Project Management, Planning and

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Construction and Manufacturing
Projects, 8th Edition Albert Lester
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Project Management, Planning and
Control
Dedicated to my two sons
Guy and Marc
Project Management,
Planning and Control
Managing Engineering, Construction and
Manufacturing Projects to PMI, APM and
BSI Standards

8th Edition

EUR. ING. Albert Lester

CEng, FICE, FIMechE, FIStructE, Hon FAPM
Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier
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Contents

Foreword to the 1st edition xiii

Foreword to the 8th edition xv
Preface to the 8th edition xvii
Acknowledgements xix

1 Project definition 1
Project definition 1
Time-bound project 3
Cost-bound project 4
Performance (quality)-bound project 4
Safety-bound project 4

2 Project management 7
Project manager 8
Project manager’s charter 9
Project office 9
Further reading 10

3 Programme and portfolio management 13

Portfolio management 15
Further reading 16

4 Project context (project environment) 17

Political 17
Economic 19
Social (or sociological) 19
Technical 20
Legal 20
Environmental 21
Further reading 22

5 Business case 23
The project sponsor 23
Requirements management 24
Further reading 25
vi Contents

6 Investment appraisal 27
Project viability 27
Further reading 34

7 Stakeholder management 35
Direct stakeholders 35
Indirect stakeholders 35

8 Project-success criteria 41
Key performance indicators 42

9 Organization structures 43
Functional organization 43
Matrix organization 43
Project organization (taskforce) 44

10 Organization roles 47

11 Project life cycles 49

12 Work breakdown structures 53

Responsibility matrix 58
Further reading 59

13 Estimating 61
Subjective 61
Parametric 62
Comparative (by analogy) 62
Analytical 63
Further reading 65

14 Project management plan 67

General 68
The Why 68
The What 68
The When 68
The Who 68
The Where 69
The How 69
Methods and procedures 70

15 Risk management 73
Stage 1: risk awareness 74
Stage 2: risk identification 74
Stage 3: risk assessment 76
Stage 4: risk evaluation 78
Contents vii

Stage 5: risk management 79

Monitoring 81
Example of effective risk management 82
Positive risk or opportunity 83
Further reading 83

16 Quality management 85
History 87
Quality management definitions 87
Explanation of the definitions 88
Further reading 97

17 Change management 99
Document-control 101
Issue management 102
Further reading 104

18 Configuration management 105

19 Basic network principles 107

Network analysis 108
The network 108
Durations 112
Numbering 112
Hammocks 117
Precedence or activity on node diagrams 119
Bar (Gantt) charts 125
Time-scale networks and linked bar charts 127
Further reading 129

20 Planning blocks and subdivision of blocks 131

Pharmaceutical factory 132
New housing estate 132
Portland cement factory 133
Oil terminal 133
Multi-storey block of offices 134
Colliery surface reconstruction 134
Bitumen refinery 135
Typical manufacturing unit 135
Subdivision of blocks 137

21 Arithmetical analysis and floats 145

Arithmetical analysis 145
Critical path 158
Critical chain project management 159
viii Contents

22 The case for manual analysis 161

The planner 161
The role of the computer 162
Preparation of the network 162
Typical site problems 164
The National Economic Development Office report 165

23 Lester diagram 167

Basic advantages 170

24 Graphical and computer analysis 171

Graphical analysis 171
Computer analysis 175
History 178

25 Milestones and line of balance 183

Milestones 183
Line of balance 184

26 Simple examples 189

Example 1 189
Example 2 193
Example 3 197
Summary of operation 198
Example 4 (using manual techniques) 198

27 Progress reporting 203

Feedback 204

28 Project management and network planning 211

Responsibilities of the project managers 211
Information from network 212
Site-preparation contract 213
Confidence in plan 214
Network and method statements 215
Integrated systems 215
Networks and claims 218

29 Network applications outside the construction industry 225

Bringing a new product onto the market 225
Moving a factory 229
Centrifugal pump manufacture 230
Planning a mail order campaign 232
Manufacture of a package boiler 234
Manufacture of a cast machined part 235
Contents ix

30 Resource loading 239

The alternative approach 240
Further reading 244

31 Cash flow forecasting 245

Example of cash flow forecasting 246

32 Cost control and EVA 255

SMAC e man-hour control 255
Summary of advantages 258
EVA for civil engineering projects 262
Further reading 267

33 Control graphs and reports 269

Overall project completion 283
Earned Schedule 290
Integrated computer systems 291
EVA % complete assessment 293

34 Procurement 295
Procurement strategy 297
Pre-tender survey 299
Bidder selection 299
Request for quotation 302
Tender evaluation 303
Purchase order 305
Expediting, monitoring and inspection 306
Shipping and storage 307
Erection and installation 307
Commissioning and handover 308
Types of contracts 309
Subcontracts 323
Subcontract documents 324
Insurance 329
Discounts 331
Counter-trade 332
Incoterms 333
Further reading 337

35 Value management 339

Further reading 341

36 Health, safety and environment 343

Construction, design and management regulations 349
Health and safety plan 350
x Contents

Health and safety file 351

Warning signs 351

37 Information management 355

Objectives and purpose 356
Data collection 360
Further reading 361

38 Communication 363
Cultural differences, language differences, pronunciation, translation
and technical jargon 364
Geographical separation, location equipment or transmission failure 365
Misunderstanding, attitude, perception, selective listening, assumptions
and hidden agendas 365
Poor leadership, unclear instructions, unclear objectives, unnecessarily
long messages and withholding of information 366
Meetings 367
Further reading 368

39 Team building and motivation 369

Team development 370
The Belbin team types 372
Motivation 374
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs 375
Herzberg’s motivational hygiene theory 376
Further reading 377

40 Leadership 379
Situational leadership 380
Professionalism and ethics 383
Competence 384
Further reading 386

41 Negotiation 387
Phase 1: preparation 387
Phase 2: planning 388
Phase 3: introductions 389
Phase 4: opening proposal 389
Phase 5: bargaining 389
Phase 6: agreement 390
Phase 7: finalizing 390

42 Conflict management and dispute resolution 393

Conciliation 395
Mediation 395
Adjudication 396
Contents xi

43 Governance of project management 399

Introduction 399
Principles 400
Components and roles 401
Conclusion 406

44 Project close-out and handover 407

Close-out 407
Handover 408

45 Project close-out report and review 409

Close-out report 409
Close-out review 410

46 Stages and sequence 411

Summary of project stages and sequence 411

47 Worked example 1: Bungalow 417

Design and construction philosophy 417

48 Worked example 2: Pumping installation 431

Design and construction philosophy 431
Cash flow 440

49 Worked example 3: Motor car 447

Summary 459

50 Worked example 4: Battle tank 475

Business case for battle tank top secret 475
Subject: new battle tank 475
The ‘What’ 475
The ‘Why’ 482
Major risks 482

