Mastering the Art of Project Management in Construction
Mastering the Art of Project Management in Construction examines project planning, execution, monitoring and control. Learners analyze real-world cases to evaluate quality control and equipment management processes and the implications of law, contracts and risk assessment in decision-making for different types and sizes of projects.
Listen in as Antonia Botero ’18 shares how she used her knowledge of dynamic strategic management and disciplined project management to take her construction company through economic shifts.
1. The First-Time Manager
Stepping into a management role for the first time can be intimidating. After all, you’re now responsible for a whole team of people and their results. It’s no wonder that many new managers get overwhelmed and don’t thrive. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case. The right strategy and tools can help you successfully manage your project, whether it’s your first one or not.
1. Don’t Over-Promise and Under-Deliver
When setting goals for your team, be sure to set realistic ones that are measurable and trackable. This will help you gauge the success of your projects and avoid under-delivering or over-delivering, which can lead to burnout, frustration, and low morale. It’s also important to be clear on what exactly you want to achieve, so that your team members can understand your expectations and align with them.
2. Don’t Be a Micromanager
As a new manager, you may find it tempting to micromanage your direct reports in order to make things run smoothly. However, doing so can backfire and leave your team feeling neglected. It’s also not the best way to build trust and respect, which are critical for long-term success. Instead, be a coach and supporter for your team, and let them know that they can come to you with any issues or concerns.
3. Don’t Forget About Money
Project managers must always keep finances in mind, from estimating budgets to hiring and paying contractors. They must also ensure that construction meets a quality standard by creating a system of monitoring and inspections. Depending on the type of project, contractors may be paid on a lump-sum or unit-price basis. Be sure to include services like the Action Crane Fleet in the budget.
4. Don’t Forget About Precedence Relationships
One of the biggest mistakes that new managers make is neglecting to establish a series of activities and their order in which they must be performed. This can lead to a lot of problems, including schedule overruns and cost increases. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to check precedence relationships through an activity network diagram.
Getting the right mix of experience and training is essential for a successful project manager, but even the most seasoned professionals can still face risks that they didn’t anticipate. The good news is that there are a variety of cutting-edge technologies designed to track every aspect of a project and provide alerts when it’s time for action.
2. Guided Construction Management
Construction projects are often complex, with a lot of moving parts. A competent project manager will be able to organize the various tasks, deadlines and milestones of any given project. They will also be able to anticipate any obstacles and prepare accordingly.
This is especially true when a construction project must comply with strict environmental regulations. For example, building a skyscraper in an environmentally sensitive area might require the construction team to protect nearby wetlands, preserve vegetation or protect historic or cultural artifacts. These can include arrowheads, pottery shards, early tools and bones. Construction teams must be vigilant in preventing any contaminants or unregulated materials from entering these areas.
Project managers must be able to communicate effectively with clients, stakeholders and employees in this demanding environment. This includes keeping everyone on the same page, setting realistic timelines and ensuring that deliverables are met. In addition, they will need to keep track of all the documents involved in a construction project. This can be a huge challenge, but it is critical to a successful outcome.
Having the right construction management software can help. A good platform can simplify document management and improve communication among all project participants. Additionally, a centralized database can make it easier to track project metrics, such as cost and schedule. Using the best tools for construction management can save time and resources, and ensure that projects run smoothly from start to finish.
Many people find their way into a career in construction project management through their work in the trades, like carpentry or plumbing. However, as the industry has become more advanced and complex, people have begun to pursue formal education in the field. An associate’s degree in construction management is a great place to begin, while bachelor’s and master’s degrees are available from a variety of universities.
Students in a four-year bachelor’s program can learn about the management of construction processes, construction cost estimating and scheduling techniques. They can also study structural systems, engineering economics and conflict resolution. Some programs even offer internships that can help you gain practical experience in the field.
3. The Stress-Free Project Manager
Project management is a demanding job. But it doesn’t have to be stressful. The key is to have the right tools at hand and use them effectively. With a reliable construction project management software in place and some practical tips, your work can become much easier to manage.
A major source of stress is having too many responsibilities in one go. Having to handle multiple projects, dealing with a multitude of tasks and communicating with different team members can make things pretty overwhelming for project managers. The best way to deal with this is to have a robust, reliable construction project management software in place and to make sure that you are not overcomplicating your tasks by adding unnecessary layers of complexity.
Another common cause of stress is having to meet deadlines. While setting the timeline for a specific task, it is important to account for all the potential risks and factors that could affect completion date like weather, materials delivery delays or unforeseen issues on site. But sometimes, despite all of the planning and re-planning that you do, the reality is that there are just not enough resources or time to complete the project on time. It is crucial to learn how to communicate with team members about these unforeseen issues so that they are aware and can adjust the schedule accordingly.
It is also essential to learn how to delegate tasks. You need to understand your strengths and weaknesses so that you can entrust certain tasks to people who are better at those tasks than you are. Don’t be too proud to ask for help if you need it. People will respect you more if you are humble enough to admit that there are some things that you cannot do on your own and seek support from those around you rather than try to do it all yourself.
Finally, it is vital to have a balance between work and home life. Don’t allow your work to consume you to the point that it starts affecting your health and relationships with family and friends. It is also a good idea to take some time off for yourself and recharge. Try jogging, cycling or other physical activities and don’t be afraid to switch off and take some time for yourself from the demands of work from time to time.
4. Project Management for Dummies
Project managers in construction are responsible for hundreds of people working on a site at one time, and multi-million dollar investments. It’s a high-stress job and it’s important that the project managers are prepared for everything that can be thrown their way. Learning on the job is one option, but it’s also a good idea to pick up a few books before you start your new role so that you have some ideas about how to tackle different aspects of the responsibilities.
This book is a step-by-step guide for anyone who wants to learn how to manage a project in construction. It includes practical tips, examples, and illustrations for each topic. It has a straightforward, easy to understand format and it is perfect for beginners who are starting out in the construction industry.
There are six parts to this book, and each part covers a different aspect of construction management. It explains how to plan, schedule, and manage projects in an organized manner. It also gives tips for communicating effectively and managing teams in the construction industry. The book is a must-read for anyone who is planning to take a project management course or earn their PMP certification.
The author of this book is a self-taught project manager who developed his own methods to climb the ladder to success in the construction industry. He now runs his own construction company and he has written this book to share his knowledge and expertise with others. The book is a must-read as it covers everything from the fundamentals of construction management to how to run a successful business.
This book is a must-read for anyone in the construction industry, especially project managers who are looking to improve their efficiency and performance on the job. It provides a range of motivation strategies for tackling the high levels of stress that can come with the job. It also focuses on how to make your team work better together by encouraging positive behavior and setting goals that will lead to a more productive workplace. This book is a great read for anyone who needs to develop their leadership skills in order to achieve success on the job.