Components, considerations, and best practices in construction project management

Construction Project Management

The focus of this short review is construction project management and will include the components and considerations of construction project management, the role of the project management as well as other pertinent and relevant information concerning construction project management.

Components and Considerations of Construction Project Management

Clough, Sears and Sears (1998) write in the work entitled: "Construction Project Management" that construction projects are "intricate, time-consuming undertaking. The total development of a project normally consists of several phases requiring a diverse range of specialized services." (p.2) Construction project management in its progression from the initial planning through the completion of the project is stated to pass through "successive and distinct stages that demand input from such disparate areas as financial organizations, governmental agencies, engineers, architects, lawyers insurance and surety companies, contractors, material manufacturers and suppliers, and building tradesmen." (Clough, Sears and Sears, 1998, p.2)

The construction process is one that involves "many skills, materials and literally hundreds of different operations" and this is true even in projects that are of a "modest proportion." (Clough, Sears and Sears, 1998, p.2) Inclusive in the construction process are consideration of a "natural order of events that constitutes a complicated pattern of individual time requirements and restrictive sequential relationships among the structure's many segments." (Clough, Sears and Sears, 1998, p.2)

Clough, Sears and Sears (1998) state that each construction project is "to some degree...unique" as "each structure is tailored to suits its environment, arranged to perform its own particular function, and designed to reflect personal tastes and preferences." (p.2) in addition it is reported that the construction process "is subject to the influence of highly variable and sometimes unpredictable factors." (Clough, Sears and Sears, 1998, p.2)

II. Best Practices

Best practices are an integral part of each process within the construction project under management focus in this study. For example project management in general requires a focus on resources for implementation of projects, cost- estimating and -- management. Scheduling, tracking of performance and compliance to regulations and the following stated categories within the realm of what is termed to be 'best practices' or the optimal method of construction project management acknowledged among professionals in construction project management.

A. Equipment and Tools

In project construction management and specifically in the area of 'tools and equipment' considerations include such as:

1. specifications;

2. Management resources;

3. rentals

4. online auctions;

5. sales;

6. manufacturers;

7. Dealers;

8. Parts; and

9. technology. (CareerBuilder.com, 2010)

B. Building Information Modeling

In the area of Building Information Modeling the following are stated to be integral components in what is considered to be best practice:

1. Interoperability;

2. Integrated Project Delivery;

3. CAD;

4. 3D,

5. 4D,

6. BIM,

7. buildingSMART, and

8. Project Lifecycle Management. (CareerBuilder.com, 2010)

C. E-Commerce Tools

Included in the stated tools for e-commerce are those as follows:

1. project management;

2. project implementation;

3. design and collaboration;

4. facility management;

5. procurement;

6. personnel management;

7. training;

8. bid solicitation; and

9. information management. (CareerBuilder.com, 2010)

IV. Effective Controls

The work of Hughes (1991) states in the work entitled: "Effective Control of Construction Projects" that at the level of the project "the task environment...has five facets...each of which is a microcosm of its counterpart in the general environment. The economic environment impinges upon the project in terms of the financial plans and targets. Although economics is a much wider issue than finance, this is the dominant effect. Similarly, in terms of the way in which people and power groups interact, the political environment is evident in the policy of the client and project teams." (p.1)

Therefore, policy is primarily a result of "the general policy environment. The physical environment dictates what is technologically possible, and in this way, the technological task environment is a consequence of the general physical environment. The social environment at the general level sets the parameters within which people form groups. In this way society is manifested in the legal institutions it establishes, and the way in which the construction professions have become institutionalized is part of this process." (Hughes, 1991, p.1)

The legal framework is that of common law, statutes and contractual relations and is the method chosen by society for self-government. Lastly the cultural environment is "...manifest in the aesthetic expression that people choose. The expressions of faith represented by religious buildings or of endeavor represented by some commercial buildings are aesthetic manifestations of cultural attitudes." (Hughes, 1991, p.1) the two levels of environmental influence or the general and task environments are shown in the following table labeled Figure 3.

Figure 3

General and Task Environments

General environment vs.

Task environment

Cultural

vs

Aesthetic

Economic

vs

Financial

Political

vs

Policy

Social

vs

Legal/Institutional

Physical

vs

Technological

Source: Hughes (1991)

Hughes writes that the relationships between the two levels of the environment is not exclusive in nature as there are "...many links and each facet of the general environment...connected to each facet of the task environment." (1991, p.1) Burns and Stalker (1966) relates that work management and control "takes place at the boundary between the operating system and its environment." (in Hughes, 1991, p.1) Hughes states that there are five aspects of control in relationship to the environment as follows:

1. Cost control - the cost plan must be framed by reference to the financial environment of the project. (in its turn, the financial environment must be understood with reference to the wider economic situation.) Cost control is the activity which compares cost performance against the cost plan, adjusting one or the other dynamically by reference to the changing circumstances in the project's financial environment. (Hughes, 1991, p.1)

2. Time Control -. Timing is influenced by many environmental factors, but the client's attitude to the timing of the project is an issue of policy. Therefore, when considering time, the policy of the client needs to be unambiguous. (Hughes, 1991, p.1)

3. Functional Control - the physical environment dictates the technology which is available. Technology includes the physical resources being utilized in the provisions of the built facility. This also ties in the ecological issues about the effect that the construction project has upon the physical environment. In terms of a control system, it is functional control which forms the strongest link here. The function of the building, and its parts, is a direct result of the technological task environment. This environmental factor is concerned not only with the technology of construction, but also the technology of the client's organization. Therefore, the function of the building, and the way in which the client's requirements are achieved, are essential elements of functional control. (Hughes, 1991, p.1)

4. Conflict Control - the legal environment influences the development, or avoidance, of conflict. The control of conflict is an essential part of project management, but is often neglected. There seems to be unwillingness by many people to even consider conflict; almost as if they were being asked to contemplate divorce when planning a marriage! However, construction projects are not marriages, and the purpose of contracts and conditions of engagement is to make clear and unambiguous enforceable promises. A certain amount of conflict between the members of the team is a healthy source of new ideas. Therefore, just like cost, it needs to be controlled, not eliminated. (Hughes, 1991, p.1)

5. Quality control - the aesthetic environment is a particularly subjective aspect. As such, previous studies have tended to avoid dealing with it. If a model is to be widely applicable, it cannot consist only of objective phenomena. There are two aspects to the definition of quality. First, it is a word used to describe the characteristics that something or someone has. It is this sense that has been used by quality assurance schemes, where it refers to characteristics which can be specified and quantified. The second meaning of quality refers to a subjective reaction to something which is good. This is a lot more difficult to define, and very difficult to control or assure. The quality that something has when it is good does not reside in its measurable characteristics. (Hughes, 1991, p.1)

Summary and Conclusion

Construction project management requires a diversity of management skills and involves many processes all that must be viewed in relationship to the environment of the construction project. This work has identified best practice areas for construction project management as well as the necessary controls to ensure effectiveness and quality in the outcome of the construction project. As noted in this study construction projects are complex and time-consuming and involve many aspects of management including management of time, resources, and labor. There are several environmental considerations that must be addressed in construction project management including those of cultural, economic, political, social and physical environmental considerations.

Lastly, communication in and among construction project managers and other individuals involved in the construction project cannot be emphasized enough due to its integral importance in ensuring that the project is completely effectively and timely. These communications take place within each initiative of the construction project and at every level of project management, administration and labor during the various phases of the construction project.