51 Primavera P2 485
Evolution of project management software 485
Oracle Primavera P6 487

52 Building Information Modelling (BIM) 505

Introduction 505
History of BIM 506
What is BIM 508
UK government recommendations 509
How BIM is applied in practice 510
Linking systems through open .NET interfaces 511
xii Contents

Tekla BIMsight and other collaboration tools 511

Savings with BIM 512
Sample BIM projects 512
Interoperability and principle industry transfer standards 521
Further reading 523

53 Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) 525

Introduction 525
VDC þ project management 525
VDC software 526
InEight Model introduction 526
VDC þ coordination 526

54 Sustainability 535
Economy 536
Society 536
Environment 538

55 Project assurance 541

Purpose of project assurance 541
Operation of project assurance 542
Procedures to be assessed 542
Conformity with legislation and regulations 543
Project stakeholders and personnel 544

Appendix 1 Agile project management 545

Appendix 2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data 571
Appendix 3 Case study 1: Cement plant 591
Appendix 4 Case study 2: Teesside oil terminal 603
Appendix 5 Abbreviations and acronyms 613
Appendix 6 Glossary 619
Appendix 7 Sample examination; questions 1: Questions 627
Appendix 8 Sample examination; questions 2: Bullet point answers 631
Appendix 9 Syllabus summary bullet points 651
Appendix 10 Words of Wisdom 673
Appendix 11 Bibliography 675
Index 683
Foreword to the 1st edition

A key word in the title of this book is ‘control’. This word, in the context of manage-
ment, implies the observation of performance in relation to plan and the swift taking
of corrective action when the performance is inadequate. In contrast to many other
publications which purport to deal with the subject, the mechanism of control permeates
the procedures that Mr Lester advocates. In some chapters, such as that on Manual and
Computer Analysis, it is there by implication. In others, such as that on Cost Control, it is
there in specific terms.
The book, in short, deals with real problems and their real solutions. I recommend it
therefore both to students who seek to understand the subject and to managers who
wish to sharpen their performance.

by Geoffrey Trimbley
Professor of Construction Management
University of Technology, Loughborough, United Kingdom

y
Deceased author.
This page intentionally left blank
Foreword to the 8th edition

The eighth edition of Albert Lester’s publication says it all. The widespread acceptance
and critical acclaim of his overall grasp of the basic principles of ‘project management’
confirms the demand for this book.
My supervisory involvement with Albert over many years in different organizations
and eras has given me the opportunity of seeing him employ his procedures in real time
and enjoy satisfactory results.
The control of cost, resources and time spent is fundamental, but systems are tested
to the limit when an unexpected event occurs. This is where Albert’s understanding of
the sophisticated methods shines through and how we can handle these ‘unexpected’
events which can interfere to the severe detriment of a project’s success if not dealt
with efficiently.
Quoting an old Egyptian saying ‘It is the leading camels that hold up the train it is
the last camel that gets beaten’ indicates that little has changed over the years.
Criticism for delays in modern projects is often misdirected by the media and misun-
derstood by the general public. Late changes in design, afterthoughts by the owner or
developer, which need to be incorporated, have to be handled effectively if the end
objectives are to be attained.
This is where ‘Project Management, Planning and Control’ comes into its own in
helping to equip managers with the tools to operate effectively.

W.T.J. Davies
CEng FIMech.E FIChem.E
This page intentionally left blank
Preface to the 8th edition

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Euclid

The longest distance between two points is a shortcut.

Lester

As in previous editions, the basic principles of network analysis have been retained
despite the unfortunate trend of entering the scheduling data directly into the computer.
I firmly believe that a manually drafted network at which all the departmental
managers take part is the key to a successful project schedule.
In order to show readers that the principles, methods and techniques given in this
book actually work and have been successfully used by me over a period of 30 years,
I have included in this 8th edition case studies of two large design-and-construction
projects, both of which were completed within days of the anticipated completion
date. In both cases, the scheduling was done using critical path networks and the point
I wanted to emphasize was that while the analysis and presentation could be performed
by any of the latest computer programs, the drafting of the network and the formulation
of the logic should always be done manually by a team of experts in the various dis-
ciplines, led by the project manager and assisted by the appointed planning engineer.
While this new edition incorporates all the topics of the last (7th) edition, some
chapters and appendices have been brought up to date in line with the latest
developments.
Chapter 7, Stakeholder management, has been expanded to discuss more deeply the
relationship between the project manager and the different stakeholders.
In Chapter 42, the section on Adjudication has been updated and now includes the
major changes in the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act
in 2011 and the Low Value Dispute (LVD) Model Adjudication Procedure 2020.
The updated Chapter 43, Governance of project management, takes into account the
new and revised guidance since 2016 and notes the relevance of this topic to the Stra-
tegic Report now required of UK companies. The reference to the updated publication
‘Directing Change’ has been added as this places greater emphasis on culture and
ethics. This contribution by the original author, David Shannon, is greatly appreciated.
Chapter 51, Primavera P2, has been updated by Arnaud Morvan of Oracle to reflect
the latest software revision, and the risk analysis has now been carried out before the
baseline review and final report.
xviii Preface to the 8th edition

Three new chapters and three new appendices have been added.
Chapter 53, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), by Dale Dutton of InEight
Inc. explains the processes developed by this software provider to meet the needs of
designers and constructors in adopting and operating BIM.
Chapter 54, Sustainability, has been added to reflect the current realization that
serious changes are necessary in the way we deliver projects to protect the environment
and conserve the natural resources of this planet. The whole philosophy of mass-
producing consumer items has to change. Consideration must be given to easy repair
to prolong the life of the product, as well as maximizing its reusable and recyclable
components.
The new Chapter 55, Project assurance, reflects the need to monitor and report
progress and performance on an ongoing basis to top management.
A number of chapters have been updated including Chapter 36 (Health, safety and
environment). As I researched the latest publications on project management standards
by the leading authorities on project management, I was surprised and appalled to find
that only scant, if any, references have been made to safety. I have therefore listed in
this chapter a list of project disasters caused by failures in safety systems or procedures
to emphasize the importance of safety.
The new Appendix 2, Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Graham Collins, which also
includes Big Data, has been added as this topic has now been incorporated into
many new projects. The chapter also describes how Big Data was used in fighting
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Appendix 3 is a case study of a Portland cement plant capable of an output of 1000
tons per day. In this study, I have broken with convention by writing it in the first
person in order to convey some of the feelings that were aroused by some of the
episodes during the construction period. It is hoped that the reader will find this
interesting.
Appendix 4 is a case study which describes the construction and commissioning of
phase 1 of the Teesside oil terminal which was at the time the largest petrochemical
construction project in Europe.
Appendix 9 (a repeat of Appendix 7 of the 7th edition) is a syllabus summary of
bullet points selected from the APM Body of Knowledge (BoK) 6th edition. Although
APM has now published a 7th edition of the BoK, I have retained the syllabus summary
based on its 6th edition because I consider it to be more appropriate and helpful for
potential examinees.

