Construction Management: Project Management Basics

Project Management Defined

• Project management involves applying knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet project requirements.
• Resources managed include manpower, machinery, materials, and finances.
• Projects aim to fulfill specified scopes within constraints of cost and time while managing associated risks.
• Success is defined by achieving both quantitative and qualitative objectives.

Construction Contractors

• Contractors, also called constructors, supervise construction project execution.
• General contractors oversee overall coordination; specialty contractors focus on specific trades, e.g., mechanical or electrical work.
• Material and equipment suppliers often serve as installation contractors, vital for project quality, cost, and completion timeliness.

Tools and Techniques of Management: Gantt Charts

• Gantt charts, created by Henry Gantt, are horizontal bar charts used to plan and schedule projects.
• Known for simplicity, they are widely used for initial planning, transitioning to PERT and CPM for deeper analysis.
• They facilitate project timeline creation; interactive online versions allow task adjustments and linking dependent tasks.

Tools and Techniques of Management: PERT and CPM

• PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) and CPM (Critical Path Method) are control tools utilized in construction management.
• These techniques help define project components and structure them in a network, highlighting operations critical to project completion.
• PERT/CPM aids in expediting projects while managing costs effectively, minimizing unnecessary overtime expenses.

Benefits of PERT/CPM

• Provides time leeway or "float" for non-critical operations, allowing project managers flexibility in planning.
• Establishes scheduling boundaries with options for reallocating resources to meet deadlines.
• Indicates earliest starting dates for tasks and subcontractor material supply, optimizing overall project scheduling.
• Aids in analyzing time and cost implications when adjusting methods, equipment, or crew.

Impact of Change Orders

• PERT/CPM facilitates re-scheduling in response to change orders while limiting cost increases.
• Revised critical path schedules help clarify payment claims and agreements between owners and contractors regarding contract extensions.

Project Management Defined

• Project management involves applying knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet project requirements.
• Resources managed include manpower, machinery, materials, and finances.
• Projects aim to fulfill specified scopes within constraints of cost and time while managing associated risks.
• Success is defined by achieving both quantitative and qualitative objectives.

Construction Contractors

• Contractors, also called constructors, supervise construction project execution.
• General contractors oversee overall coordination; specialty contractors focus on specific trades, e.g., mechanical or electrical work.
• Material and equipment suppliers often serve as installation contractors, vital for project quality, cost, and completion timeliness.

Tools and Techniques of Management: Gantt Charts

• Gantt charts, created by Henry Gantt, are horizontal bar charts used to plan and schedule projects.
• Known for simplicity, they are widely used for initial planning, transitioning to PERT and CPM for deeper analysis.
• They facilitate project timeline creation; interactive online versions allow task adjustments and linking dependent tasks.

Tools and Techniques of Management: PERT and CPM

• PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) and CPM (Critical Path Method) are control tools utilized in construction management.
• These techniques help define project components and structure them in a network, highlighting operations critical to project completion.
• PERT/CPM aids in expediting projects while managing costs effectively, minimizing unnecessary overtime expenses.

Benefits of PERT/CPM

• Provides time leeway or "float" for non-critical operations, allowing project managers flexibility in planning.
• Establishes scheduling boundaries with options for reallocating resources to meet deadlines.
• Indicates earliest starting dates for tasks and subcontractor material supply, optimizing overall project scheduling.
• Aids in analyzing time and cost implications when adjusting methods, equipment, or crew.

Impact of Change Orders

• PERT/CPM facilitates re-scheduling in response to change orders while limiting cost increases.
• Revised critical path schedules help clarify payment claims and agreements between owners and contractors regarding contract extensions.