Design & Construction Management

A Construction Flowchart

design of project in
accordance with
clients requirements

production of
contract
documents by
consultants

form and
Documents: organise a team

Drawings
Specifications
Contract
Risk register de-construct the project
into work activities
sequence

several contractors Document identify a safe

tender to construct Risk register construction sequence
the works – cost, Drawings
time, quality

identify hazards and

assess the risks in every
appoint activity
contractor

write down a safe

system of work for
every activity
(method statement)

construct the works

Document programme the

Contract construction
sequence

hand over to client

Document labour, plant and material
Specifications quantities and cost

defects liability period

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 Design & Construction Management

2.0 Teams and People Management

This section will introduce some of the theories and techniques which can
be used to improve team performance and work safety.

Students will be required to produce an organisational structure for their

Constructionarium project. This section will be assessed in the Tender Phase
Report submission.
You should also review the video: 2 Teams & People Management on Bb
Principal References:
Belbin, R. M. (1993) Team roles at work. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Hazards Forum. (1996) Safety by Design. An engineer’s responsibility for safety.
Cambridge: Burlington Press.
Institute of Management. (1999) People management. London: Hodder &
Stoughton.
Krause, T.R. (1997) The behavior-based safety process : managing involvement for
an injury-free culture. 2nd ed. New York ; London: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Smith, N.J. (2008) Engineering project management. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

2.1 Management Structures

All teams need leadership, without it they will not work towards a goal, and therefore
never achieve what they could. A good team will need a structure, it need not be a
hierarchy but most will use a traditional pyramid structure, as shown in the organogram
(organisation chart) below.

Julius Caesar
Project Manager

Portia Brutus Marcus Brutus Cias Cassius

Quantity Surveyor Shuttering Manager Concreting Manager

Marullus Flavius Metellus Cimba Gaius Memmius

Skivvy 1 Skivvy 2 Head of Nails Head of Cement

Cicero Aemilius Ligarius Decius Terminus Cinna

hammer nails plasters poker rebar pincers

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The advantage of a hierarchy is that lines of responsibility are clear, the disadvantage is
that team members who occupy the lower orders may feel that their position is menial,
it is therefore important that the team make decisions and then implement them.
There is an important distinction between leaders and managers. The skill set for a
leader is not necessarily the same skill set for a manager. Many students covet the
position of project manager (for some reason) but dislike the post when they are
required to do it. Leadership is about influencing people to achieve a common goal.
Management is about the processes of controlling peoples actions.
In terms of site safety or design management, it is imperative to know who is responsible
and that the team do what is agreed. Individuals who do their own thing are dangerous
– they will eventually propagate risk to life, cost or the programme.
Kenneth Blanchard wrote a series of very short and readable books about
management which started with The One Minute Manager. His book on building highly
performing teams suggests the seven characteristics of a highly performing team are
based on the acronym PERFORM.
Purpose Members can describe and are committed to a common purpose
Goals are clear, challenging and relevant
Strategies for achieving goals are clear
Individual goals are clear
Empowerment Members feel a personal and collective sense of power
Members have access to necessary skills and resources
Policies and practices support team objectives
Mutual respect and willingness to help each other
Relationships and communication Members express themselves openly and honestly
Understanding and acceptance is expressed
Members listen actively to each other
Differences of opinion and perspective are valued
Flexibility Members perform different roles and functions as needed
Responsibility for team leadership and development are shared
Members are adaptable to changing demands
Ideas and approaches are explored
Optimal performance Output and quality are high
Decision making is effective
There is a clear problem solving process
Recognition Individual contributions are recognised by leaders and managers
Team accomplishments are recognised by members
Team accomplishments are recognised by the organisation
Morale Individuals are confident and motivated
Members have pride and satisfaction about their work
Strong cohesion and team spirit

Every team must be formed, stormed and normed (Google it), and will pass through
several stages of development before reaching optimal production. The disadvantage
for construction is that teams are typically formed for each project then disbanded
(unlike a widget making facility which may exist for decades). To complicate this
problem further, construction teams are formed from individuals who owe allegiance to
their employer first and the project team second.
Each team must have a leader (whatever their job title may be) and they should
consider adopting the principles of situational leadership. The most basic behaviour of a
leader is to direct the team – tell them what to do; but as the team forms and moves
into solving a problem more complex leadership is required such as coaching – listening
and encouraging; supporting – recognising effort and maintaining team development;
delegating – identifying those who are better placed to lead tasks. The links between

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the four team development stages and the best leadership behaviours are shown
below.