Albert Lester
Acknowledgements

The author and publishers acknowledge with thanks all the individuals and organiza-
tions whose contributions were vital in the preparation of this book.
Particular acknowledgement is given to the following contributors:
Arnaud Morvan and Oracle/Milestone Ltd, for providing the description of their
highly regarded Primavera P6 computer software package.
David Shannon of Oxford Project Management, for writing the chapter on project
governance.
Clive Robertson and Trimble Solutions Corporation, for contributing the descrip-
tion and procedures for BIM.
Graham Collins from UCL, for providing the description of Agile Project
Management and the new section on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data.
Dale A. Dutton from InEight Inc, for contributing the chapter on his company’s
VDC process package.
The author would also like to thank the following for their help and cooperation:
The Association for Project Management (APM) for permission to reproduce
excerpts from their publications A guide to Conducting Integrated Baseline Reviews,
Directing Change, A guide to governance of project management and The APM Body
of Knowledge
CIMAX/RPC for their approval of the case study of the South Ferriby Cement
Plant.
Conoco/Phillips for supplying the aerial photographs of the Teesside Terminal
during the construction phase.
The National Economic Development Office for permission to reproduce the
relevant section of their report ‘Engineering Construction Performance Mechanical &
Electrical Engineering Construction, EDC, NEDO December 1976’.
Foster Wheeler Power Products Limited for assistance in preparing the text and
manuscripts and permission to utilize the network diagrams of some of their contracts
Mr Tony Benning, my co-author of Procurement in the Process Industry, for
permission to include certain texts from that book.
British Standards Institution for permission to reproduce extracts from BS 6079-1-10
(Project management life cycle) and BS5499-10-2006 (Safety signs).
British Standards can be obtained in PDF or hard copy formats from the BSI online
shop:
www.bsigroup.com/Shop or by contacting BSI Customer Services for hardcopies
only: Tel: þ44 (0)20 8996 9001, Email: cservices@bsigroup.com.
xx Acknowledgements

A. P. Watt for permission to quote the first verse of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, The
Elephant’s Child.
Daimler Chrysler for permission to use their diagram of the Mercedes-Benz 190
car.
The Automobile Association for the diagram of a typical motor car engine.
Mrs Mary Willis for her agreement to use some of the diagrams in the chapters on
Risk and Quality management.
Jane Walker and University College London for permission to include diagrams in
the chapters on project context, leadership and negotiations.
Last, but by no means least, I must thank the Elsevier project editor, Chiara Giglio,
for her help in getting the various manuscripts to a stage from which they could be sent
for final collation and publication.
Project definition
1
Chapter outline

Project definition 1
Time-bound project 3
Cost-bound project 4
Performance (quality)-bound project 4
Safety-bound project 4

Project definition
Many people and organizations have defined what a project is, or should be, but
probably the most authoritative definition is that given in BS 6079-2:2000 Project
Management Vocabulary, which states that a project is:

A unique process, consisting of a set of co-ordinated and controlled activities with

start and finish dates, undertaken to achieve an objective conforming to specific
requirements, including constraints of time, cost and resources.

The next question that can be asked is ‘Why does one need project management?’
What is the difference between project management and management of any other
business or enterprise? Why has project management taken off so dramatically in
the last 20 years?
The answer is that project management is essentially management of change, while
running a functional or ongoing business is managing a continuum or ‘business-as-
usual’.
Project management is not applicable to running a factory making sausage pies, but
it will be the right system when there is a requirement to relocate the factory, build an
extension, or produce a different product requiring new machinery, skills, staff
training, and even marketing techniques.
It is immediately apparent therefore that there is a fundamental difference between
project management and functional or line management where the purpose of manage-
ment is to continue the ongoing operation with as little disruption (or change) as
possible. This is reflected in the characteristics of the two types of managers. While
the project manager thrives on and is proactive to change, the line manager is reactive
to change and hates disruption. In practice, this often creates friction and organiza-
tional problems when a change has to be introduced.

Project Management, Planning and Control. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824339-8.00001-8

Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
2 Project Management, Planning and Control

Projects may be undertaken either to generate revenue, such as introducing methods

for improving cash flow, or be capital projects that require additional expenditure and
resources to introduce a change to the capital base of the organization. It is to this latter
type of project that the techniques and methods described in this book can be most
easily applied.
Fig. 1.1 shows the types of operations suitable for a project type of organization
which are best managed as a functional or ‘business-as-usual’ organization.
Both types of operations have to be managed, but only the ones in column
(A) require project-management skills.
It must be emphasized that the suitability of an operation being run as a project is
independent of size. Project-management techniques are equally suitable for building a
cathedral or a garden shed. Moving house, a very common project for many people,
lends itself as effectively to project-management techniques such as tender analysis
and network analysis as relocating a major government department from the capital
city to another town. There just is no upper or lower limit to projects!
As stated in the definition, a project has a definite starting and finishing point and
must meet certain specified objectives.
Broadly these objectives, which are usually defined as part of the business case and
set out in the project brief, must meet three fundamental criteria:
1. The project must be completed on time.
2. The project must be accomplished within the budgeted cost.
3. The project must meet the prescribed quality requirements.
These criteria can be graphically represented by the well-known project triangle
(Fig. 1.2). Some organizations like to substitute the word ‘quality’ with ‘performance’,
but the principle is the same e the operational requirements of the project must be met,
and met safely.
The order of priority given to any of these criteria is dependent not only on the in-
dustry but also on the individual project. For example, in designing and constructing
an aircraft, motor car or railway carriage, safety must be paramount. The end product
may cost more than budgeted or it may be late in going into service, and certain quality
requirements in terms of comfort may have to be sacrificed, but under no circum-
stances can safety be compromised. Airplanes, cars and railways must be safe under
all operating conditions.

(A) Project organisation (B) Functional or line organisation

Building a house Manufacturing bricks
Designing a car Mass-producing cars
Organising a party Serving the drinks
Setting up a filing system Doing the filing
Setting up retail cash points Selling goods & operating tills
Building a process plant Producing sausages
Introducing a new computer system Operating credit control procedures
Figure 1.1 Organization comparison.
Project definition 3

Time

SSafety

Cost Quality
performance
Figure 1.2 Project triangle.

Time

Cost Safety Sustainability

Quality /
performance
Figure 1.3 Project diamond.

The following (rather obvious) examples show where different priorities on the
project triangle (or diamond) apply.
‘However, because Sustainability can now be classified as the fourth criterion, the
Project Management Triangle should now be replaced by the Project Management
Rhomboid, where the negotiable criteria of Time, Cost, Quality/Performance and
Sustainability are shown at the corners of the diagram while the non-negotiable Safety
is still in the centre. See Fig. 1.3’. This is discussed more fully in Chapter 53,
‘Sustainability’.

