LESSON 1

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION
A project is composed of jobs, activities, functions or tasks that are related one to the
other in some manner, and all of these should be completed in order to complete the
project. Every project has one specific purpose: it starts at some specific moment and
it is finished when the objectives have been fulfilled.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Project management is the practice of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and

closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria
at the specified time. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of
the project goals within the given constraints.

For completion of a project, two basic things are required:

i) Material resources,
ii) Manpower resources.

OBJECTIVES

Each project, whether big or small has three objectives:

i) The project should be completed be with a minimum of elapsed time.
ii) It should use available manpower and other resources as sparingly as possible,
without delay.
iii) It should be completed with a minimum of capital investment, without delay.

PHASES OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Project management involves the following three phases

i) Project planning
ii) Project schedule
iii) Project controlling.

1
Project Planning:

Scheduling:

and semmetric manner.

Controlling:

PROJECT LIFE CYCLE

The project life cycle may be viewed as a process through which a project is
implemented from beginning to end. This process is often very complex; however, it
can be decomposed into several stages/phases.


Preconstruction stage


Procurement stage (Bidding and award stage)


Construction stage

Closeout stage

2
The solutions at various stages are then integrated to obtain the final outcome. Although each
stage requires different expertise, it usually includes both technical and managerial activities
in the knowledge domain of the specialist.

Preconstruction stage
The preconstruction phase of a project can be broken into conceptual planning, schematic
design, design development, and contract documents.

Conceptual design:
- Very important for the owner.
- During this stage the owner hires key consultants including the designer and project
manager, selects the project site, and establish a conceptual estimate, schedule, and program.
- The owner must gather as much information as possible about the project.
- The most important decision is to proceed with the project or not.

Schematic design:
- During this stage, the project team investigates alternate design solutions, materials and
systems.
- Completion of this stage represents about 30% of the design completion for the project.
- Designing the main systems and components of the project.
- Good communication between owner, designer, and construction manager is critical during
this stage because selections during this design stage affect project appearance, construction
and cost.
- This stage takes the project from 30% design to 60% design.

Contract documents:
- Final preparation of the documents necessary for the bid package such as the drawings,
specifications, general conditions, and bill of quantities.
- All documents need to be closely reviewed by the construction manager and appropriate
owner personnel to decrease conflicts, and changes.
- With the contract documents are almost complete; a detailed and complete cost estimate for
the project can be done.

3
Procurement Stage (Bidding and award stage)
- The project formally transits from design into construction.
- This stage begins with a public advertisement for all interested bidders or an invitation for
specific bidders.
- In fast-track projects, this stage overlaps with the design stage.
- If the project is phased, each work package will be advertised and bid out individually.
- It is very important stage to select highly qualified contractors. It is not wise to select the
under-bid contractors.

Construction stage
- The actual physical construction of the project stage.
- This stage takes the project from procurement through the final completion.
- It is the time where the bulk of the owner’s funds will be spent.
- It is the outcome of all previous stages (i.e., good preparation means smooth construction).
- The consultant will be deployed for contract administration and construction supervision.
- Changes during construction may hinder the progress of the project.

Closeout stage
- Transition from design and construction to the actual use of the constructed facility.
- In this stage, the management team must provide documentation, shop drawings, as-built
drawings, and operation manuals to the owner organization.
- The as-built drawings are the original contract drawings adjusted to reflect all the changes
that occurred.
- Assessment of the project team’s performance is crucial in this stage for avoiding mistakes
in the future.
- Actual activity costs and durations should be recorded and compared with that was planned.
This updated costs and durations will serve as the basis for the estimating and scheduling of
future projects.

THE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS

The Project Manager: The project manager is the individual charged with the overall
coordination of the entire construction program for the owner. These include planning,
design, procurement, and construction. Among his/her duties:

- Clear definitions of the goals of the project.

4
- Investigate alternative solutions for the problems.
- Develop a detailed plan to make the selected program reality.
- Implement the plan and control the project.

