CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION
Different definitions of a Project: (from PMBOK)
1. It is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product or service (outcome or result).
2. Temporary is defined that every project has a definite end/conclusion.
3. Unique is defined that the product or service is different in some distinguishing way from all
similar products or services.

Types of Projects:
1. Development of a new service or product
2. Effecting a change in structure, processes, staffing or style of an organisation
3. Developing or acquisition of a new or modified information system
4. Product development projects
5. Advertising and marketing projects
6. Implementing, improving or enhancing existing business processes & procedures
7. Event management like sports competition, music concerts & fashion shows
8. Construction projects
Characteristics of a Project:
1. It is Client/costumer based
2. It involves a team of individuals, allied professionals
3. They have a target goal such as creation of production, item, product, service or process
4. Projects have targeted deliverables
5. Projects have a time bar
6. Projects have allocated budget

Measuring project success

1. Project success are defined in terms of COST, TIME & QUALITY
2. Trade off required between these parameters according to essential, important and ambiguous
levels
3. Other factors can be important for a specific project such as public acceptance & social benefits
4. Each project is unique with different parameters or emphasis
5. Measurement of project success is essential “if you can’t measure, you can’t improve”…Deming

Definitions of Project Management:

1. Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools & techniques to project
activities in order to meet project requirements….PMBOK
2. Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project
activities in order to meet stakeholder’s needs and expectations from a project…Burke, 2010
 3. Project Management is selection, design, execution, control, evaluation and termination of a
project to meet project objectives and customer expectations within allocated cost, time,
resource & performance constraints…Keating 1998

Basic elements of project management (Planning, Scheduling and Control)

• Evaluation
1. Performance assessment
2. Learning & improvement
• Design
1. Engineering design
2. Systems design

Why project management is important:

• Project Work vs Production Line Work
1. Production line can be considered as a project (Increasing efficiency and production cost
can be considered a project)
2. Clustering of similar works together can increase efficiency and productivity
• Sales and Marketability Continuum
1. Increasing uniqueness and competitive advantage in the market requires a project to
move from C to D thus becomes a project.
• Risk and Uncertainty Continuum
1. Increasing uniqueness increases project risk and uncertainty.

Benefits of Project Management:

1. It has a single point of responsibility
2. It provides client and project sponsor-focused
3. It creates better project estimating and cost control
4. Project fast tracking results
5. It creates effective project monitor and control

Project and strategic planning:

1. Organisational economic goals
2. Clients and project stakeholders expectations
3. Social & demographic needs
4. Environmental considerations
5. Technological advancement
6. Regulatory requirements
7. Political rationales

Key competencies of a Project Manager:

1. Project Manager must have the Knowledge- refers to what the project manager knows about
the project and its management.
 2. Performance of the Project Manager- refers to what the project manager is able to do or
accomplish, while applying his or her project management knowledge.
3. Personality of the Project Manager- refers to how project manager behaves when managing
project or related activity.

Skills of Project Manager:

1. Good leadership capabilities
2. Communication skills
3. Good team management and trust building- develop, lead, motivate and management a project
team
4. Must have political and cultural awareness
5. Good in negotiation
6. Be able to address conflict management
7. Mentoring and resourcefulness skills

Roles of a Project Manager:

1. To provide technical expertise on project development
2. To understand the project environment
3. Be able to monitor and control project scheduling and development
4. Be able to administer contracts
5. Capable of managing scope changes
6. Capable of problem solving
Specific duties of a Project Manager:
1. Determine the strategy and set objectives on the project assignment.
2. Be able to plan, estimate, costing and scheduling a project.
3. Skills in providing risk management
4. Be able to do monitoring and reacting to change
5. Change control and configuration management
6. Skills in people management
7. Be able to perform quality control and assurance
8. Skills and knowledge in economics