Construction management includes processes that help project owners coordinate different aspects of a project, such as scope, schedule, quality, cost, and safety. It involves planning, coordinating, and supervising a construction project from start to completion.
A construction project is a huge undertaking. Successfully managing a project demands sufficient funding, skillful execution, and careful planning. Unfortunately, even the most experienced professional can still make mistakes. However, there are several construction project management mistakes that professionals can avoid.
In project management, it's important to have a well-defined scope of work. The scope of work can be a brief and logical document that covers the project's needs, vision, and deliverables. Project managers can overcome potential problems by developing a clear and straightforward scope of work (SOW) or statement. A standard SOW should detail responsible people for each aspect of the floor construction, such as temporary utilities, worker safety, and clean up.
An unclear project scope leads to scope creep, resulting in wasted resources, client dissatisfaction, and unmet project goals. Defining project team members' roles and responsibilities can also be challenging without a well-articulated SOW.
Construction projects can change in response to emerging client needs or business environments. Consequently, a project can incur additional costs or implementation delays when it fails to manage change. In addition, it could be disastrous if the changes made are not communicated promptly to every team member. The consequence could be conflicts, misunderstandings, and having work redone. Therefore, project managers must incorporate potential changes or mechanisms to cope with changes into the scope of the work statement and budget.
Effective reporting is vital for successful project management. A project manager who fails to study project reports often faces management challenges. For example, tasks could go unaddressed, or action not taken fast enough, leading to implementation hitches. Project managers must address problems before they become major project management issues.
A construction project should have proper quality control measures in place. Without robust quality assurance (QA) processes, the risk of unnoticed flaws creeping in is higher. These could cause serious problems later, potentially leading to cost overruns or delays. The QA process should be capable of auditing and verifying that all construction processes and materials meet quality standards to mitigate this challenge.
For a construction project, it's essential to have a comprehensive risk management plan. The plan proactively identifies potential risk areas. This ensures that should a risk occur, necessary precautions are in place that can help mitigate the situation or stop it from escalating.
Efficient project managers recognize the role of construction technology and tools. Project management techniques can help a construction manager plan, control, and execute the project more efficiently.
Project success relies on effective communication. A communication breakdown can cause delays and implementation challenges. For instance, a delay in the delivery of construction materials should be communicated to stakeholders promptly. Therefore, project managers must establish robust communication channels before initiating the construction project. For example, architects, designers, electricians, plumbers, and site managers, among others, must be on the same page lest there is anarchy on the construction site or even accidents. An effective channel may be a combination of online group chats and message boards. In addition, project managers can hold routine meetings to discuss project progress with all stakeholders.
A construction project must have delivery deadlines. This ensures that the client gets the completed project in time. Besides, it becomes difficult to meet client expectations without deadlines to follow. Ideally, the project management team should develop a timeline with milestones and project stages to increase efficiency.