1. Orientation 2. Dissatisfaction 3. Resolution 4. Production

productivity
increasing

commitment Project Progress

COACHING SUPPORTING
increasing supportive
behaviour

establish goals team self-functions

set time limits listen recognition of member so little leadership
assign roles encourage contribution needed, managers
set standards resolve encourage participation share control with
team maintenance members

DIRECTING DELEGATING

increasing delegation

Many teams which fail, get stuck in phase two of their group development cycle – their
commitment troughs and lack of coaching from the leader means they never resolve
their differences and move into production. A good leader therefore, can spot when
elements of the team have lost commitment and are stuck in a destructive cycle of
disagreement.
Team members are far more likely to agree a resolution to a problem and move on, if
they make the decisions – it is the leaders job to facilitate the process, and not step
back into directing the team (or their leadership has not progressed).
The final stage of high productivity will only be reached and sustained when the leader
trusts the team sufficiently to move into delegation – allowing the team to take control
and self-direct. In reality many teams never achieve this because the leader will not
relinquish control (but retain responsibility).
2.2 Team / Group Theory
There are many theories which seek to explain how people interact, there is also
voluminous academic debate about the difference between teams and groups.
Group theory is filled with unscientific platitudes and maxims like:
Teams divide work and multiply success or, Together Everyone Achieves More
These claims may be true but only when a team works well. Academic theory is less
specific about how to form a functioning team because teams are formed from
unpredictable, individual, organic humans. There are many competing theories and
techniques in use to form functioning teams. However, to facilitate thought on the
topic, students will experience the popular theory of Dr Belbin who uses a model of
team members based upon what they are good at (their strengths).
People with complementary skills have synergy – a team formed with the right mix of
people will be worth more than the sum of the individuals.
Belbin asks seven questions which seek to identify skills by examining self perceptions.
These identify eight possible team roles which suit the skills identified.
A functioning team requires a range of skills and for this reason it is necessary to form
teams with members who have a range of team roles. Many people do not fall neatly
into one role but will have skills in adjacent roles, thus offering a range of uses.

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Team Role Strengths Weaknesses

Shaper Challenging, dynamic, goal Prone to provocation and can be blunt
oriented, has drive and courage and upset people
Implementer Disciplined, organised, efficient, Somewhat inflexible, slow to embrace
turns ideas into actions change or accept new ideas
Completer Accurate, conscientious, Inclined to worry unduly, reluctant to
Finisher meticulous perfectionist delegate
Resource Enthusiastic, communicative, Over-optimistic, easily bored and can lose
Investigator explorers, opportunities, develops, interest
contacts
Teamworker Cooperative, caring, diplomatic, May be indecisive when faced with tough
sensitive, averts friction decisions
Innovator Creative, imaginative, original, Pre-occupied by thoughts and may not be
offers alternative approaches communicative
Monitor Logical, analytical, discerning, Appears slow moving, lacks drive and may
Evaluator makes decisions based on facts appear uninspiring
Chairman Single minded, motivated by the Contributes on a narrow front, dwells on
pursuit of knowledge technicalities, may appear to over-ride
others
© The Team Role model is the copyright of Belbin Associates

Classic dysfunctional teams are a) everyone is in charge, so nothing gets done; b)

everyone is working hard but with no single direction; c) one person does all the work,
everyone else observes.

Chairman Teamworker Resource

Investigator

Chairman a) Chairman Teamworker b) Teamworker Chairman c) Teamworker

Chairman Teamworker Monitor

Evaluator

Innovator
/ Shaper

Resource Investigator
Chairman / d)
/ Completer Finisher
Monitor Evaluator

Teamworker /
Implementer

A good team would include at least one completer finisher and one teamworker; but
no more than one chairman and one innovator. In this way, the team has a natural
leader and a member who is willing to challenge received wisdom and champion
innovation. The majority of team members should have characteristics geared towards
completing tasks.
So a team which contains members with a broad range of skills like d) is far more likely
to succeed in completing the project life cycle.

2.3 Communication
Civil Engineering communication comes in many forms. Contracts rely upon written
documents such as drawings, specifications and bills of quantities.

