Managing construction can quickly become a project manager’s nightmare if it is delayed, over budget, or low quality. As a result, experienced project managers always look for innovative ways to improve their construction management processes. Undoubtedly, an efficient and effective management system can streamline and optimize project delivery. From ensuring it is completed within schedule to enhancing communication and collaboration and exceeding client expectations. When construction projects run late or over budget, it hurts everyone who has a stake in the project – the owner, contractor, subcontractors, and suppliers. Improving how you manage construction can help improve critical parts of a project’s lifecycle and make it run more smoothly.
As a result of advances in construction innovation, project management in the modern era has become increasingly technological, which has simplified a great deal of the construction process. However, buying a tool or platform for managing work is not enough. You will need to choose the most effective approach to put these tools to use to get the most out of all the capabilities they offer. This post will provide you with seven different tactics that can be used in your construction management process to help improve it.
What is Construction Project Management?
First things first. Let us define what construction project management is. The project manager oversees a construction project’s overall direction. They should be well-versed in the technical aspects of building and the general management skills necessary to see the project through to its conclusion. The role of the project manager becomes increasingly crucial as the complexity of construction projects increases. In addition, as your construction business expands, you might discover that you are juggling multiple tasks simultaneously. When something like this occurs, it is much more vital for you to make sure that everything runs smoothly because the success of a project can be completely derailed by the smallest of errors.
Even if advancements in construction technology and process management can help the project manager assist you in achieving this goal, there is no assurance that you will be able to enjoy the benefits of these advancements if you do not know how to make appropriate use of them.
Seven Strategies That Can Drive Improvement in Construction Management
We have already touched on the fact that a project manager’s job is extensive and complicated. Because unexpected shifts in the field frequently occur, you must have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the construction industry and be skilled at effectively managing projects. You are responsible for ensuring that the architect, contractor, and supplier complete their work on schedule and without exceeding the allotted spending budget. The following are seven easy tactics you may implement to help improve the management of your building project.
Prioritize Your Planning Stage
If you do not focus enough on the planning stage, you risk making many mistakes that cause you to squander time and money. Even something seemingly innocuous as failing to accurately estimate the volume of concrete required for a given period might result in substantial delays.
Consequently, careful planning is one of the most critical aspects of successfully managing a building project. A project that has been carefully planned makes the most effective use of its resources and lays out a step-by-step strategy for completing the task on time and without exceeding the allocated budget. During the project phase devoted to planning, you will be tasked with developing deliverables, establishing goals, and determining project milestones. Consequently, before beginning the project, you will need to select the people, processes, information, equipment, and materials that will be required. Include a strategy for safety, a plan for communication, a plan for risk assessment, and a response plan.
Utilize Construction Management Devices
Many tools unavailable to project managers in the past are now available, thanks to the rise of the digital age and advances in technology. These tools can help you do the job better. You’ll be able to devote more of your attention to building things if you use construction management software to help you keep organized and clean your desk of paper.
You may also accomplish everything you have been doing with paper with various apps that can be downloaded on your smartphone. As a result of the fact that everything may now be stored in the cloud, it is simpler to access and serves as a connection point between the office and the field.
You can now direct your attention toward the more essential aspects of managing construction projects. Automated reporting systems reduce the quantity of communication that has to be handled, eliminating the need for complex and time-consuming chores such as responding to hundreds of emails each day or taking calls regarding the project’s costs and progress.
Take Advantage of Construction Technology
When contractors use technology on the job site, it is now much more straightforward to communicate with owners, architects, and the teams working on the project. This makes it easier for everyone to collaborate. You can keep information on the job site using these technologies and then easily share that information with others with just a few clicks.
Here are some of the technologies you can utilize to ensure that your project progresses as seamlessly and as smoothly as possible:
- Construction Mobile Apps
- Construction Scheduling Software
- Building Information Modeling (BIM)
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- GPS Trackers
- Drones
Ensure Constant Communication
When team members consistently interact with one another, the project is far more likely to be successful, regardless of the sector in which it is being undertaken. The ability to communicate effectively can facilitate increased collaboration and make it simpler for individuals to cooperate on tasks. When people do not communicate well with one another, there is a more significant potential for misunderstandings, delays, and problems.
At the project’s beginning, everyone participating should reach a consensus on sharing information and discussing particular tasks. All communication needs to be based on the contract documents, including drawings, specifications, change order forms, requests for information (RFIs), and progress reports. The same principle applies to ensuring that necessary modifications to the project’s scope, budget, or timeline are adequately documented and communicated through the appropriate channels. You can also use reports that are automatically prepared to show the data in a manner that is understandable and concise. In addition, you should communicate with your employees since they are your eyes and ears out in the field.
Improve Collaboration
Close collaboration is another essential component that must be present if a project is to be finished on time. Because you will be working towards a similar goal, it is necessary to develop relationships based on trust and mutual respect with everyone with a vested interest in the project. People need to collaborate effectively and coordinate their efforts for productivity to increase. Having a solid strategy in place for communicating with one another might be of assistance in this regard. Regular meetings with key team members can make collaboration much simpler for everyone. It may take place through online meetings, or it could take place at the location itself if something needs to be inspected.
Create Detailed Budgets and Cash Flows
When it comes to construction, it is common practice for various funding sources and vendors to barter permits, wages, materials, and equipment essential to a project’s completion. Construction project managers are responsible for monitoring and keeping an eye on all costs, beginning with the bidding process and continuing through the project completion. This includes keeping track of initial budgets.
Even relatively modest construction projects have many moving elements and expenditures. When moving through the most crucial stages of budgeting for construction, you must make use of software that will assist you in maintaining an accurate cost accounting system. Through the use of your software platform, you should also have the ability to obtain construction project management templates.
Monitor Your Progress and Make the Required Adjustments
The administration of a project does not consist of a single stage. Instead, it is a process that continues from the beginning of a project until it is finished. Always the project manager needs to compare how things are going with the project to how things should be based on the decisions made during the planning stage. This allows the project manager to observe where things are falling behind, determine why they are falling, and instantly begin taking steps to rectify the situation.
After construction begins, the objective is to ensure that as much of it as possible goes according to the plan. Most of the time, a project’s failure will result from several minor issues rather than a single major issue. It is necessary to have a high level of attention to detail to thoroughly review the daily progress reports, monitor the budget and schedule, and manage the risks.
