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PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES – Project Initiation (Part 2)

June 29, 2011 By George T McLaughlin PMP CCM

This post is the second in a series of discussions regarding current challenges being encountered in today’s project management. More specifically, we have titled the series PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES, since we intend to focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management. This post addresses the starting point or initiation of the project. This is a crucial challenge.

Authoritative information and guidance regarding project management comes from many sources. A few that may be obvious include:

Project Management Institute [PMI]
Construction Industry Institute [CII]
The Chartered Institute of Building [CIOB]
Association for Advancement of Cost Engineering International [AACEI]
Many colleges, universities, community colleges, trade schools and other educational organizations.

In order to frame and organize this topic, we will use the PMI Project Management Processes for a Project as presented in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide).

Many discussion groups and forums can be helpful. These include AACE, PMI, LinkedIn and others. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Featured, General, Projects Tagged With: Doctor Harold Kerzner, Earned Value Management, PMBOK, Preliminary Project Scope Statement, Project Charter, Project Execution Plan, Project Execution Planning, Project Initiation, Project Management, Project Sponser

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES – Introduction (Part 1)

June 25, 2011 By George T McLaughlin PMP CCM

This post is the first in a series of discussions regarding challenges being encountered in current project management. More specifically, we have titled the series PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES, since we intend to focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management. This post introduces the topic and sets the framework for ongoing posts on individual challenges. This series is intended to draw upon many sources within the project management discipline or profession.

Authoritative information and guidance regarding project management comes from many sources. A few that may be obvious include:

Project Management Institute [PMI]
Construction Industry Institute [CII]
The Chartered Institute of Building [CIOB]
Association for Advancement of Cost Engineering International [AACEI]
Many colleges, universities, community colleges, trade schools and other educational organizations.

In order to frame and organize this topic, we will use the PMI Project Management Processes for a Project as presented in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide).

Many discussion groups and forums can be helpful. These include AACE, PMI, LinkedIn and others.

Some blogs (other than this one) provide useful information. Consider:

Filed Under: Featured, General, Projects Tagged With: Earned Value Management, Preliminary Project Scope Statement, Project Charter, Project Execution Plan, Project Execution Planning, Project Initiation, Project Management, Project Sponser

PRODUCTIVITY SERIES REVIEW

June 22, 2011 By George T McLaughlin PMP CCM

Productivity has become a hot topic and has given rise to much discussion and debate in the project management world. Labor productivity can be a competitive advantage or a managerial disaster. Therefore, we believe that there is high potential benefit in a review of McLaughlin & McLaughlin’s Productivity Series. Below, we have the titles and links to each post followed by a brief summary of the content. We intend to augment these posts with additional writings on the subject.

TROUBLED PROJECTS – Preconceived Notions

June 17, 2011 By d.mclaughlin

As we begin to dig deeper into the troubled project and work breakdown structure has been established, we begin to interview the stakeholders of the project. One of the general questions one asks, is what do you believe are the issues, what went wrong? Human nature as it is, these stakeholders tend to be cautions and careful with their contributions. Rarely do I hear one volunteer or is his or her organization the source for the incongruities. A cautious approach continues as the interview process progresses further. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Claims, Featured, General, Projects Tagged With: analyzing construction disputes, Best Practice, Claim analysis, Construction Claims, Construction Contract Claims, Construction Disputes, McLaughlin & McLaughlin, Problem construction project

MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Subject Series Summary

June 12, 2011 By George T McLaughlin PMP CCM

The Context and Challenge (Part 1)

This post addresses the general topic of time management and the relationship to managing the risk of delay.

Keith Pickavance is a prominent leader, speaker, expert and author in the construction industry. His authoritative reference book, Delay and Disruption in Construction Contracts, is noted in our Resource Center.

Mr. Pickavance is President of CIOB. Speaking in this capacity, he delivered an excellent talk entitled: ” Managing the risk of delayed completion in the 21^st Century.”

The link to this streaming video is http://www.multichanneltv.com/ciob/cio004/ and is excellent. The discussion by Mr. Pickavance provides an excellent basis for development of this topic. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Claims, Featured, General, Projects Tagged With: Construction Claims, Construction Contract Claims, Construction Contract Planning and Scheduling, Delay, Earned Value Management, Managing risk of delay, Productivity Management, Project Execution Planning, Risk of Delay, Time Management, Time Management Strategy

WORKER PRODUCTIVITY – Watch How the People Work

June 7, 2011 By Richard S Troell

This is the eight posting regarding labor productivity and disruption. This contribution provides some practical suggestions for the manager in the field. The Subject Series can be viewed here.

Isn’t it always the obvious that gets us in trouble? It doesn’t seem to make much difference what area of life you talk about, the aspects that are obvious are most often those that we assume will take care of themselves and we skip over as we develop our plans. Considering the area of worker productivity, everyone knows how the work gets done. Right? Well, it is quite obvious. You just pick up the material and put it in place. After all, how can there be anything different about doing the work? Get the material to the job site, hire craft workers, provide drawings and the project will miraculously get built.