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The natural skill set of most engineers is unlikely to include excellent oral/meeting
communication ability, this is usually developed with experience as it involves
negotiation skills and an amount of political manoeuvring and posturing.
Keeping team minutes is a matter of necessity as any recourse to legal remedy during
the contract will eventually rely upon what was agreed at meetings (action
responsibilities and timescales). It is also imperative to manage the expectations of the
client – under-promise and over-deliver – as many commercial relationships go sour
because an engineer has over-promised and under-delivered.
Points to record in meeting minutes:
• Date, time and location of meeting
• Names and positions (or employers) of those present
• A review of the actions from previous minutes (have you done what you said you
would)
• A record of any new actions including the process followed to arrive at a
decision, the name of the person responsible for the agreed activity, the
timescale for the agreed activity (make it SMART)
• Any other business (things to discuss but may not relate directly to the project)
• Date, time and location of the next meeting
Remember, just as the recorded history of war favours the victor; the history of meetings
favours the minutes secretary. Taking and writing-up minutes may be a task which few
people relish but the secretary is at liberty to give themselves few or no actions.

2.4 Behavioural Safety

It is widely accepted that the behaviour of individuals is the key to site safety, regardless
of how good or bad an organisations health, safety and welfare systems are. The
psychology of positively influencing or modifying the behaviour of individuals in a team
is called behavioural safety. It has virtually become a science, and been widely
adopted by the UK civil engineering sector. To be successful, it must be applied
throughout an entire organisations structure (not just by work operatives on site).
The objective of behavioural safety is to identify the things done on site which need to
be stopped or changed in order to reduce risk (to health or time & cost). The basic
premise of behaviour modification is referred to as the ABC model, where A is an
Activator (knowing dust in your eyes is painful); B is a Behaviour (not wearing safety
glasses because they are irritating); and C are Consequences (getting dust in your eyes
and having to wash them in an eye bath).

ABC analysis of power tool operators not wearing ear defenders at Constructionarium.
Activator Behaviour Consequences
Mr Haynes provides ear Wear ear defenders when Reduces likelihood of hearing loss
defenders with Stihl saw making loud noise but need to find ear defenders
or
Other students do not Don’t wear ear defenders Don’t need to find ear defenders
wear ear defenders when making loud noise but deaf before graduation
Activators are necessary to trigger behaviour but are not sufficient to ensure the
behaviour is maintained over time, this requires individual consequences. Individual
consequences may take the form of positive consequences, negative consequences or
punishment.
Clearly, all individuals are different, so one individual may consider a consequence to
be positive (they then produce more of the behaviour because they want to), whereas
another individual may consider the consequence to be a punishment (they
begrudgingly comply because they must). The manager who is attempting to change

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a behaviour needs some skill, and understanding of the individuals working for them, in
order to get the best results from behavioural change.

Consequences which affect behavioural change.

Perception Increase Behaviour Decrease Behaviour
Positive Receive something you want –
None
reinforcement praise from colleagues or a bonus.
Avoid something you do not want –
Negative Avoid painful accident or loss of
disapproval from colleagues or loss
reinforcement reward.
of bonus.
Lose something you have or want /
receive something you do not want
Punishment None
– removal of benefits or disciplinary
action.
The likelihood of an unacceptable behaviour being repeated is also affected by fuzzy
risks, these include:
Timeframe – a consequence in the distant future will have less effect.
Predictability - a consequence which is uncertain will have less effect.
Severity - a consequence which is unimportant to the individual will have less effect.

Fuzzy Risk analysis of power tool operators not wearing ear defenders at Constructionarium.
Outcome Time frame Predictability Severity
Avoid irritation of wearing ear defenders Soon Certain Important
Ear defenders easy to lose Soon Certain Important
Loss of hearing Distant Uncertain Unimportant
Badge of honour to wear ear defenders round neck Soon Certain Important
Loss of sensory awareness when wearing ear
Soon Certain Important
defenders

This risk analysis suggests the positive consequences are soon, certain and important,
whilst the punishment is distant, uncertain and unimportant.
Individuals may be encouraged to wear ear defenders by reducing the benefits of not
wearing ear defenders – redesign to make them comfortable; attach to safety helmet
to avoid losing them; get them sponsored by Beats Audio to make them ‘cool’. By
making ear defenders more attractive to wear, the punishment of wearing them will
also be reduced.
A good behavioural safety programme will involve the organisation leader
communicating the importance of safety to the whole workforce; the management
team analysing site behaviour and producing fuzzy risk analysis with the site team.
Everyone can then agree acceptable behaviours. Individuals who display
unacceptable behaviour are then subject to specific consequences designed to alter
their behaviour. The best effects of an observation and feedback system will be
obtained if positive feedback is provided immediately after the undesirable behaviour
has been observed.

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