Time-bound project
A scoreboard for a prestigious tennis tournament must be finished in time for the open-
ing match, even if it costs more than anticipated and the display of some secondary
information, such as the speed of the service, has to be abandoned. In other words,
cost and performance may have to be sacrificed to meet the unalterable starting date
of the tournament. (In practice, the increased cost may well be a matter of further nego-
tiation and the temporarily delayed display can usually be added later during the non-
playing hours.)
4 Project Management, Planning and Control

Cost-bound project
A local authority housing development may have to curtail the number of housing
units and may even overrun the original construction programme, but the project
cost cannot be exceeded, because the housing grant allocated by the central govern-
ment for this type of development was frozen at a fixed sum. Another solution to
this problem would be to reduce the specification of the internal fittings instead of
reducing the number of units.

Performance (quality)-bound project

An armaments manufacturer has been contracted to design and manufacture a new
type of rocket launcher to meet the client’s performance specification in terms of range,
accuracy and rate of fire. Even if the delivery has to be delayed to carry out more tests
and the cost has increased, the specification must be met. Again, if the weapons were
required during a war, the specification might be relaxed to get the equipment into the
field as quickly as possible.

Safety-bound project
Apart from the obvious examples of public transport given previously, safety is a fac-
tor that is required by law and enshrined in the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Not only must safe practices be built into every project, but constant monitoring is
an essential element of a safety policy. To that extent, it could be argued that all pro-
jects are safety-bound, because, if it became evident after an accident that safety was
sacrificed for speed or profitability, some or all of the project stakeholders could find
themselves in real trouble, even in jail. This is true for almost every industry, especially
agriculture, food/drink production and preparation, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, toy
manufacture, aircraft production, motor vehicle manufacture and, of course, building
and construction.
A serious accident that may kill or injure people will not only cause anguish among
the relatives but, while not necessarily terminating the project, could very well destroy
the company. For this reason, the ‘S’ symbol when shown in the middle of the project-
management triangle gives more emphasis on its importance (see Fig. 1.2).
While the other three criteria (cost, time and quality/performance) can be juggled by
the project manager to suit the changing requirements and environment of a project,
safety cannot, under any circumstances, be compromised. As any project manager
knows, the duration (time) may be reduced by increasing resources (cost), and cost
may be saved by sacrificing quality or performance, but any diminution of safety
can quickly lead to disaster, death and even the closure of an organization. The cata-
strophic explosions on the Piper Alpha gas platform in the North Sea in July 1988
killed 167 men and cost millions of dollars to Occidental and its insurers, and the
Project definition 5

explosion at the Buncefield, England, oil depot in 2009 caused massive destruction of
its surroundings and huge costs to Total Oil Co. Additionally, the explosion on its
Texas City refinery in March 2005, which killed 15 men and injured 170, and the
blowout of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010,
causing 11 fatalities, have seriously damaged the reputation of BP and resulted in a
considerable drop in its share price. In the transport industry, the series of railway ac-
cidents in 2000 resulted in the winding up of British Rail and subsequently one of its
main contractors. More recently, Toyota had to recall millions of cars to rectify an un-
safe breaking and control system, after which Mr Toyoda, the Chairman of the com-
pany, publicly stated that Toyota’s first priority is safety, the second is quality, and the
third is volume (quantity). These occurrences clearly show that safety must head the
list of priorities for any project or organization.
The priorities of the other three criteria can of course change with the political
climate or the commercial needs of the client, even within the life cycle of the project,
and therefore the project manager has to constantly evaluate these changes to deter-
mine the new priorities. Ideally, all the main criteria should be met (and indeed this
is the case for many well-run projects), but there are times when the project manager,
with the agreement of the sponsor or client, has to make difficult decisions to satisfy
the best interests of most, if not all, the stakeholders.
However, the examples given earlier highlight the importance of ensuring a safe
operating environment, even at the expense of the other criteria. It is important to
note that while a project manager can be reprimanded or dismissed for not meeting
any of the three ‘corner criteria’, the one transgression for which a project manager
can actually be jailed is not complying with the provisions of the Health and Safety
regulations.
If one were to list the four project-management criteria in the order of their impor-
tance, the sequence would be safety, performance, time and cost, which can be remem-
bered using the acronym SAPETICO. The rationale for this order is as follows:

If the project is not safe, it can cost lives and/or destroy the constructor and other
stakeholders.

If the performance is not acceptable, the project will have been a waste of time and
money.

If the project is not on time, it can still be a success but may have caused a financial
loss.

Even if the cost exceeds the budget, the project can still be viable, as extra money can
usually be found. The most famous (or infamous) example is the Sydney Opera House,
which was so much over budget that the extra money had to be raised via a New South
Wales State lottery but is now celebrated as a great Sydney landmark.
This page intentionally left blank
Project management
2
Chapter outline

Project manager 8
Project manager’s charter 9
Project office 9
Further reading 10

It is obvious that project management is not new. Noah must have managed one of the
earliest recorded projects in the Bible e the building of the ark. He may not have
completed it within the budget, but he certainly had to finish it by a specified time e
before the flood e and it must have met his performance criteria, as it successfully
accommodated a pair of all the animals.
There are many published definitions of project management (see BS 6079 and ISO
21,500), but the following definition covers all the important ingredients:

The planning, monitoring, and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of
all those involved in it, in order to achieve the project objectives within agreed criteria
of time, cost, and performance.

Whilst this definition includes the fundamental criteria of time, cost and perfor-
mance, the operative word, as far as the management aspect is concerned, is motiva-
tion. A project will not be successful unless all (or at least most) of the participants
are not only competent but also motivated to produce a satisfactory outcome.
To achieve this, a number of methods, procedures and techniques have been devel-
oped, which, together with the general management and people skills, enable the proj-
ect manager to meet the set criteria of time cost and performance/quality in the most
effective ways.
Many textbooks divide the skills required in project management into hard skills
(or topics) and soft skills. This division is not exact as some of the skills are clearly
interdependent. Furthermore, it depends on the type of organization, type and size
of project, authority given to a project manager and which of the listed topics are in
his or her remit for a particular project. For example, in many large construction com-
panies, the project manager is not permitted to get involved in industrial (site) disputes
as these are more effectively resolved by specialist industrial relations managers who
are conversant with the current labour laws, national or local labour agreements and
site conditions.

