CEP473

CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
MODULE 1-INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT
MANAGEMENT

By: Brian Jhay P. Guzman, CE, RMP, ME-I

Learning Outcomes
• Define construction project management and discuss its
importance.
• Discuss the project life cycle of a construction project.
Project Management
Project management is the application of knowledge, skills,
tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the
project requirements.
Project management is accomplished through the
appropriate application and integration of the project
management processes identified for the project. Project
management enables organizations to execute projects
effectively and efficiently.
Project Management
• “A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a
unique product, service, or result.”

• Unique product, service, or result. Projects are undertaken to

fulfill objectives by producing deliverables.
• An objective is defined as an outcome toward which work is to
be directed, a strategic position to be attained, a purpose to
be achieved, a result to be obtained, a product to be
produced, or a service to be performed.
• A deliverable is defined as any unique and verifiable product,
result, or capability to perform a service that is required to be
produced to complete a process, phase, or project.
Deliverables may be tangible or intangible.
Examples of projects
• Developing a new pharmaceutical compound for market.
• Expanding a tour guide service.
• Merging two organizations.
• Improving a business process within an organization.
• Acquiring and installing a new computer hardware system for use in
an organization.
• Exploring for oil in a region.
• Modifying a computer software program used in an organization.
• Conducting research to develop a new manufacturing process,
and.
• Constructing a building.
 The Importance of Project
Management
Effective project management helps
individuals, groups, and public and private
organizations to
• Meet business objectives • Optimize the use of organizational
resources
• Satisfy stakeholder expectations
• Identify, recover, or terminate failing
• Be more predictable
projects
• Increase chances of success
• Manage constraints (e.g., scope,
• Deliver the right products at the right quality, schedule, costs, resources)
time
• Balance the influence of constraints on
• Resolve problems and issues the project (e.g., increased scope may
• Respond to risks in a timely manner increase cost or schedule); and
• Manage change in a better manner.
 The Importance of Project
Management
Poorly managed projects or the absence of project management may
result in:
• Missed deadlines
• Cost overruns
• Poor quality
• Rework
• Uncontrolled expansion of the project
• Loss of reputation for the organization
• Unsatisfied stakeholders, and
• Failure in achieving the objectives for which the project was
undertaken.
Construction Project Management
Construction management is the process of managing
construction projects. When comparing construction
project management to other types of projects, the main
distinction is that construction is mission-based. That means
that the project’s organization ends with the completion of
the project build.
Construction Project Management
While generally project management is defined as managing
resources over the life cycle of a project through various tools
and methodologies to control scope, cost, time, quality, etc.—
when working in the construction industry, your outlook must be
broader.
Construction management usually includes a wider variety of
constraints to consider that are specific to the design and build
of construction projects.
Construction project management can interact with a variety of
different disciplines in the lifetime of a project as well, from
architecture to engineering to public works to city planning.
Construction Sector
There are a variety of different types of construction projects that depend on the
construction sector. The two sectors in construction are residential
and commercial and there are four different types of projects:

• Residential home building and renovation

• Heavy industrial construction
• Commercial and institutional construction
• Engineering construction

That means there are a wide variety of types of construction projects that require
construction management in order to be successful. Construction management
might be required for a simple home to a large bridge, from engineering a dam
build to an airport seismic retrofit project. Construction project managers, then,
manage the beginning and end of a project build, often managing on-site to
ensure safe, successful construction.
Types of Construction Projects
From the general types of construction, seven subsets can
be listed.

• Agriculture
• Residential
• Commercial
• Institutional
• Heavy Civil
• Environmental
Types of Construction Projects
Construction project management is broken down into 10 markets.

• Transportation
• Petroleum
• Buildings
• Power
• Industrial
• Water
• Manufacturing
• Sewer/Waste
• Telecom
• Hazardous Waste
 Project Life Cycle
Every project, not just those in the construction industry, goes
through a series of identifiable phases, wherein it is ‘born’, it
matures, it carries through to old age and it ‘expires’.
The life cycle of a project from a client’s point of view really
starts when there is a formal recognition of project objectives,
generally termed the inception, and through to the delivery of
these objectives – generally called the completion or project
delivery.
There are many ways of looking at projects depending upon the
viewpoint of the participant. Different parts of a life cycle are
often managed by different people and not all organizations
are involved in the project all the way through from inception to
completion of a building project.
Project Life Cycle
Pre-project Phase Construction Phase

Planning and Project closeout and

Design Phase termination Phase
 Pre-Project Phase
A construction project begins with an idea, a perceived
need, a desire to improve or add to productive capacity or
the wish for more efficient provision of some public service.

