RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

College of Engineering and Industrial Technology

Department of Architecture

OFFICE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

A Research Presented to the Faculty of Architecture Department

Rizal Technological University

Mandaluyong City

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject of

Professional Practice 3

By:

GROUP 2

Bartolata, Argen Darlene C.

Mago, Mharciane Maxine

Nanalig, Lance Ace T.

Ricamara, Eurielle Jan

Sebastian, Abigael G.
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

OFFICE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

3.1. 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. The object of project management is to produce a complete
project which complies with the client's objectives.

Process Groups

Project management includes a number of elements: four to five project

management process groups, and a control system. Regardless of the
methodology or terminology used, the same basic project management
processes or stages of development will be used. Major process groups
generally include:

1. Initiating - The initiating processes determine the nature and scope

of the project.  If this stage is not performed well, it is unlikely that
the project will be successful in meeting the business’ needs.
2. Planning - After the initiation stage, the project is planned to an
appropriate level of detail. The main purpose is to plan time, cost
and resources adequately to estimate the work needed and to
effectively manage risk during project execution. As with the
Initiation process group, a failure to adequately plan greatly reduces
the project's chances of successfully accomplishing its goals.
3. Executing - The execution/implementation phase ensures that the
project management plan's deliverables are executed accordingly.
This phase involves proper allocation, co-ordination and
management of human resources and any other resources such as
material and budgets. 
4. Monitoring and controlling - Monitoring and controlling consists of
those processes performed to observe project execution so that
potential problems can be identified in a timely manner and
corrective action can be taken, when necessary, to control the
execution of the project.
5. Closing - Closing includes the formal acceptance of the project and
the ending thereof. Administrative activities include the archiving of
the files and documenting lessons learned.
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

This phase consists of:

 Contract closure: Complete and settle each contract and close

each contract applicable to the project or project phase.
 Project close: Finalize all activities across all of the process groups
to formally close the project or a project phase.

3.a. The Small Project

Small Projects - Small Projects have unique challenges over large ones
because they’re small, it’s attempting to skip planning process and start
executing the work. A small project that isn’t planned enough can also
ignore critical stakeholders, causing both resentment and rework.
3.a.1. Major Challenges
1. Being able to recognize work that is really a project and conversely to
distinguish other kinds of work from project work, and manage it
accordingly.
2. The lack of time taken to plan a small project when they are recognized
as such, and to do an appropriate amount of planning.
3. Having the will or determination to follow a plan once it’s created for
small projects, and
4. Being disciplined enough to control and to track the project- and to see it
through to completion.
3.a.2. Managing Small Projects
1. Apply Best Practices
  Only produce as much documentation as is required by the project.
A simple rule of thumb: if it’s useful in helping us to deliver the
business objectives of the project then produce it.
2. Defining Objectives and Scopes
  Even on the smallest project there will be objectives which must be
achieved.
  Define the objectives of the project.
  Satisfy the needs of the stakeholders.
  Define the scope-it forms the boundary of the project
  Define the stakeholders
3. Define Deliverables
  Define what is going to be produced
  Your aim- document a detailed enough set of descriptions of the
products to be produced.
4. Project Planning
  Do you need a plan for a small project?
  With a small project, you still need to work out which activities are
required to produce a deliverable, estimate how long the activities
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

will take, how many staff and resources are required and
responsibilities of staff.
5. Communication
  The Project Manager will still need to assign tasks and
responsibilities to the other person.
  Communicate plans via email, hard copy, or better still an informal
or formal chat where you discuss the project plan.
  If the plan changes- communicate the changes with the project plan.
6. Tracking and Reporting Progress
  Consider a 2-person project team- the Project Manager and one
other person.
  The project Manager will need to know the progress of the activities
which the other person is working.
7. Change Management
  Even on a small project- changes are likely to occur.
  Requests for a change usually come from stakeholders and it will be
your responsibility as a Project Manager to assess the impact of
accepting these into the project.
  Need to estimate the impact of the change in terms of extra effort
and cost.
  Never simply accept the change. Need to fully understand what the
change is and the impact on time and cost.
8. Risk Management
  There will be risks- even on a small project.
  Ensure that you have thought through the potential risk and the
beginning of the project.
  Monitor the risks, on a weekly basis.
  Failing to manage risk properly is one of the main reason why
projects fail.