When thinking about various construction sites, even in the US, several differences in the manner in which the exact same work is accomplished in various locations are revealed. In order to properly plan and organize construction activities, the way people work in the specific location under consideration must be understood and incorporated. For example, is it better for productivity for each pipefitter welder to have an assigned stand-alone welding machine? Or possibly, the welder should use a welding machine located in an eight-pack of welders. That question could be strictly a planning matter, or it could be related to the site location and area practice. If one approach is better than the other for the project, area practice may need to be addressed and modified in some way for improved productivity to be realized. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Claims, Featured, General, Productivity, Projects Tagged With: Construction Contract Claims, Construction Contract Planning and Scheduling, Construction Field Labor Productivity, Disruption, Field Labor Productivity, Productivity Loss, Project Execution Plan, Project Execution Planning

SCHEDULE VALIDATIONS AND AUDITS – Timing, Methodology and Conclusions – (Part 3 )

May 28, 2011 By Earl Glenwright

WHEN SHOULD VALIDATION AND AUDITS BE DONE?

Validation occurs when the initial or revised baseline schedule is submitted prior to the start of any construction field-site work, with the possible exception of mobilization, site preparation, ordering of long-lead time equipment or materials, permits, excavation, and installation of in-ground site utilities.

Validation is an extensive process and can be time consuming both initially and after each re-submittal of the proposed baseline ‘planned’ construction schedule until a valid baseline schedule is accepted by all significant stakeholders: Owner, Contractor, Subcontractors, Suppliers, Financing entities, and Permitting agencies.

Before a complete Validation process is performed an Appraisal is done to determine if the requirements for Validation are in place. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Claims, Featured, General, Projects Tagged With: Audit, Construction, Construction Contract Claims, Construction Contract Delay, construction schedule, Project Execution Plan, Validation

MANAGING RISK OF DELAY – Earned Value and Schedule Performance Indicators (Part 7)

May 22, 2011 By George T McLaughlin PMP CCM

This post is the seventh in a series of discussions regarding various aspects of time management as it relates to the risk of delay. More specifically, we have titled the series MANAGING RISK OF DELAY [Subject Series], since we focus heavily on the managerial aspects of program / project management. This post addresses some managerial tools relative to the integrated nature of time management using critical path and earned value management.

The challenge associated with managing all (critical and non-critical path) work is common to virtually all projects. This challenge is true for most project management situations. It is intensified in the case of larger and more complex projects. Examples include Lump Sum Turn Key (LSTK), Engineer Procure Construct (EPC) and other similarly executed projects. In addition to the normal issues associated with bulk progress, actions or inactions by the owner can add considerable complexity to this challenge. Over the past seven years, M&M has program/project managed five projects exceeding $100 million (USD) in investment value (total installed cost). Thus, practical/practioner experience is engendered in this discussion/post. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Claims, Featured, General, Projects Tagged With: Construction Claims, Construction Contract Claims, Construction Contract Delay, Construction Contract Planning and Scheduling, Delay, Earned Value Management, Managing risk of delay, Productivity, Productivity Management, Project Execution Plan, Project Execution Planning, Risk of Delay, Time Management, Time Management Strategy

SCHEDULE VALIDATIONS AND AUDITS – Validation and Audit (Part 2)

May 19, 2011 By Earl Glenwright

WHAT IS SCHEDULE VALIDATION?

Schedule Validation is a process by means of which Owner and Contractor resort to the expertise of a third party to validate the schedule of a certain project in all its features and components.

The Validation is thus an external evaluation to ensure that a foremost contract instrument — the schedule — is correct in scope and assumptions, as well as free from all sorts of pitfalls and booby traps. The validated schedule should represent the model of how the Contractor intends to carry out the work plan’s activities, and how the Owner is supposed to get the project delivered.

It is routine to find investors resorting to second and third evaluations, e.g. due-diligence appraisals by mortgage investors, to gain a level of confidence in the outcome and the return on their investment. This typical validation process, however, is not a common practice in the construction area, but Owners and Contractors can have solid benefits by adopting scheduling validation procedures and periodic audits. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Featured, General, Projects Tagged With: Audit, Construction Contract Planning and Scheduling, construction schedule, Time Management Strategy, Validation

SCHEDULE VALIDATIONS AND AUDITS – Need and Benefit (Part 1)

May 13, 2011 By Earl Glenwright

ABSTRACT

Construction projects represent investments at risk for Owners and Contractors, who invest massive amounts of money and resources.

Although some investors resort to evaluations (e.g., appraisals by mortgage investors), to gain a level of confidence in the outcome, validation processes are not a common practice in construction.

There are many advantages in engaging Owners and Contractors in performing a realistic, rational, and feasible independent Validation of the work plan and planned schedule, as well as periodic Audits of the performance achieved.

Planning and scheduling practices have become more complex as they have matured and can now produce a greater degree of management and control. However they are also vulnerable to incorrect procedures, illogical logic, abuse, misuse, and outright manipulation.

Schedule Validation and Audit can be used to minimize the impact of conflicts by detecting issues and anticipating problems. Reasons for implementing Schedule Validation and Audits, benefits, methodology, deliverables, and steps towards a standard practice and procedure are presented herein. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Featured, General, Projects Tagged With: Audit, Construction, Construction Claims, Construction Contract Planning and Scheduling, Schedule, Validation

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