Managing large-scale construction projects can be rather demanding in the building and construction industry. Between juggling multiple teams, demanding deadlines, and sequential workflows – a project manager must always prepare and stick to a solid plan. In order to build the right plan for the average construction project, understanding the construction process is vital.
So, what are the main elements of construction project management (CPM), regardless of the project’s size?
Most certainly, they must include planning, logistics coordination, budgeting, and overseeing the primary activities of a construction project.
Another essential step is involving all the major stakeholders, including subcontractors, as early as possible in the project. Each construction phase has its sequence of functions and objectives, establishing the strategic framework for a successful project. But only if they are carried out thoroughly.
How is technology changing things in construction PM?
Undoubtedly, technology has made our lives easier and more efficient in many areas. And the construction industry, as well. Project management software, specialized and adapted for the construction industry, is changing its landscape.
Among other things, these tools allowed project managers to:
- Create and share schedules with subcontractors (and clients)
- Send automated project updates
- Analyze progress data and reports
- Manage project budgets
Conducting all activities on a digital platform empowers a construction manager to be more effective in task management – by quickly adding and changing tasks and assignees as needs and plans change.
Also, it helps with budget management. By keeping track of projects in real-time, a PM can be sure everything is always within the budget.
Improved productivity is another result. Every task is delegated and synchronized; they all involve construction professionals who can see who’s doing what and when. This brings a better collaboration because when being cloud-based, it is easier to share and communicate in real-time.
On top of that, everything regarding the project can be found in one centralized location. This allows subcontractors, clients, and other stakeholders to access the information they need when they need it.
Phases in Construction Project Management
Ok, now it’s time to talk about phases. After that, we’ll get back to technology.
The first thing you ought to know is that the primary phases of construction project management are almost always common to nearly every project, no matter its size.
Even before a first hammer swing on a location is made, a project must go through the preliminary stages of approval, determining the goals, costs, and timeline of the proposed project to establish its feasibility.
Planning and development
This is also called the ‘conception’ phase, where the general outline of the project is made.
Once all stakeholders are agreed with the design, the construction manager can find suitable land or existing property locations for the project. A risk-assessments is then made to determine the most appropriate place.
Only then will PM instruct a subcontractor to draft initial concept pre-designs to get a sense of the final product.
Design
In this phase, the building or development concept is attached to one document only, also called the Schematic Design. In this phase, every goal must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) and CLEAR (Collaborative, Limited in scope, Emotional, Appreciable, and Refined).
The strategy at this point is to define the time frames, tasks, and dependencies. By this time, materials, labor, and equipment costs should all be estimated in the budget.
Pre-construction
Pre- Construction begins with construction documents. By now, a project manager has already selected a contractor or construction company for the project. And then comes the matter of the project’s documents.
The construction documents are divided into three phases in architecture:
- Schematic design (SD) – the drawings are around 20% complete
- Design development (DD) – 70% complete
- Construction documentation (CD) – 100% complete
This phase is vital for preparing and executing a successful project.
Deadlines for submittal delivery, transmission method for submittals, the procedure for reviewing submissions, review of deadlines, and controlling communications and documents – are submittal procedures coordinated with the rest of the project team in this phase.
Procurement
This stage relates to purchasing or renting all the materials, tools, and services necessary to complete the project.
And finally – The Construction Phase itself
This is the beginning of transferring the project into actual construction by the construction manager and contractor.
At this stage, payment processes are set up, so workers turn up sufficiently motivated, and appropriate storage for the project’s raw materials is created on-site. Then, the various teams arrive according to their assigned, pre-arranged schedules, and work can finally begin.
During the construction phase, effective communication is crucial!
The following characteristics define a successful construction stage:
- Resource allocation
- Task management
- Logistics
- Implementation of project management plans as per the deadlines
- Tracking project execution
- Daily Status Meetings
- Quality Control
- Safety Management
Technology and how it can demystify the 5 phases of construction – Project Management with Teodesk
At the root of any successful project is an innovative and resourceful project manager with a deep understanding of the perfectly executed five phases of project management.
Phase 1: Project initiation aims to define the project broadly.
This is where Teodesk can help by providing an overview of the purpose and requirements of the project. It contributes to the overall development with a clear and detailed description of the business needs, stakeholders, and the business case.
You can create and store plenty of templates to help you get started with every project.
Phase 2: This phase, the key to successful project management, focuses on developing a roadmap for the team to follow.
Teodesk can help project managers choose and organize their teams and set collaborative resources and goals.
Phase 3: The pre-construction phase begins with a kick-off meeting, and the transitions mark it into performance and monitoring as the project progresses.
Tasks completed during the Execution Phase include:
- Project introduction and kick-off
- Developing the team
- Assign resources
- Define project management plans
- Update project schedule
- Modify project plans as needed
By giving you a transparent form of communication among the team members and having document storage (with the possibility to modify if needed), Teodesk is the right partner for neat and detailed preparation of everything required for the construction launch.
Phase 4: Preparation, Performance, and Monitoring
Teodesk combines intuitive design with the capacity and logistics to manage complex activities of different teams and actions within the project.
Phase 5: Construction is the point of all the previous hard work.
Therefore, you should have all the critical information available in seconds. A PM’s response must be adaptable to the team’s specific needs, and you must have robust information security with integrated internal and external communication.
Teodesk covers all of those. In addition, the tool itself is available on the Web, as well as on iOS and Android devices.
In the end, once a project is complete, the team must formally close it, evaluating successes and failures. This is done to help a team identify areas for improvement.
Preparing a final project report is as essential as planning. Teodesk’s reports help you collect all project deliverables and documents, storing them in a single place, ready to be used in the next project. Phase by phase.
