Construction Project Management

Abstract

Many books have been written on project management and there are two approaches to it. One deals mainly with the tools and techniques of project management and provides instruction on what they are and how to use them. The other approach takes a managerial viewpoint and is concerned more with the context and the way in which decisions are made and the tools which are most appropriate in that situation. This book is more allied to the managerial approach, analysing how techniques have been applied in traditional and best practice and synthesising additional guidance on evaluating contextual factors, which make the projects unique. In construction in particular, there is a long history of project management and standard systems have been set up which have become comfortable, but have not always produced the best value for the client. Every project is different and has at least a unique location, and due to the time and budget constraints the final product is an untested prototype, which has been subject to continuing design variations. Therefore, at first, it is a particular challenge to an industry that has not standardised its products. The industry is also quite fragmented with inexperienced clients and separate design and construction organisations. The supply chain can often be quite long with some detailed design provided at a second and third tier contract level, with little direct labour provided by the main contractor. This presents additional challenges to the construction project manager who needs to co-ordinate the design and construction sides and make decisions based on the promises of others. In addition to this the profitability of contractors has been low; there is a high turnover of construction business and many consultants are on low remuneration. It is a particular challenge to deliver to the tight time, cost and quality targets that are set by most of the clients. In response, construction has had to adopt a much more client-orientated view. This view allows alternative procurement strategies, where design and construction are much more