Architect: An architect is an individual who plans and design buildings and their associated
landscaping. Architects mostly rely on consulting engineers for structural, electrical, and
mechanical work.

Engineer: The term engineer usually refers to an individual or a firm engaged in the design or
other work associated with the design or construction. Design engineers are usually classified
as civil, electrical, mechanical depending upon their specialty. There are also scheduling,
estimating, cost, and construction engineers.

Engineering-Construction Firm: An engineering-construction firm is a type of organization

the combines both architect/engineering and construction contracting. This type of company
has the ability of executing a complete design-build sequence.

Owner/Client

Project Manager

Consultant Contractor

Architect Engineer Site Engineer

Foreman

Workers

Figure: Project Team Hierarchy (Small to Medium project)

5
CONFLICT & CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Conflict is an inevitable and unavoidable part of our everyday professional and personal
lives.
Conflict management is the process of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while
increasing the positive aspects of conflict.
The aim of conflict management is to enhance learning and group outcomes, including
effectiveness or performance in an organizational setting.

CAUSES OF CONFLICT

Misunderstanding

Personality clashes

Competition for resources

Authority issues

Lack of cooperation

Differences over methods or style

Low performance

Value or goal differences

Assumptions about, Causes of and Value of Conflict

Causes of Conflict What Does It Mean? What is the
Value to You?
Misunderstanding When individuals do not hear what is being said?.
Personality When individuals do not value “people just like me”.
Clashes
Competition for When employees believe they are better off competing
resources for resources rather than cooperating.

Authority Issues When employees lack confidence in their leaders or

perceive overuse of authority.

Lack of When one person does not share information with the
cooperation whole group.
Differences over When agreement does not exist on standard ways of
completing a task.
methods or style
Low performance When individuals are not working to their potential.

Value or goal When individuals value different outcomes or

objectives.
differences

6
CONFLICT: CONSTRUCTIVE VS DESTRUCTIVE
Conflict is destructive when it:
— Diverts energy from more important issues and tasks.
— Deepens differences in values.
— Polarizes groups so that cooperation is reduced.
— Destroys the morale of people or reinforces poor self- concepts.

Conflict is constructive when it:

— Opens up issues of importance, resulting in issue clarification.
— Helps build cohesiveness as people learn more about each other.
— Causes reassessment by allowing for examination of procedures or actions.
— Increases individual involvement.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES

— Forcing conflict style: user attempts to resolve conflict by using aggressive
behavior.
— Avoiding conflict style: user attempts to passively ignore the conflict rather
than resolve it.
— Accommodating conflict style: user attempts to resolve the conflict by
passively giving in to the other party.
— Compromising conflict style: user attempts to resolve the conflict through
assertive give-and-take concessions.
— Collaborating conflict style: user assertively attempts to jointly resolve the
conflict with the best solution agreeable to all parties.

SOME TIPS FOR MINIMISING WORKPLACE CONFLICT

— Build good relationships before conflict occurs
— Do not let small problems escalate; deal with them as they arise
— Respect differences
— Listen to others’ perspectives on the conflict situation
— Acknowledge feelings before focussing on facts
— Focus on solving problems, not changing people
— If you can’t resolve the problem, turn to someone who can help
— Remember to adapt your style to the situation and persons involved

7
Questions:
1. What is project management and write the objectives of project management?
2. Describe the phases of project management.
3. What do you mean by project planning and project schedule?
Or, Write short note on project planning and project schedule.
4. What is mean project controlling?
Or, Write short note on project controlling.

5. Describe briefly/shortly the stages of project life cycle.

6. Describe the stages of preconstruction stage/phase of project life cycle.
7. What are the roles of Project Manager, Engineer, and Architect?
8. Draw the flow chart project team Hierarchy.
9. What is conflict management? Why conflict occurs?
10. When Conflict can be constructive and destructive?
11. What are the styles for managing workplace conflict?
12. What are the tips for minimizing workplace conflict?