Project Management, Planning and Control. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824339-8.00002-X

Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
8 Project Management, Planning and Control

The hard skills cover such subjects as business case, cost control, change manage-
ment, project life cycles, work breakdown structures, project organization, network
analysis, earned value analysis, risk management, quality management, estimating,
tender analysis and procurement.
The soft topics include health and safety, stakeholder analysis, team building, lead-
ership, communications, information management, negotiation, conflict management,
dispute resolutions, value management, configuration management, financial manage-
ment, marketing and sales and law.
A quick inspection of the two types of topics shows that the hard subjects are
largely required only for managing specific projects, while the soft ones can be clas-
sified as general management and are more or less necessary for any type of business
operation whether running a design office, factory, retail outlet, financial services insti-
tution, charity, public service organization, national or local government or virtually
any type of commercial undertaking.
A number of organizations, such as APM, PMI, ISO, OGC and licensees of
PRINCE (project in a controlled environment), have recommended and advanced their
own methodology for project management, but by and large the differences are on
emphasis or sequence of certain topics. For example, PRINCE requires the resources
to be determined before the commencement of the time scheduling and the establish-
ment of the completion date, while in the construction industry the completion date or
schedule is often stipulated by the customer and the contractor has to provide (or
recruit) whatever resources (labour, plant, equipment or finance) are necessary to
meet the specified objectives and complete the project on time.

Project manager
A project manager can be defined as follows:

The individual or body with authority, accountability and responsibility for managing
a project to achieve specific objectives (BS 6079-2:2000).

