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Contents
1.1 Introduction
1.2 The history of project management
1.3 The nature of project management
1.4 The project management standards
1.5 BS 6079 Guide to project management
1.6 The role of the construction related project manager
1.7 Summary
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1.1 Introduction
Learning outcomes from this unit
This unit is intended to introduce you to the main concept and philosophy of project
management, the use and purpose of the main project management standards, the role
and contribution of a construction clients professional project manager.
By the time you have finished Unit 1, you should be familiar with:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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orientated management principles throughout the life of the project. The CIOB assert
that project management processes can be applied to all construction projects but that
for smaller or less complex projects the role may well be combined with another
discipline e.g. the design team leader.
Projects have been defined by a number of authors but in general they can be said to
contain some or all of the following characteristics,
a project is a unique undertaking: each one will differ from every other in
some respect
projects have specific objectives (or goals) to be achieved
projects require resources
projects have budgets
projects have time schedules
projects require the effort of people
measures of quality will apply
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What is clear is that project management and the application of its tools and
techniques have moved progressively from concentration upon the problems apparent
at the execution or tail end of a project towards problems found at the front end ..
from downstream to upstream... and as such project management in construction
now needs to engage in the whole process that starts from project inception and
continues with many interactions with differing organisations to conclude with the
commissioning and operation of the completed built environment asset.
The Construction Industry Council (2000) defined the nature of project management
in the construction industry as being concerned with
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project being led by built environment professionals who are concerned with their
own discipline related issues as well as the delivery of successful project
management. It is asserted that this traditional approach causes conflicts to appear in
the service such professionals offer to their clients. The use of project management
processes and the appointment of a project manager, with no specific discipline
related skills other than general project management skills, can combat this problem
of sentience. Also as the project management process identifies the project manager
as the person with single point responsibility for project success then clients can
assess project performance on a more transparent basis.
Traditionally, there has been no real standardisation of practice for professional
consultants. There have been the professional bodies and their codes of conduct, but
there has never been any real attempt to standardise how projects are set up and
managed or what cost control systems are used and so on. Project management
attempts to address some of these restrictions.
It is about using fully trained project management professionals to run projects, rather
than designers acting as managers. It is about managing the project from inception to
operation (and even decommissioning in some cases) through an agreed and complete
project lifecycle. Project management is about providing a specialist who can provide
combined time, cost and quality control, using national and international standards of
professional practice. It replaces the traditional diversified project teams led by a
designer acting as a manager, with a coherent project team led by a professional
project manager.
The objective of project management may be defined as the successful completion of
the project, on time, within cost and to the required standards of performance in the
context of sustainability and within the constraints of consideration for health and
safety for project participants and other stakeholders.
Given the wider role of construction related project management it is necessary to
consider the following issues so as to ensure that project success can be achieved .
For instance consider,
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
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(viii)
(ix)
(x)
(xi)
Burke (2003, p.10) details the benefits of project management and students are
referred to that source for an extensive list of potential benefits of construction
project management over more conventional methods of construction project
delivery.
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Given the above it can be seen that the material in this module cannot cover the full
range of topics addressed in project management processes and so the student needs
to appreciate that the module addresses only the core areas of project management
processes as applied in typical construction projects. The student is recommended to
access the current APM Book of Knowledge and become familiar with the
standardised generic processes advocated there for the management of projects in
general. The approach advocated in BS 6079 is the approach that underpins the
material and its consideration in the rest of this module.
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has performed in relation to the fees that have been paid. At present, this is not
possible because of the levels of information in the system, and the difficulties
involved in being able to isolate individual performance characteristics when there are
so few constants.
BS 6079 attempts to address this problem, at least in part. The standard establishes a
standard generic project plan that is applied to all projects. An agricultural project
would therefore be set up in exactly the same way as a construction project. The
PMP/PEP is a master plan that develops the details of the strategic stages of a projects
lifecycle and provides a baseline for anticipated costs and time /programme against
which the consequences of changes can be evaluated. The PMP/PEP is also a control
document that addresses organisations, support processes, environmental, health and
safety systems. A preliminary PMP/PEP can be prepared as part of the assessment of
a projects business case. Once authority has been given to go ahead with the project
then the PMP/PEP can be expanded to match the level of emergent project
information. The PMP/PEP can be produced in draft form as part of the project
scope management process and in final form as an action planning/taking document
once the client or project sponsor has given final approval for the project to proceed.
The PMP/PEP is a live document that is subjected to revisions as the project itself
develops. Nonetheless it is a key strategic planning tool and it usually contains a
number of core aspects such as a statement of works (SOW), a procurement strategy,
an organisational breakdown structure (OBS), a work breakdown structure (WBS), a
task responsibility matrix (TRM), and a programme for the works.
