5 Major Bottlenecks On Your Construction Project

Project managers face numerous challenges when it comes to completing a project. Even when not expecting some drawbacks, you still have to allow some possibility of it happening. It is never a smooth road. That’s why most clients want to work with project managers who have a good reputation because they have gained their reputation by overcoming such hurdles. There is always that small chance that something will happen that will draw back the project and send the workforce into a reactionary mode. You will receive advice from different directions and you will get confused about which perspective will work best for you. But the good thing is that it always turns a downhill after conquering the setbacks. In simpler words, bottlenecks are any type of obstacles that affects a project hindering its completion in the allocated time. Bottlenecks reduce the productive rate of your workforce. Project bottlenecks are no different from a real bottleneck: bottlenecks restrict the flow of liquid from a bottle. Once the opening of a bottle is widened, liquid flows freely and at a faster rate. In a construction project, cranes are largely relied upon to move objects and equipment from one section to another. When cranes lack or you have fewer cranes to work with, the cranes become the bottleneck of the construction project and will reduce the amount of work that can be completed on the same day.

Examples of Construction Bottlenecks

Below is a list of regular construction site bottlenecks that hinder the flow of work: Manpower Having fewer people to work on the project increases the time needed to complete the project. Enough space You will find at times that more manpower or machinery is needed to complete a task but there is not enough space to accommodate them. Tools and machinery Missing some tools or machinery can largely delay the total time needed to complete the project. Anything that affects tools, workers, talent, space or equipment can be considered to be a bottleneck. Whenever any of these is affected, you face a bottleneck situation.

As the one in charge of the project, any setbacks draw the wrath of the client and the blame will fall on you. That is why it is important that you identify and remedy the problem before it escalates. You need a troubleshooting worksheet to help you solve bottlenecks to avoid having to delay the completion of a project.

1. Spot the Problem

Look for sections within the workforce or equipment where there is work overload or pressure. These are the areas that breakdown first and stall the whole project.

2. Exploit These Areas

You can exploit these areas either by distributing other tasks to other departments that are fast moving or by enforcing manpower or workforce to these areas. This will ensure that the project doesn’t come to a standstill but continue being productive.

3. Subordinate

You can assign some duties to other people within the organization to relieve pressure in these areas. Use any useful resources available in the stressed-out areas.

4. Elevate

As you have other teams, departments or equipment chipping in on the stressed sections, find a lasting solution to the current problem either by hiring new manpower or construction equipment.

5. Create a Cycle

After overcoming a bottleneck problem, create a continuous cycle that will help you overcome future bottlenecks. You can also improve the cycle as you handle more projects and gain experience. You can assess all possible bottlenecks that can occur before you start working on a project and work out solutions for each possible problem. Always question yourself what could hinder your progress before you start. Implement the five-step worksheet to pull yourself up whenever you encounter a bottleneck on a project.

Conclusion

Bottlenecks mentioned in this article are just physical ones. There are other forms of bottlenecks that can affect your project or business. You can use these tips to streamline bottlenecks affecting other forms of businesses as well. A project management solution can also offer great help in assessing and managing threats to your project. There are many project management tool providers who can sell you the right software at a cost friendly budget. It takes a sharp project manager to solve bottlenecks, make use of the troubleshooting worksheet and project management software to overcome bottlenecks.