Few organizations will have problems with the earlier definition, but unfortunately
in many instances, while the responsibility and accountability are vested in the project
manager, the authority given to him or her is either severely restricted or non-existent.
The reasons for this may be the reluctance of a department (usually one responsible for
the accounts) to relinquish financial control or it is perceived that the project manager
does not have sufficient experience to handle certain tasks, such as control of expen-
diture. There may indeed be good reasons for these restrictions which depend on the
size and type of project, the size and type of the organization and of course the person-
ality and experience of the project manager, but if the project manager is supposed to
be in effect the managing director of the project (as one large construction organization
liked to put it), he or she must have control over costs and expenditure, albeit within
specified and agreed limits.
Another random document with
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ingeniosas que avn muy
enseñados hombres no bastaran
hazerlas? ¿Qué has oydo dezir
del elefante, del tigre, lebrel y
raposa? ¿Que has visto hacer a
vna mona, que se podria dezir de
aqui a mañana? Ni habrá quien
tanto te diga como yo si el tiempo
nos diesse a ello lugar, y tú
tuuieses de oyrlo gana y algun
agradeçimiento. Porque te hago
saber que ha mas de mil años
que soy criado en el mundo, y
despues acá he viuido en infinitas
differençias de cuerpos, en cada
vno de los quales me han
aconteçido tanta diuersidad de
cuentos, que antes nos faltaria
tiempo que me faltasse a mi que
dezir, y a ti que holgasses de oyr.
Miçilo.—O mi buen gallo, qué
bienauenturado me seria el
señorio que tengo sobre ti, si me
quissieses tanto agradar que con
tu dulce y sabrosa lengua me
comunicasses alguna parte de los
tus fortunosos aconteçimientos.
Yo te prometo que en pago y
galardon de este inextimable
seruiçio y plazer te dé en
amaneçiendo la raçion doblada,
avnque sepa quitarlo de mi
mantenimiento.
Gallo.—Pues por ser tuyo te soy
obligado agradar, y agora más por
ver el premio reluzir.
Miçilo.—Pues, aguarda,
ençenderé candela y ponermehe
a trabajar. Agora comiença, que
oyente tienes el mas obediente y
atento que nunca a maestro oyó.
Gallo.—O dioses y diosas,
favoreced mi flaca y dezlenable
memoria.
Miçilo.—¿Qué dizes? ¿Eres
hereje ó gentil, cómo llamas á los
dioses y diosas?
Gallo.—Pues, cómo y agora
sabes que todos los gallos somos
françeses como el nombre nos lo
dize, y que los françeses
hazemos deso poco caudal?
Principalmente despues que hizo
liga con los turcos nuestro Rey,
truxolos alli, y medio proffesamos
su ley por la conuersaçion[299].
Pero de aqui adelante yo te
prometo de hablar contigo en toda
religion.
Miçilo.—Agora pues comiença,
yo te ruego, y has de contar
desde el primero dia de tu ser.
Gallo.—Ansi lo haré; tenme
atençion, yo te diré cosas tantas y
tan admirables que con ningun
tiempo se puedan medir, y sino
fuese por tu mucha cordura no las
podrias creer. Dezirte he muchos
aconteçimientos de grande
admiraçion, verás los honbres
conuertidos en vestias, y las
vestias conuertidas en honbres y
con gran façilidad. Oyrás
cautelas, astuçias, industrias,
agudeças, engaños, mentiras y
trafagos en que a la contina
enplean los honbres su natural,
verás en conclusion como en vn
espejo lo que los honbres son de
su natural inclinaçion, por donde
juzgarás la gran liberalidad y
misericordia de Dios.
Miçilo.—Mira, gallo, bien, que
pues yo me confio de ti, no
piensses agora con arrogançias y
soberuia de eloquentes palabras
burlar de mi contándome tan
grandes mentiras que no se
puedan creer, porque puesto caso
que todo me lo hagas con tu
eloquençia muy claro y aparente,
auenturas ganar poco interes
mintiendo a vn honbre tan bajo
como yo, y hazer injuria a ese
filosofo Pithagoras que dizes que
en otro tiempo fueste y al respeto
que todo honbre se deue á sí.
Porque el virtuoso en el
cometimiento de la poquedad no
ha de tener tanto temor a los que
la verán, como a la verguença
que deue auer de si.
Gallo.—No me marauillo, Miçilo,
que temas oy de te confiar de mi
que te diré verdad por auer visto
una tan gran cosa y tan no vsada
ni oyda de ti como ver vn gallo
hablar. Pero mira bien que te
obliga mucho, sobre todo lo que
has dicho, a me creer, considerar
que pues yo hablé, y para ti que
no es pequeña muestra de
deydad, a lo qual repugna el
mentir; y ya quando no me
quisieres considerar mas de gallo
confia de mi, que terné respecto
al premio y galardon que me has
prometido dar en mi comer,
porque no quiero que me
acontezca contigo oy lo que
aconteçio a aquel ambicioso
musico Euangelista en esta
çiudad. Lo qual por te hazer
perder el temor quiero que oyas
aqui. Tu sabras que aconteçio en
Castilla vna gran pestelençia,
(año de 1525 fue esta
pestelençia)[300] que en un año
entero y más fue perseguido todo
el Reyno de gran mortandad. De
manera que en ningun pueblo que
fuesse de algunos vezinos se
sufria viuir, porque no se entendia
sino en enterrar muertos desde
que amanecia hasta en gran
pieza de la noche que se recogian
los hombres descansar. Era la
enfermedad un genero de
postema naçida en las ingles,
sobacos ó garganta, a la qual
llamaban landre. De la qual
siendo heridos suçedia vna
terrible calentura, y dentro de
veynte y cuatro horas heria la
postema en el coraçon y era
çierta la muerte. Conuenia huyr
de conuersaçion y compañia,
porque era mal contagioso, que
luego se pegaua si auia
ayuntamiento de gentes, y ansi
huyan los ricos que podian de los
grandes pueblos a las pequeñas
aldeas que menos gente y
congregaçion huuiesse. Y
despues se defendia la entrada
de los que viniessen de fuera con
temor que trayendo consigo el
mal corrompiesse y contaminasse
el pueblo. Y ansi aconteçia que el
que no salia temprano de la
çiudad juntamente con sus
alhajas y hazienda; si acaso
saliese algo tarde, quando ya
estaua ençendida la pestelencia
andaua vagando por los campos
porque no le querian acoxer en
parte alguna, por lo qual sucedia
morir por alli por mala prouision
de hambre y miseria corridos y
desconsolados. Y lo que más era
de llorar, que puestos en la
neçesidad los padres, huyan
dellos los hijos con la mayor
crueldad del mundo, y por el
semejante huyan dellos los
padres por escapar cada qual con
la vida. Y suçedia que por huyr
los sacerdotes el peligro de la
pestelençia, no auia quien
confesasse ni administrasse los
sacramentos, de manera que
todos morian sin ellos, y en el
entierro, o quedauan sin
sepoltura, o se echauan veynte
personas en una. Era, en suma,
la mas trabajada y miserable vida
y infeliz que ninguna lengua ni
pluma puede escriuir ni
encareçer. Teniasse por
conueniente medio, do quiera que
los honbres estauan exerçitarse
en cosas de alegria y plazer, en
huertas, rios, fuentes, florestas,
xardines, prados, juegos, bayles y
todo genero de regoçijo; huyendo
a la contina con todas sus fuerças
de qualquiera ocasion que los
pudiesse dar tristeza y pesar.
Agora quiero te dezir vna cossa
notable que en esta nuestra
çiudad passó; y es que se tomó
por ocupacion y exerçiçio
salutifero y muy conueniente para
euitar la tristeza y ocasion del mal
hazer en todas las calles, passos,
o lo que los antiguos llamaron
palestras o estadios, y porque
mejor me entiendas digo que se
hazian en todas las calles vnos
palenques que las cerrauan con
vn seto de madera entretexida
arboleda de flores, rosas y yeruas
muy graciosas, quedando sola
vna pequeña puerta por la qual al
principio de la calle pudiessen
entrar, y otra puerta al fin por
donde pudiessen salir, y alli
dentro se hazia vn entoldado
talamo[301] o teatro para que se
sentassen los juezes, y en cada
