Project Management Challenges in the Construction Industry

Posted by Lead Consultants on September 10th, 2018

Behind an effective project management is a potential project manager who is the key to every successful team. They are the ones responsible for the overall success of a project, reaching the set of goals effectively at the same time ensuring every member’s safety.

Project Management Basics

• PMI (Project Management Institute) defines five phases of project management:

• Initiation

• Planning

• Execution

• Performance Monitoring

• Closure

A project manager begins by analysing the business case and determining whether the case is feasible, they also set the requirements and goals together with the stakeholder, once done, a document is expected.

With the planning phase, the PM creates a project management plan(PMP), a “blueprint” that could also serve as a map for everyone to follow, this includes the executive summary - defining the purpose of the project-, policy and procedures, schedules, timeline plans and budget.

Execution phase includes the work part. The project team will be assigning resources and be making sure the plans and tasks are executed and accomplished according to the timeline. The PM will manage the day-to-day working and the records management, contract management, and contract procurement.

Performance and Monitoring are observed together with the execution phase, it is monitored in to ensure the project is following through the plan.

Closure happens once the construction is done, a post-mortem is documented with the list of items that were undone.

Where It Goes Wrong

Not all constructions come in perfectly as planned, here are some of the possible causes of mishaps in the construction planning.

Undefined Goals

The project manager must be specific in talking with the stakeholder in order for the plans and goals to become clear and well understood.

Scope Changes

Since this is where the plans that aren’t really there now exists, delays and extra costs take place. It all depends on the PM as to how they would handle the changes and implement them. The PM must also notify the stakeholder as to how much cost and delay a certain change will affect the construction.

Inadequately Skilled Personnel

Due to some instances, training and orientation must be required in every personnel before starting a construction work to avoid misunderstanding and minor complications.

Lack of Accountability

The PM should lead the workers especially the ones who feel like they aren’t taking any responsibility for the project’s goals.

Improper Risk Management

It is a must for the project manager to be calm and alert in times of risky situations. To avoid such happenings, the PM must trust his/her colleagues.

Ambiguous Contingency Plans

Some contingencies are unavoidable, being a PM one must have a plan of various scenarios to solve every setback and get back on track.

Poor Communications

Lack of communication often results to project delays, the PM should be keeping his/her lines open to everyone so that he/she is open for feedbacks and also easily contacted in case a problem arises.

Impossible Deadlines

Impossible deadlines can cause loss of productivity and damage your teams’ morality, thus, it is essential for a PM to negotiate and look for alternative ways to achieve a realistic deadline.

An effective project management should have different ways on how to solve and overcome the challenges stated above, depending on one’s nature and learnings. A project manager must live and breathe with the project, thinking through every possible outcome, and having preventive measures to take the edge off every challenge.