3.b. The Project Team

PROJECT TEAMS

Relationships expand as teams become larger and it includes office

colleagues, consultants, contractor, etc.

3.b.1 PROJECT MANAGER

• Central figure on a project team.

• Effective project managers assume project leadership responsibility,
accept certain challenges and bring certain traits and abilities to
their work.
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

3.b.2 TRAITS AND ABILITIES

1. Is organized, directs and controls all key aspects of the project.

2. Communicates well (both within the team and to those outside).
3. Motivates the project team to meet the project goals.
4. Listens well and can interpret clearly team members’ issues and
opinions.
5. Know where to find the answers for technical and managerial
problems.
3.b.3 MANAGING STAFF & CONSULTANTS

The team may include a part – time draftsperson, a consultant, the

contractor and the client.

3.b.4 EFFECTIVE PROJECT TEAM CHARACTERISTICS

 Small enough to convene and communicates easily.

 Foster discussions that are interactive and open to all members.
 Team members have a mutual understanding of each other’s roles
and skills.
3.b.5 PROJECT TEAM WORKING APPROACH

1. Is understood and agreed to by everybody.

2. Capitalizes on (and enhances) the skills of those on the team.
3. Provides for open interaction fact – based problem – solving and
results – based evaluation.
4. Can be modified and improved overtime.
3.c. Project Operations
Project Planning and team building put the resources needed to
execute a project in place. The next step, what some call the hard part is,
is making it all work—orchestrating and integrating these plans and
resources to produce a successful project.
People are the key resource of an architecture firm. Thus much of
everyday project management is directed to the project team-helping it
work and keeping it on track. Project management also involves collecting,
processing, and communicating information; making decisions; responding
to project changes; and, in the end, closing out the project.
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

START-UP
If the project is typical, it has been “starting up” for some time- all
though the processes of project definition, acquisition, planning, and
contract negotiation. At this point, however, everything is ready to go, and
it’s time to start performing the contracted professional services.

3.c.1Team briefing and kick-off. One of the first steps is to be sure the
team members are on board and up-to-date with current project
requirements and plans, which may have changed in the negotiation
process. One way to accomplish this is to hold a formal team briefing and
kick-off meeting. Which may include the following elements:
 Reviewing project requirements as developed with the client
and by the firm. This may cover project goals, scope, quality,
schedule, budget, codes and regulations, key design and
construction standards, and other project information.
 Reviewing the project work plan. Critical tasks,
responsibilities, uncertainties and potential problem areas are
discussed.
 Reviewing the schedule and milestone dates.
 Reviewing project policies. These include (as relevant) project
responsibilities and authorities, client structure and relationships,
approaches to identifying and resolving problems, team
meetings an communications, project charges and reports, and
other key management ideas.
3.c.2Project Authorization. It is important to get internal mechanisms in
place. Once a proposal becomes a project, for example time changes are
no longer considered part of overhead (marketing costs) but are charged to
the project. Some firms use a formal project authorization form for the
following functions:
 Establishing the necessary project accounts.
 Providing information on what can be charged to the project and
what cannot, especially reimbursable (and non-reimbursable)
expenses.
 Identifying the internal project reports that will be prepared and
distributed.
 Providing the accounting department-or the bookkeeper or, in
small firms, the principal-with information about project
milestones deliverables, and billing details.
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

3.c.3Project Files. It is common to establish a separate file (of set of files)

for each project in the office. The most effective project filling system is one
that can be easily understood and used by everyone in the firm. Avoid the
temptation to invent a new or unique filing system for each project. Should
a project manager be unavailable of leave the firm, everyone shouldbe
able to locate and use a project’s files.