At this phase, the strategy deals with how a project is

carried out and controlled, such as the procurement route
that is chosen, the cost, the program, the control systems,
the quality management and the methodology for
construction.
 Pre-Project Phase
Most importantly, the owner must do is to decide what sort of
project delivery system will be used.
How will the various parties be related?
Will the owner engage a design professional to prepare plans
and specifications and then contract separately with a
construction contractor?
Or, will a single entity be responsible for the entire project?
Other possible options include several separate specialty
contractors, each related by contract with the owner, the use of
a construction manager as an advisor to the owner, the use of
the owner’s own construction forces and the phasing of the
project such that individual portions of the field work are
commenced prior to the completion of all design work.
 Pre-Project Phase
Project Delivery Systems Design-Tender-Build
This approach to construction
project delivery is called ‘traditional’
because it has been the approach
of choice for owners of most
construction projects during many
centuries.
An important characteristic of the
design–tender–build type of delivery
system is that the design and
construction organizations are
separate.
 Pre-Project Phase
Project Delivery Systems Design-Tender-Build
Another especially important
feature is that all the project’s
design work must be completed
prior to solicitation of tenders and
no construction work can begin until
a successful tenderer has been
selected.
Thus, the term design–tender–build
implies a strict, and sometimes time-
consuming, project schedule
sequence – designing, followed by
tendering, followed by constructing.
 Pre-Project Phase
Project Delivery Systems Design-Build
The distinguishing characteristic of the
design–build, or design–construct,
method is that the owner executes a
single contract with an organization
that becomes responsible for both the
design and the construction of the
project.

If you needed a project built, you

needed only to contact a single expert,
a master builder, whose expertise,
experience and contacts would assure
a successfully completed project.
 Pre-Project Phase
Project Delivery Systems Design-Build
One of the primary reasons for low
productivity in the construction
industry is the lack of integration of
activities across the project life
cycle. Indeed, the traditional
design–tender–build approach, with
its organizational separation of
design and construction, has great
potential for such lack of
integration.
 Planning and Design Phase
The project is fully defined and made ready for contractor selection
and deployment during the planning and design phase.

At this phase three (3) key activities must be completed.

First,is to define the project’s objectives, consider alternative ways to

attain those objectives and ascertain whether the project is
financially feasible.
In this process of planning and feasibility study, a project brief will be
developed, more details will be set forth in a programme statement,
various sites may be investigated, public input may be sought, a
preliminary cost estimate will be prepared, funding sources will be
identified and a final decision on whether to proceed with the project
will be rendered.
 Planning and Design Phase
Second, the design professional will use the results of the
planning efforts to develop schematic diagrams showing
the relationships among the various project components,
followed by detailed design of the structural, electrical and
other systems.
This latter activity is the classical hard core engineering
familiar to students in the design professions, in which
various engineering principles are used to estimate loads
and other requirements, select materials, determine
component sizes and configurations and assure that each
element is proper in relation to other elements.
 Planning and Design Phase
The output from the design development effort is used in
the third activity, wherein contract documents are
prepared for use in contractor selection and installation
work at the construction site. The design professional
prepares not only the detailed construction drawings but
also written contract conditions containing legal
requirements, technical specifications stipulating the
materials and the manner in which they shall be installed
and a set of other documents related to the process of
selecting the contractor and finalizing the contract with the
successful tenderer (bidder).
 Construction Phase
The construction phase has a particular emphasis on the control
of time, quality and cost and the management of many other
issues such as supply chain, health and safety planning, the
environment and change.

Outputs here will include construction stage programs,

construction health and safety plans, method statements, cash
flow forecasts, quality assurance schemes and change orders.

In taking on a contractor, there is a risk of conflict if information

is not available, if things get changed a lot, or the project is
delayed. Conflict management, leadership and team building
skills are used a lot in this stage.
 Project Close-out and Termination Phase
Finally, as the project nears completion, a number of special activities
must take place before the contractor’s responsibilities can be
considered complete. There are the various testing and startup tasks,
the final cleanup, various inspections and remedial work that may
result from them and the process of closing the construction office
and terminating the staff’s employment.

In addition, a myriad of special paperwork is required, including

approvals and certifications that allow the contractor to receive final
payment, a set of as-built drawings that include all changes made to
the original design, operating manuals, warranties and a final report.
The contractor will also be responsible for transferring and archiving
project records and will conduct some sort of project critique and
evaluation; operator training may also be part of the contractor’s
contractual responsibilities.