifications, and analyze what makes you a stronger candidate than others. It’s not enough to be good, you need to demonstrate it. And if you need support for that introspective work (something we all know we should do but often postpone), don’t hesitate to work with a good coach who can guide you and ask the right questions.

Follow your curiosity, stay humble enough to keep learning, and never underestimate the power of communication and collaboration. In the end, working in Life Sciences is about finding your own ikigai: that point where what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for all come together.

The ABC principle is often linked to learning fundamentals, as famously sung by the Jackson 5 in ABC. But in project management, ABC stands for Assume nothing, Believe no one, Check everything. This take on ABC highlights the importance of risk mitigation by challenging information. It closely relates to PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act), but with a heavier emphasis on skepticism and validation.

Before diving into the ABC Principle in project management, it's important to take this with a grain of salt. These ideas encourage a healthy level of skepticism, but like any approach, they should be balanced with trust, teamwork, and effective communication.

Assume nothing

Every assumption is a potential risk. When unverified assumptions guide a project, it opens the door to disaster. A classic example is NASA’s 1999 Mars Climate Orbiter. The spacecraft was lost because of a simple yet catastrophic error: a failure to convert units. One engineering team used metric units (Newtons) for the spacecraft's thrust data, while another team used imperial units (pounds-force). This mismatch was never corrected, leading the spacecraft to come much closer to Mars than planned—so close that it disintegrated in the planet’s atmosphere. This $125 million failure was a direct result of an unchecked assumption.

In project management, assumptions like this one often fly under the radar, making it crucial to question even the smallest details to avoid colossal mistakes. Many assumptions in project management are tied to communication, which makes it crucial to communicate often and clearly. In one of my early years as a project manager, I encountered this first-hand. I assumed that project sponsorship would transfer from a departing managing director to the incoming one without issues. I went ahead and updated the project documentation to reflect the new sponsor. However, I failed to communicate this change to the incoming managing director. Later, the new sponsor humorously remarked, “Oh, thanks for making me the new sponsor. It would have been nice if you had informed me.” This taught me that assumptions around roles and expectations should always be clearly communicated.

Believe no one

“Believe no one” should be taken with a grain of salt, but even reliable sources need to be cross-examined. Everyone tends to believe what they’re told—especially if it comes from trusted sources. But in project management, relying on verbal assurances without verification can lead to failure. Cross-examination and double-checking are essential to increase the odds of delivering a successful project.

A perfect example is the 2017 Fyre Festival disaster. The organizers believed the assurances of suppliers who lacked the capability to deliver. Even reputable sources can be wrong, and failing to dig deeper can cause significant setbacks.

In today's world, this principle has become increasingly interesting due to the sheer volume of information at our fingertips. The rise of AI is playing a pivotal role here as well. Even AI tools like ChatGPT, which can provide valuable insights, come with a disclaimer that they may make mistakes and suggest verifying the information provided. This reminds us of the importance of skepticism in any project.

Check everything

Being diligent is essential. Always validate that information is up to date and relevant. Boeing’s 737 Max crisis is a stark reminder—outdated assumptions about the aircraft’s MCAS software, and failure to thoroughly check system changes, led to two fatal crashes. Not verifying critical details led to widespread fallout.

"Check everything" loops back to the first two rules. By assuming nothing and believing no one, you are effectively checking everything. But again, what is "everything"? This touches on the concept of WYSIATI—"What You See Is All There Is," a term coined by Daniel Kahneman. It humorously points out that no matter how thorough we think we are, we likely missed something. Funny, isn’t it?

In project management, the ABC rule is as simple yet vital as the Jackson 5 tune. It’s about consistently challenging information, assumptions, and sources to avoid risks and ensure project success.