3.c.4Key Project Information. Most firms assemble the key information

needed to inform project decisions at the outset of the project. Some of this
may be placed in the project file; some may be located on a project shelf
so it is accessible to all participants. This collection may include:
 Project directory (lists of names, addresses, and phone and fax
numbers of key participants)
 Project program and construction budget requirements.
 Site information, including climatic, environmental, survey, and
geotechnical data.
 Applicable codes and regulations.
 Project schedule, milestones, and list of deliverables.
 List of project files, locations, and access guidelines.
3.d.1 Project Controls There are many definitions of Project Controls
used across industries and indeed across companies within industries.
Project Controls is a professional function not widely recognized as a set of
specialized skills in its own right. It is a function that is critical to achieving
successful project and program outcomes i.e. delivering required benefits
to cost, time and performance. For the purposes of this portal, the field of
project controls is defined as follows:
"Project Controls are the data gathering, data management and analytical
processes used to predict, understand and constructively influence the
time and cost outcomes of a project or program through the
communication of information in formats that assist effective management
and decision making."
This definition covers all stages of a project lifecycle from initiating and
scoping the project through to closure, final learning from experience and
analytical analysis of overall project performance.
Where does Project Controls sit?
Project Control professionals sit within the Project Team, work for, and are
responsible to the Project Manager. They are the heart of the Project
Team. If Project Management is concerned with making informed and
accountable decisions project controls is about "informing, monitoring and
analyzing" to exercise control it is necessary to be aware. Project Control
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

professionals generate and maintain the information that brings awareness

to the Project Manager and Senior Managers so that control can be
exercised.
3.d.2 Component Elements of Project Controls.
Depending upon how Project Controls is viewed will influence what is
considered as the component parts of the function. Here it is assumed that
project controls is concerned with estimating initial baseline performance
metrics, determining the current status of the project, estimating future
potential of the project, identifying any variances (baseline to current
position and baseline to potential future position), and considering
appropriate action to be taken to recover any positive variance. Here
variance refers to actual differences identified in project control documents
and also the potential variations possible from project threats, issues and
opportunities. On this basis the component elements of Project Controls
are to do with measuring and monitoring controlling variables, these are
principally time and cost aspects:
 Planning and Scheduling
 Risk Management (includes identification & assessment)
 Cost estimating and management
 Scope and Change Management
 Earned Value Management
 Document Control
 Supplier Performance
 Maintaining the project baseline
 Reporting
3.d.3 Project Controls vs. Project Management in an Organizational Chart
To gain more clarity on the distinction between Project Management and
Project Controls, let me show you an organization chart so you can
compare the position of a Project Controller vs. the Project Manager.

T
he Project Control Lead/Manager would have his/her own team. Usually,
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

you might see the team of Cost Estimators, Cost Controllers, and
Planner/Schedulers. Some companies might have Document Controllers
also under Project Controls.
According to the size and complexity of a project, the number of Project
Controllers assigned to a project varies. For example, if you are working on
a big major project, you might see several people working underneath the
Project
Control Lead/ Manager. If there’s a small project, then one or two people
might undertake the roles of several Project Controllers.
Regardless of the size of the Project Control team in a project, the Project
Control Lead/Manager reports directly to the Project Manager, and the
Project Control team interacts directly with all the other team members in
the project.
Since Project Controllers take control of the entire cost and schedule of the
project, they need to know for example how much the budget of the
electrical engineering team is in the project, how they are performing
against that budget, and when they are delivering their key milestones and
deliverable. Therefore, they keep the control and management of the cost
and schedule portion of the entire project. To do so, they need to have
interactions with almost all team members.
3.d.4 Project Controls team analyzes the data received from the
project team members and develops Project Plans, which usually
includes:
 Project Cost Estimate
 Project Budget
 Budget allocation
 Resource Plan
 Project Schedule
 WBS/ CBS
 Cost/ Schedule Contingency Plan
Once the project’s cost and schedule are developed, the Project
Control team gets constant inputs from the project team and generate
different kinds of analytical reports such as:
 Project Cost and Schedule status and performance
 Project Cost and Schedule forecasts
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

 Project Cost and Schedule issues/ concerns/ recovery plans

All of this information is reflected back to the Project Manager and the
project team members so they can make right decisions for the project.
3.d.5 Project Controls Process
According to AACE’s TCM framework, an effective project controls process
is built upon the PDCA control cycle, which is also known as Deming
cycle. PDCA/ Deming cycle is a method used for the controls and
continuous improvement of products and services. It stands
for “plan”, “do”, “check”, and “act/assess/adjust.”  The first stage of the
Project Controls process is “project planning”. In the planning stage, you
plan, define, and develop the scope, time, and cost and evaluate and
assess the associated risks. This step is a fundamental step in forming a
project baseline. After having the plan in place and establishing the project
baselines, you execute the project controls work by recording
and measuring the actual cost and schedule status. This also includes
progress measurement, change management, as well as risk and
contingency management.  The next stage, which is performed hand-in-
hand with the Project Controls execution stage, is project performance
measurement and assessment. In this step, you measure & monitor cost
and schedule performance against baseline and evaluate the health of
your project; whether or not you will finish on time and within budget. After
obtaining the performance results, you analyze variances and forecast the
project behavior. Finally, the project status and
any recommended corrective or preventive actions will be communicated
to the project team members via different project controls reporting and
deliverables. 
This is the overall Project Controls Process