BS 6079 is an important document, but the sections on the recommended format for
the PMP are extremely important. The following are the main sections of a basic
PMP/PEP indicated by BS6079, namely
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
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In summary the PMP/PEP will identify significant project milestones such as,
The amount of physical and financial resources needed for the project
The resources for the design need to be identified, obtained and a design
generated and approved
The resources for the production of the project need to be identified, obtained
and managed to construct, commission and pay for the project
A more detailed consideration of the contents and sections within a strategic
PMP/PEP is provided in the next section of this module.
1.
2.
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1. Site selection
3. Agency, valuation & funding
5. Other consultant appointments
7. Reporting and meetings
9. Capital budgeting
The role of the project manager is addressed in detail in Chapter 3 of Meredith and
Mantels book p.107-133.
The project manager and the project environment
The project environment is the context within which the idea and reality of the project
are achieved and developed. It includes everything around the project that could
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influence it, including: economic climate, labour market, investment levels, political
factors, levels of economic activity, legal etc.
Each of these factors will have some influence on the project at each stage. For
example, the finance available and interest rates may well influence the size and scope
of the project, and the way in which it develops. External or environmental factors
may necessitate design cuts or savings in the later stages etc. The project manager has
to be aware of all environmental factors and the ways in which they can affect the
project. The project manager has to have wide general knowledge covering subjects
outside the area of management specialism.
The project manager therefore needs to have a reasonable understanding of the current
economic, political and environmental issues and how these affect the project,
together with any social, legal or aesthetic influences that may have an effect. Again,
it is preferable if the project manager has this knowledge and experience in relation to
more than one industry.
In construction project teams, the main players are likely to be:
Project Manager
Increasingly, the project manager is specifically qualified and experienced in project
management. (S)he is in charge of the project team and is responsible for the
successful conclusion of the project. BS6079 indicates that the project manager is the
individual with the responsibility for managing the project to specific objectives. A
professional consultant project manager can manage the project on behalf of the client
from inception to completion and occupation.
Architect
The architect does the main design work. (S)he is usually a professionally qualified
member of The Royal Institution of British Architects (RIBA) in the UK, and
produces the design drawings and schedules up to the award of the contract. Then
variation or change orders are issued (in some cases) and the architect is responsible
for inspections etc right through the construction phase.
Engineer
Engineers design civil, structural or services works. They are usually professionally
qualified and, in the UK, are members of The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) or
members of The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). They
undertake engineering design work and, like the architect, produce additional designs
for variation orders, carrying out on site inspections as required by their contract.
Quantity Surveyor
The quantity surveyor (QS) is responsible for cost planning and control (cost
management). He or she is usually professionally qualified and in the UK is a member
of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The surveyor monitors the
cost of the design as it develops, providing revised estimates. The QS prepares the
bills of quantities and issues them to tendering contractors. The QS checks the priced
bills and recommends on the award of contract, then monitors expenditure through the
construction phase, agreeing interim payments right through to the settlement of the
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final account. Quantity surveyors can also work for contracting organisations to cost
plan, procure sub contractors and prepare payment claims.
Construction Managers
The construction managers are usually employed by contracting organisations and
they are responsible for the production of the construction project on the site. They
may be responsible for the entire project or they may be responsible for parts or
sections of the project. The construction managers are professional people who are
usually members of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Increasingly the
construction managers are responsible for planning and programming the works and
liaising with the domestic and nominated sub contractors who are employed to
undertake specified sections of the project.
Project Sponsor BS6079 indicates that this is an individual or body for whom the
project is undertaken and who is the main risk taker. The project sponsor can be
thought of as the client organisation(s) although the project sponsor can also be the
individual representing the client organisation/sponsoring body and to whom the
project manager reports.
Stakeholders of the project are those who have the potential to influence the course
of a project. They can be members of the project team and so be the direct parties to a
contract. Stakeholders can also be indirect in that they are part of the community in
which the project is situated. The statutory/planning system in place in the project
location can also be indirect stakeholders in that they can have influence over the
project.
Others
Individual teams may involve other specialists such as building surveyors, who are
usually members of the RICS and who are concerned with altering and refurbishing
existing buildings, a services co-ordinator (on complex services projects) and a CDM
Coordinator (CDM regulations, 2007).
1.6 Summary
This unit has introduced the main concepts of project management in the context of
construction projects. The unit has considered the contents and uses of the project
management standards (APM, PMI, RICS, CIOB and BS 6079), their uses and
purposes, the problem of sentience in construction project management, and the role
and contribution of the clients project manager as well as other members of a
construction project team.
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manager.
3. Consider project management and general management and set out
the major differences between the two concepts.
4. An international banking organisation is the client for a large, complex,
commercial city centre refurbishment project and it is unsure about
using consultant project managers as the lead consultants for this
project. Make the case for a project management consultancy rather
any other type of consultancy to be appointed as the lead consultant
for the project.
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