calle auia vn juego particular
dentro de aquellos palenques o
palestras. En vna calle auia lucha,
en otra esgrima, en otra danza y
bayle; en otra se jugauan virlos,
saltar, correr, tirar barra; y a todos
estos juegos y exerçiçios hauia
ricas joyas que se dauan al que
mejor se exercitasse por premio,
y ansi todos aqui venian a lleuar
el palio, o premio ricamente
vestidos[302] o disfraçados que
agradaban[303] mucho a los
miradores y adornauan la fiesta y
regocijo. En vna calle estaua
hecho vn palenque de mucho
más rico, hermoso y apazible
aparato que en todas las otras.
Estaua hecho vn seto con
muchos generos y diferencias de
arboles, flores y frutas, naranjos,
camuessos, çiruelas, guindas,
claveles, azuçenas, alelies, rosas,
violetas, marauillas y jazmines, y
todas las frutas colgauan de los
árboles que juzgaras ser allí
naturalmente nacidas[304]. Auia a
vna parte del palenque vn teatro
ricamente entoldado, y en él auia
vn estrado: debajo de vn dosel de
brocado estauan sentados Apolo
y Orfeo prinçipes de la musica de
bien contrahechos disfrazes.
Tenia el vno dellos en la mano
vna bihuela, que dezian auer sido
aquella que hubieron los
insulanos de Lesbos; que yua por
el mar haziendo con las olas muy
triste musica por la muerte de su
señor Orpheo quando le
despedaçaron las mujeres
griegas, y cortada la cabeça
juntamente con la vihuela la
echaron en el Negro Ponto, y las
aguas del mar la lleuaron hasta
Lesbos, y los insulanos la
pusieron en Delphos en el templo
de Apolo, y de alli la truxieron los
desta çiudad para esta fiesta y
desafio[305]. Ansi dezian estos
juezes que la darian por premio y
galardon al que mejor cantasse y
tañiesse en vna vihuela, por ser la
mas estimada joya que en el
mundo entre los musicos se podia
auer. En aquel tiempo estaua en
esta nuestra çiudad vn honbre
muy ambiçioso que se llamaba
Euangelista, el qual avnque era
mançebo de edad de treynta años
y de buena dispusiçion y rostro,
pero era muy mayor la presunçion
que de si tenia de passar en todo
a todos. Este despues que obo
andado todos los palenques y
palestras, y que en ninguno pudo
auer vitoria, ni en lucha, ni
esgrima, ni en otro alguno de
aquellos exerçiçios, acordó de se
vestir lo mas rico que pudo
ayudandose de ropas y joyas muy
preçiadas suyas y de sus amigos,
y cargando de collares y cadenas
su cuello y onbros, y de muchos y
muy estimados anillos sus dedos,
y procuró auer vna vihuela con
gran suma de dinero, la qual
lleuaua las clauijas de oro, y todo
el mastil y tapa labrada de vn
taraçe de piedras finas de
inestimable valor, y eran las
maderas del cedro del monte
Libano, y del ebano fino de la
insula Meroe, juntamente con las
costillas y cercos. Tenia por la
tapa junto a la puente y lazo
pintados del mesmo taraçe a
Apolo y Orpheo con sus vihuelas
en las manos de muy admirable
official que la labró. Era la vihuela
de tanto valor que no auia preçio
en que se pudiesse estimar. Este
como entró en el teatro, fue de
todos muy mirado, por el rico
aparato y atauio que traya.
Estaua todo el teatro lleno de
tapetes y estançias llenas de
damas y caualleros que auian
venido a ver diffinir aquella
preciosa joya en aquella fiesta
posponiendo su salud y su vida. Y
como le mandaron los juezes que
començase a tañer esperando dél
que lleuaria la ventaja al mesmo
Apolo que resuçitase. En fin, él
començo a tañer de tal manera
que a juizio razonable que no
fuese piedra pareçeria no saber
tocar las cuerdas mas que vn
asno! Y cuando vino a cantar
todos se mouieron a escarnio y
risa visto que la cançion era muy
fria y cantada sin algun arte,
gracia, y donayre de la musica.
Pues como los juezes le oyeron
cantar y tañer tan sin arte y orden
esperando dél el extremo de la
musica, hiriendole con vn palo y
con mucho baldon fue traydo por
el teatro diciendole vn pregonero
en alta voz grandes vituperios, y
fue mandado por los juezes estar
vilissimamente sentado en el
suelo con mucha inominia a vista
de todos hasta que fue
sentenciado el juizio, y luego
entro vn mançebo de razonable
disposiçion y edad, natural de vna
pequeña y baja aldea desta
nuestra çiudad, pobre, mal
vestido y peor atauiado en cabello
y apuesto. Este traya en la mano
una vihuela grosera y mal dolada
de pino y de otro palo comun, sin
polideza ni afeyte alguno. Tan
grosero en su representaçion que
a todos los que estauan en el
teatro mouio a risa y escarnio
juzgando que este tambien
pagaria con Euangelista su
atreuimiento y temeridad, y
puesto ante los juezes les
demandó en alta voz le oyessen,
y despues de auer oydo a
aquellos dos tan señalados
musicos en la vihuela Torres
Naruaez y Macotera, tan
nombrados en España que
admirablemente auian hecho su
deuer y obligacion, mandaron los
juezes que tañese este pobre
varon, que dixo auer por nombre
Tespin. El qual como començo a
tañer hazia hablar las cuerdas
con tanta exçelençia y melodia
que lleuaua los honbres bobos,
dormidos tras si; y a vna buelta de
consonancia los despertaua como
con vna vara. Tenia de voz vn
tenor admirable, el qual quando
començo a cantar no auia honbre
que no saliesse de si, porque era
la voz de admirable fuerça,
magestad y dulçor. Cantaba en
vna ingeniosa composicion de
metro castellano las batallas y
vitoria del Rey catolico Fernando
sobre el Reyno y çiudad de
Granada, y aquellos
razonamientos y auiso que pasó
con aquel antiguo moro
Auenamar, descripçion de
Alixares, alcazar y meschita. Los
juezes dieron por Tespin la
sentençia y vitoria, y le dieron la
joya del premio y trihunfo, y luego
voluiendose el pregonero á
Euangelista que estaua
miserablemente sentado en tierra
le dixo en alta voz: ves aqui, o
souerbio y ambiçioso Euangelista
qué te han aprouechado tus
anillos, vihuela dorada y ricos
atauios, pues por causa dellos
han aduertido todos los miradores
mas a tu temeridad, locura,
ambiçion y neçedad, quando por
sola la apariençia de tus riquezas
pensaste ganar el premio, no
sabiendo en la verdad cantar ni
tañer. Pues mentiste a ti y a todos
pensaste engañar serás infame
para siempre jamas por exemplo
del mentir, lleuando el premio el
pobre Tespin como musico de
verdad sin aparençia ni fiçion.
Esto te he contado, Miçilo, porque
me dixiste que con aparato de
palabras no pensasse dezirte
grandes mentiras, yo digo que te
prometo de no ser como este
musico Euangelista, que quiso
ganar el premio y joya con solo el
aparato y apariencia de su
hermosura y riqueza, con temor
que despues no solamente me
quites el comer que me prometes
por galardon, pero avn me des de
palos, y avn por mas te asegurar
te hago juramento solemne al
gran poder de dios; y,
Miçilo.—Calla, calla gallo,
oyeme,—dime, y no me
prometiste al prinçipio que
hablarias conmigo en toda
religion?
Gallo.—Pues en qué falto de la
promesa?
Miçilo.—En que con tanta fuerça
y behemencia juras a dios.
Gallo.—Pues no puedo jurar?
Miçilo.—Vnos clerigos santos
que andan en esta villa nos dizen
que no.
Gallo.—Dexate desos santones.
Opinion fue de vnos herejes
llamados Manicheos condenada
por conçilio, que dezian: que en
ninguna manera era liçito jurar.
Pero a mi pareçeme que es liçito
imitar a Dios, pues el juró por si
mesmo quando quiso hazer çierta
la promessa a habraan. Donde
dize San Pablo que no auia otro
mayor por quien jurasse Dios, que
lo jurara como juró por si, y en la
sagrada escriptura a cada passo
se hallan juramentos de profetas
y santos que juran por vida de
Dios[306], y el mesmo San Pablo
le jura con toda su santidad, que
dixo escriuiendo a los Galatas: si
por la gracia somos hijos de dios,
luego juro a dios que somos
herederos. Y hazia bien, porque
ninguno jura sino por el que más
ama, y por el que conoçe ser
mayor. Ansi dize el refran: quien
bien le jura, bien le cree. Pero
dexado esto, yo te prometo contar
