Construction management handles the coordination, planning, and execution of a construction project to meet the desired outcomes and goals. Construction management also involves utilizing the various resources and managing the team well to achieve key objectives. The construction management may differ greatly depending on the construction project involved.
Extensive and in-depth knowledge of different areas such as finance, law, business, architecture, and engineering may be required in certain situations. Strong communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of the building process are also required for construction management. It is also important to follow the construction management principles and process to ensure the success and completion of the project.
Principles and Process
- Initiation
The construction manager first has to assess the problem and business case to determine whether he can undertake the project. The relevant stakeholders would similarly do the necessary tests and check whether it is feasible to complete the project and meet the objectives.
When all parties agree to proceed with the project, the project initiation document (PID) is written by the construction manager. The PID includes the project case, project needs, and other important information about the project.
- Planning
All parties involved in the project are required to plan extensively in the road map development phase. The project management plan (PMP), which is a formal and approved document that guides the execution and timeline of the project, is also created by the construction manager.
The costs, scope of the project, key milestones, other important factors that affect the execution of the project are similarly listed down in the PMP. There are also other documents involved in the planning phase to ensure that everything is accounted for and a comprehensive plan for completing the project is drafted. These documents are the risk management plan, communication plan, work breakdown structure, and scope statement.
- Execution
A meeting is held by all relevant parties before the construction begins. After execution, the construction management team constantly has to review the construction process and assign resources when necessary, update the project schedule, implement management plans, and set up a tracking system.
- Monitoring
The monitoring phase happens concurrently with the execution phase and is done to ensure that everything is done correctly and according to plan. The monitoring process is also done to measure the performance and progress.
- Closure
This is the last stage of the process which often signifies the completion of the construction and project. A post-mortem meeting is held to discuss which parts of the project met objectives and which ones did not. The last part of the closure involves the construction management issuing a project report, calculating the final budget, and making a list of any remaining tasks.
Challenges
There are numerous challenges faced during construction management. Although the planning and execution process of the project is complex and very challenging, these may not be the biggest challenges in the project.
Other challenges that may arise during construction management are communication problems, stakeholder collaboration problems, data mismanagement, violation of safety standards, financial and budget issues, insufficient employee education, unclear objectives, and organizational problems. It is important to address each challenge and take mitigating steps to prevent these problems from accumulating.