The Project Controls Plan should address the same components in the
Project Controls process plus the application of tools/ software. 
Project Controls Plan Components
The following elements need to be addressed in the Project Controls
Plan:  
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

Project Planning, Project Scope, Execution, & Contracting Strategy

Development: 
 A brief description of the project scope of work 
 The development & structure of the project WBS 
 A brief description of the execution strategy (standard, fast track,
shut-down, etc.) 
 A brief description of the contracting strategy (self-perform, a prime
contractor, multiple contractors, JV…) and how coding structure and
systems will be integrated (or mapped) 
 The development & organization of the project Control Accounts 
Risk Analysis & Contingency: 
 Whether formal risk analysis will be conducted for determining the
cost and/or schedule contingency and who is responsible for
conducting the risk workshop. 
 The target cost and schedule probability/ confidence levels for
contingency 
 If time reserve to be applied to the schedule, how it is done. 
 The systems/software to be utilized for risk analysis 
 The process of recording and maintaining the risk register 
Schedule Planning & Development: 
 How the project schedule will be developed, validated,
and baselined. 
 How the schedule basis will be documented. 
 The tools used for the planning and development of the schedule. 
 The level of details required for the schedules developed during the
project, including resource loading & leveling. 
 How the resource requirements are determined to support the
execution of the project. 
 How the master schedule will be compiled and who is responsible
for the development and maintenance of the master schedule. 
Cost Estimating & Budgeting: 
 The established Cost Estimate classification system. 
 The class of Cost Estimate at the end of each project development
phase. 
 How cost estimate basis will be documented. 
 How the cost estimate will be developed. 
 How the overall project Cost Estimate will be compiled and who is
responsible. 
 What tools/ software will be used for cost estimating & cost
budgeting? 
 How the cost estimate will be integrated with the schedule. 
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

Project Control Execution

Change Management: 
 The process for managing changes (from initiation to approval,
internal/external, project changes vs. contract changes) 
 Methods for communicating changes to Project Controls 
 Project Controls involvement in assessing the changes in project’s
cost and schedule 
 How in-scope changes will be managed 
 At what point changes will be incorporated into project’s costs and
schedule 
 The responsibilities of contractors in managing and communicating
changes 
 Tools/ Templates for managing changes 
Progress Measurement: 
 How physical progress will be measured (methodologies/ rules of
credit) 
 Expectations from the contractors in measuring and reporting the
progress 
 The interface between schedule control and physical progress
measurement 
Risk & Contingency Management: 
 Who manages the contingency in the project
 When contingency fund can be utilized
 How cost contingency and schedule reserve will be allocated/ drawn
down 
 How risks will be revisited during the project 
Cost Control: 
 What tool/system/method will be used for managing & controlling
the project costs 
 How actual costs and expenditures will be collected 
 How cost forecasting is performed 
 How project costs will interface with the Owner cost accounting
system 
Schedule Control: 
 What tool/system will be used for managing & controlling the project
schedule 
 How the schedule is updated and maintained 
 How schedule variances will be reported 
 What is the strategy around re-baselining 
 How changes will be incorporated into the schedule 
 How resources will be tracked and forecasted  
 RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Engineering and Industrial Technology
Department of Architecture

Project Performance Assessment
 How cost and schedule performance will be measured 
 What are the acceptable variance thresholds for project’s cost and
schedule 
 How project’s cost and schedule variances are measured 
 How cost forecasting is performed 
 How schedule analysis and forecasting is performed 
Project Control Reporting & Communication
 The scope, content, format, and responsibilities for the preparation,
submittal, and approval of the project reports. 
 Project reporting deliverables and frequency of reporting (Project
Reporting Calendar) 
 Project Controls meeting requirements and frequency of the
meetings 
 File structure for storing project files and information. 
 Project Controls outputs/ deliverables, required for the execution &
management of the project. 
 Tools/systems used for Project Controls reporting.