cosas verdaderas y de admiraçion
con que sobrelleuando el trabajo
te deleyte y de plazer. Pues
venido al principio de mi ser tú
sabrás que como te he dicho yo
fue aquel gran filosofo Pythagoras
samio hijo de Menesarra, honbre
rico y de gran negoçio en la
mercaderia.
Miçilo.—Espera, gallo, que ya
me acuerdo, que yo he oydo dezir
dese sabio y santo filosofo, que
enseñó muchas buenas cosas a
los de su tiempo. Agora, pues,
dime, gallo, porque via dexando
de ser aquel filosofo veniste a ser
gallo, vn aue de tan poca estima y
valor?
Gallo.—Primero que viniesse a
ser gallo fue transformado en
otras diuersidades de animales y
gentes, entre las quales he sido
rana, y hombre bajo popular y
Rey.
Miçilo.—Y qué Rey fueste?
Gallo.—Yo fue Sardanapalo Rey
de los Medos mucho antes que
fuese Pithagoras.
Miçilo.—Agora me parece, gallo,
que me comienças a encantar, o
por mejor dezir a engañar, porque
comienças por vna cosa tan
repugnante y tan lejos de
verisimilitud para poderla creer.
Porque segun yo te he oydo y me
acuerdo, ese filosofo Pithagoras
fue el mas virtuoso hombre que
huuo en su tiempo. El qual por
aprender los secretos de la tierra
y del cielo se fue a Egipto con
aquellos sabios que alli auia en el
templo que entonces dezian
Sacerdotes de Jupiter Amon que
vibian en las Syrtes, y de alli se
vino a visitar los magos a
Babilonia, que era otro genero de
sabios, y al fin se voluio a la
ytalia, donde llegado a la ciudad
de Croton hallo que reinaua
mucho alli la luxuria, y el deleyte,
y el suntuoso comer y beber, de lo
qual los apartó con su buena
doctrina, y exemplo. Este hizo
admirables leyes de templança,
modestia y castidad, en las
quales mandó que ninguno
comiesse carne, por apartarlos de
la luxuria, y desta manera bastó
refrenarlos de los viçios y tambien
mandaua a sus discipulos que por
çinco años no hablassen, porque
conoçia el buen sabio quantos
males vengan en el mundo por el
hablar demassiado. ¡Quan
contrarias fueron estas dos cosas
a las costumbres y vida de
Sardanapalo Rey de los Medos,
del qual he oydo cosas tan
contrarias que me hazen creer
que finges por burlar de mi!
Porque he oydo dezir que fue el
mayor gloton y luxurioso que
huuo en sus tiempos, tanto que
señalaua premios a los inuentores
de guisados y comeres, y a los
que de nueuo le enseñasen
maneras de luxuriar, y ansi este
infeliz suçio mando poner en su
sepoltura estas palabras: aqui
yaze Sardanapalo, Rey de
Medos, hijo de Anazindaro: Come
honbre, bebe y juega, y
conociendo que eres mortal
satisfaz tu animo de los deleytes
presentes, porque despues no
hay de que puedas con alegria
gozar. Que ansi hize yo, y solo
me queda que comi y harté este
mi apetito de luxuria y deleyte, y
en fin todo se queda acá, y yo
resulto conuertido en poluo! Mira
pues, o gallo, qué manifiesta
contrariedad ay entre estos dos
por donde veo yo que me estimes
en poco pues tan claramente
propones cosa tan lexos de
verisimilitud. O parece que
descuydado en tu fingir
manifiestes la vanidad de tu
fiçion.
Gallo.—O quan pertinaz estás,
Miçilo, en tu incredulidad, ya no
sé con que juramentos ó palabras
te asegure para que me quieras
oyr. Quanto mas te admirarias si
te dixesse, que fue yo tambien en
vn tiempo aquel Emperador
Romano Heliogabalo, vn tan
disoluto gloton y vicioso en su
comer.
Miçilo.—O valame dios si verdad
es lo que me conto este dia
passado este nuestro vezino
Demophon, que dixo que lo hauia
leido en vn libro que dixo llamarse
Selua de varia leçion. Por cierto si
verdad es, y no lo finge aquel
auctor, argumento me es muy
claro de lo que presumo de ti,
porque en el viçio de comer y
beber y luxuriar excede avn a
Sardanapalo sin comparaçion.
Gallo.—De pocas cosas te
comienças a admirar, ó Miçilo y
de cosas faciles de entender te
comienças a alterar, y mueues
dubdas y objeçiones que causan
repunançia y perplegidad en tu
entendimiento. Lo qual todo naçe
de la poca esperiençia que tienes
de las cosas, y principalmente
proçede en ti esa tu confusion de
no ser ocupado hasta aqui en la
especulaçion de la filosofia,
donde se aprende y sabe la
naturaleza de las cosas. Donde si
tú te hubieras exercitado supieras
la rayz porque aborreci el deleyte
y luxuria siendo Pythagoras, y le
segui avn con tanto estudio
siendo Heliogabalo, o
Sardanapalo. No te fatigues agora
por saber el prinçipio de
naturaleza por donde proçeda
esta variedad de inclinaçion,
porque ni haze a tu proposito ni te
haze menester, ni nos deuemos
agora en esto ocupar. Solamente
por te dar manera de sabor y
graçia en el trabajar pretendo que
sepas como todo lo fue, y lo que
en cada estado passé, y
conocerás como de sabios y
neçios, ricos, pobres, reyes y
filosofos, el mejor estado y mas
seguro de los bayuenes de
fortuna tienes tú, y que entre
todos los hombres tú eres el mas
feliz.
Miçilo.—Que yo te parezco el
mas bien auenturado honbre de
los que has visto, o gallo? Por
çierto yo pienso que burlas pues
no veo en mi porqué. Pero quiero
dexar de estorbar el discurso de
tu admirable narracion con mis
perplexos argumentos, y bastame
gozar del deleyte que espero
reçebir de tu graçioso cuento para
el passo de mi miserable vida
sola y trabajada, que si como tú
dizes, otro más misero y
trabajado ay que yo en el mundo
respecto del qual yo me puedo
dezir bienauenturado, yo concluyo
que en el mundo no ay que
desear. Agora pues el tiempo se
nos va, comiençame a contar
desde que fueste Pythagoras lo
que passaste en cada estado y
naturaleza, porque
neçesariamente en tanta
diuersidad de formas y variedad
de tiempos te deuyeron de
aconteçer, y visto cosas y cuentos
dignos de oyr. Agora dexadas
otras cosas muchas aparte yo te
ruego que me digas como te
suçedio la muerte siendo
Heliogabalo, y en qué estado y
forma sucediste despues, y de ay
me contarás tu vida hasta la que
agora possees de gallo que lo
deseo en particular oyr.
Gallo.—Tú sabras, cómo ya
dizes que oyste a Demophon, que
como yo fuesse tan viçioso y de
tan luxuriosa inclinaçion, siguio la
muerte al mi muy más continuo
vso de viuir. Porque de todos fue
aborreçido por mi suçio comer y
luxuriar, y ansi vn dia acabando
en todo deleyte de comer y beber
esplendidamente, me retray a vna
privada a purgar mi vientre que
con grande instançia me aquexó
la gran repleçion de yrle a baçiar.
En el qual lugar entraron dos mis
mas pribados familiares, y por
estar ya enhastiados de mis viçios
y vida suçia, con mano armada
me començaron a herir hasta que
me mataron, y despues avn se
me huvo de dar mi conueniente
sepoltura por cumplido galardon,
que me echaron el cuerpo en
aquella privada donde estuve
abscondido mucho tiempo que no
me hallaron, hasta que fue a salir
al Tibre entre las inmundiçias y
suçiedades que uienen por el
comun conducto de la çiudad. Y
ansi sabras, que dexando mi
cuerpo caydo alli, salida mi ánima
se fue a lançar en el vientre de
una fiera y muy valiente puerca
que en los montes de Armenia
estaua preñada de seys lechones,
y yo vine a salir en el prímero que
pario.
Miçilo.—O valame Dios; yo
sueño lo que oyo? Que de honbre
veniste a ser puerco, tan suçio y
tan bruto animal? No puedo
disimular admiraçion quando veo
que tiene naturaleza formadas
criaturas como tú que en
esperiençia y conocimiento llena
ventaja a mi inhabilidad tan sin
comparacion. Ya me voy
desengañando de mi ceguedad, y
voy conociendo de tu mucho
saber lo poco que soy. Y ansi de
oy más me quiero someter a tu
disçiplina, como veo que tiene
tanta muestra de deidad.
Gallo.—Y este tienes, Miçilo, por
caso de admiracion? Pues menos
podrias creer que aurá alguno
que juntamente sea honbre y
puerco, y avn pluguiesse a dios
no fuesse peor y mas vil. Que avn
la naturaleza del puerco no es la
peor.
Miçilo.—Pues cómo y puede
auer algun animal mas torpe y
suçio que el?