Construction management – IX

Assignment 3
Sanchita Jha
Gcad/15/127
Section A

Q) What is project life cycle? Explain different phase of construction management of the project.
A project life cycle is the sequence of phases that a project goes through from its initiation to its closure.
The number and sequence of the cycle are determined by the management and various other factors
like needs of the organization involved in the project, the nature of the project, and its area of
application. The phases have a definite start, end, and control point and are constrained by time. The
project lifecycle can be defined and modified as per the needs and aspects of the organization. Even
though every project has a definite start and end, the particular objectives, deliverables, and activities
vary widely. The lifecycle provides the basic foundation of the actions that has to be performed in the
project, irrespective of the specific work involved.

Project life cycles can range from predictive or plan-driven approaches to adaptive or change-driven
approaches. In a predictive life cycle, the specifics are defined at the start of the project, and any
alterations to scope are carefully addressed. In an adaptive life cycle, the product is developed over
multiple iterations, and detailed scope is defined for iteration only as the iteration begins.

The Project Management Life Cycle has four phases: Initiation, Planning, Execution and Closure.
1. The Initiation Phase: Starting of the project

2. The Planning Phase: Organizing and Preparing

3. The Execution Phase: Carrying out the project

4. The Termination Phase: Closing the project

 1. The Initiation Phase: The initiation phase aims to define and authorize the project. The project
manager takes the given information and creates a Project Charter. The Project Charter
authorizes the project and documents the primary requirements for the project. It includes
information such as:

 Project’s purpose, vision, and mission

 Measurable objectives and success criteria

 Elaborated project description, conditions, and risks

 Name and authority of the project sponsor

 Concerned stakeholders

2. The Planning Phase: The purpose of this phase is to lay down a detailed strategy of how the
project has to be performed and how to make it a success.

Project Planning consists of two parts:

 Strategic Planning

 Implementation Planning

In strategic planning, the overall approach to the project is developed. In implementation planning, the
ways to apply those decisions are sought.

3. The Execution Phase: In this phase, the decisions and activities defined during the planning
phase are implemented. During this phase, the project manager has to supervise the project and
prevent any errors from taking place. This process is also termed as monitoring and controlling.
After satisfaction from the customer, sponsor, and stakeholder’s end, he takes the process to
the next step.

4. The Termination Phase: This is the last phase of any project, and it marks the official closure of
the project.

Example: Project Phases on a Large Multinational Project

A U.S. construction company won a contract to design and build the first copper mine in northern
Argentina. There was no existing infrastructure for either the mining industry or large
construction projects in this part of South America. During the initiation phase of the project, the
project manager focused on defining and finding a project leadership team with the knowledge,
skills, and experience to manage a large complex project in a remote area of the globe. The
project team set up three offices. One was in Chile, where large mining construction project
infrastructure existed. The other two were in Argentina. One was in Buenos Aries to establish
relationships and Argentinian expertise, and the second was in Catamarca—the largest town
close to the mine site. With offices in place, the project start-up team began developing
procedures for getting work done, acquiring the appropriate permits, and developing relationships
with Chilean and Argentine partners.

During the planning phase, the project team developed an integrated project schedule that
coordinated the activities of the design, procurement, and construction teams. The project
controls team also developed a detailed budget that enabled the project team to track project
expenditures against the expected expenses. The project design team built on the conceptual
design and developed detailed drawings for use by the procurement team. The procurement team
used the drawings to begin ordering equipment and materials for the construction team; develop
labor projections; refine the construction schedule; and set up the construction site. Although
planning is a never-ending process on a project, the planning phase focused on developing
sufficient details to allow various parts of the project team to coordinate their work and allow the
project management team to make priority decisions.

The implementation phase represents the work done to meet the requirements of the scope of
work and fulfill the charter. During the implementation phase, the project team accomplished the
work defined in the plan and made adjustments when the project factors changed. Equipment and
materials were delivered to the work site, labor was hired and trained, a construction site was
built, and all the construction activities, from the arrival of the first dozer to the installation of the
final light switch, were accomplished.

The closeout phase included turning over the newly constructed plant to the operations team of
the client. A punch list of a few remaining construction items was developed and those items
completed. The office in Catamarca was closed, the office in Buenos Aries archived all the
project documents, and the Chilean office was already working on the next project. The
accounting books were reconciled and closed, final reports written and distributed, and the
project manager started on a new project.