In continuing our discussion on why construction projects fail and are abandoned in Nigeria, we’ll be looking at the role of project management in helping professional contractors complete construction projects on time and on budget.

To forestall incomplete projects, it is recommended that all construction projects should be properly outsourced to professional contractors like us who will prevent project abandonment and guarantee the success of the construction project.

How?

Through project management, we articulate a plan that involves 14 proactive steps covering every process of the construction project; from design to completion. The bulk of our work can be broadly broken down into two;

• Project Management
• Pre-Construction work

Project Management

According to the Project management Institute, Project management is the art of directing and coordinating human and material resources throughout the life of a project by using modern management techniques to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, cost, time, quality and participation satisfaction. It further states that project management processes falls into five groups which includes;

1. Initiating: This is the phase of project where the scope of work is defined, the objectives are established and the deliverables expected are identified.
2. Planning: The planning phase is the stage where the best courses of actions for the construction projects are defined and refined in other to attain the projects objectives.
3. Executing: This is the stage where all the resources, human and otherwise are properly coordinated to carry out the project plan.
4. Monitoring and Controlling: This is the stage that ensures that all the project objectives are met and also corrective actions are taken in case any problems arise. In this phase, performance reporting and risk monitoring and control are core.
5. Closing: This stage plays the watchful eyes of the controlling processes that eventually lead to closing where the project is accepted and brought to an orderly end.

Note specifically that every construction is a project on its own and for it to be successfully executed, has to follow the principles of project management. These principles are guaranteed solutions to cost effectively and efficiently complete a project.

The art of project management ensures that every detail about the construction project is sorted out before commencement. A major factor of the project management process critical to the success of every construction project, is the initiating and planning process. This process phase also known as the pre-construction work, is the most important aspect of every project and is handled by a professional contractor.

Pre-Construction Work

Pre-construction work focuses on the preliminary planning and engineering that defines the construction projects scope, identifying potential issues and analyzing the cost impacts that will ensure the most efficient use of resources and money. Pre-construction work is needful because it helps the contractor or project owner to determine if the project is even viable or not.

The following represents the possible outcomes or deliverable of a pre-construction work when handled by a professional contractor;

1. Project scope: This is the part of project planning that involves determining and documenting a list of specific project goals, deliverables, tasks and deadlines.
2. Execution plan: This is the aspect where the project strategy is defined. It describes the role of both human and material resources outlined for the project such as who does what and how. It also defines the policies, procedures and priorities of the project.
3. Risk analysis: Statistics show that most construction projects are often exposed to risks and hazards, arising either from purely contractual and legal problems, unforeseen circumstances or natural hazards. More than often, contractors are faced with unexpected events, which were not calculated in the offer and the programme of works, leaving the contractor with unforeseen costs and losses. Risk analysis can be used to evaluate and calculate certain risks which shall be tendered in the contract.
4. Constructible review: This is the process of identifying obstacles before a project is actually built to reduce or prevent errors, delays, and increase in cost.
5. Integrated Project Schedule: This is a schedule that indicates the entire detailed task required to accomplish the work effort as described in the project scope.
6. Engineering: This process deals with the designing, planning, construction and management details of the project.
7. Procurement plan: The actual plan of what you have decided to buy for all the project materials and the source.
8. Site plan and evaluation: This is a document detailing every important information on the evaluation of the construction site project. The plan can help prevent any possible conflict or crises.
9. Basis of design: This explains the set of conditions, needs and requirements that will be taken into account in designing the construction project.

Conclusion

The above 14 proactive project management process we follow as professional contractors can help you make a better informed decision on the possible ways to make your construction project a success. It will further help you evaluate the different scenarios upfront and describe a well defined path on how the construction project will be executed and delivered timely, on budget and without fail!