Project management is a process that brings a creative idea to a tangible reality. At Visual Live in Tempe, we know that every successful construction project rests on a foundation of successful project management. The ability to control and monitor the progress of a building project is essential. It will affect the cost, quality and scheduling of the project in order to bring it to a successful completion. That is why our clients rely on us to provide augmented reality solutions as a key component of their project management. We help the project manager anticipate and solve construction problems with efficiency and expediency.
Project management responsibilities
A successful construction manager will bring the project to completion on time, within budget, and with total compliance to all building codes. To do this, his or her responsibilities will include multiple duties. They will conduct a feasibility study, determining materials and strategies to be used in construction. A project manager will set a budget and manage finances, negotiate contracts and the hiring of workers. He or she will schedule building phases, and consult with architects, contractors and subcontractors.
Once a building design has been established, the manager puts the project requirements into a prospectus to begin the bidding process for a general contractor. When the right general contractor has been hired, the actual construction can begin.
Construction Stages
There are five recognized stages to any building project. Each one will have its own needs and requirements.
- Development – During this stage, the project manager conducts a feasibility study to determine whether or not the project is financially viable. Can it be funded and is it worth doing? When the stakeholders agree that it is, then a project initiation document is drawn up. This document serves as the reason for the project and outlines the needs involved.
- Planning – A document is drawn up setting parameters for the project relating to cost, scope and timeframe of the construction project. The document breaks down the business needs, the benefits and the milestones for the project. In addition, it lays out a realistic schedule for the work to be completed, and breaks down the entire project into manageable segments. In order to avoid misunderstanding and conflict during the construction phase, the document will spell out communication protocols and a chain of command. Any risk concerns such as budget or material shortages will be addressed here.
- Execution – This where the fun really starts. After the development and planning phases have been completed, actual construction can begin. It starts with a meeting of the manager with contractors and subcontractors to lay out the scheduling and resource allocation. Tracking systems are established as construction progresses, and plans are altered as needed.
- Monitoring – This phase keeps track of the progress of construction. It coordinates the time scheduling for each subcontractor, monitors cost overruns and building code compliance, and solves any unforeseen problems that develop.
- Completion – When construction has ended, the project manager will hold a meeting. This will determine how closely the project adhered to the parameters set forth in the development and planning stages. The manager will determine which objectives were met and where any problems arose. The meeting will result in a document that will serve as a record of the project and a guide for successful completion of the next project.
Next time …
This overview of project management will continue in a future blog post, so stay tuned. We will go into further detail concerning scheduling, communication and problem solving during the construction phase. Visual Live in Tempe has augmented reality solutions for many areas of construction and project management, so we invite you to explore our website for more information or contact us if you have any questions.
Images used under creative commons license (Commerical Use) 08/06/2020 Photo by Daniel McCullough on Unsplash
