What Is Construction Project Management?

Project-Management.com’s Top 3 Software Recommendations

The management of construction projects requires knowledge of modern management as well as an understanding of the design and construction process. Construction projects have a specific set of objectives and constraints such as a required time frame for completion. While the relevant technology, institutional arrangements or processes will differ, the management of such projects has much in common with the management of similar types of projects in other specialty or technology domains such as aerospace, pharmaceutical and energy developments. If you are looking for a software to manage your construction project, take a look at our Top 5 Best Construction Project Management Software.

Generally, project management is distinguished from the general management of corporations by the mission-oriented nature of a project. A project organization will generally be terminated when the mission is accomplished. According to the Project Management Institute, the discipline of project management can be defined as follows:

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.

By contrast, the general management of business and industrial corporations assumes a broader outlook with greater continuity of operations. Nevertheless, there are sufficient similarities as well as differences between the two so that modern management techniques developed for general management may be adapted for project management.

The Basic Ingredients for Construction Project Management

The basic ingredients for a project management framework may be represented schematically in the figure below. A working knowledge of general management and familiarity with the special knowledge domain related to the project are indispensable. Supporting disciplines such as computer science and decision science may also play an important role. In fact, modern management practices and various special knowledge domains have absorbed various techniques or tools which were once identified only with the supporting disciplines. For example, computer-based information systems and decision support systems are now common-place tools for general management. Similarly, many operations research techniques such as linear programming and network analysis are now widely used in many knowledge or application domains.

Specifically, project management in construction encompasses a set of objectives which may be accomplished by implementing a series of operations subject to resource constraints. There are potential conflicts between the stated objectives with regard to scope, cost, time and quality, and the constraints imposed on human material and financial resources. These conflicts should be resolved at the onset of a project by making the necessary tradeoffs or creating new alternatives. Subsequently, the functions of project management for construction generally include the following:

  1. Specification of project objectives and plans including delineation of scope, budgeting, scheduling, setting performance requirements, and selecting project participants.
  2. Maximization of efficient resource utilization through procurement of labor, materials and equipment according to the prescribed schedule and plan.
  3. Implementation of various operations through proper coordination and control of planning, design, estimating, contracting and construction in the entire process.
  4. Development of effective communications and mechanisms for resolving conflicts among the various participants.

Nine Distinct Areas of Project Management Focus

The Project Management Institute focuses on nine distinct areas requiring project manager knowledge and attention:

  1. Project integration management to ensure that the various project elements are effectively coordinated.
  2. Project scope management to ensure that all the work required (and only the required work) is included.
  3. Project time management to provide an effective project schedule.
  4. Project cost management to identify needed resources and maintain budget control.
  5. Project quality management to ensure functional requirements are met.
  6. Project human resource management to development and effectively employ project personnel.
  7. Project communications management to ensure effective internal and external communications.
  8. Project risk management to analyze and mitigate potential risks.
  9. Project procurement management to obtain necessary resources from external sources.

These nine areas form the basis of the Project Management Institute’s certification program for project managers in any industry.

Most of the content above came from the book: Project Management for Construction.

Featured Partners: Project Management Software

1 monday.com

Visit website

monday.com Work OS is the project management software that helps you and your team plan, execute, and track projects and workflows in one collaborative space. Manage everything from simple to complex projects more efficiently with the help of visual boards, 200+ ready-made templates, clever no-code automations, and easy integrations. In addition, custom dashboards simplify reporting, so you can evaluate your progress and make data-driven decisions.

Learn more about monday.com

2 Wrike

Visit website

Tackle complex projects with Wrike’s award-winning project management software. Break projects into simple steps, assign tasks to team members, and visualize progress with Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and calendars. Manage resource allocation and forecasting with software that’s easy to launch. Automation and AI features strip away time-consuming admin tasks so you can do the best work of your life. Streamline your practices, align your team, and ensure you hit deadlines and stay on budget.

Learn more about Wrike

3 Smartsheet

Visit website

Smartsheet is an online work execution platform empowering organizations of all sizes to plan, manage, automate, and report on work. Over 80,000 brands rely on Smartsheet for project and work management.

Learn more about Smartsheet


Share Article


Tags:

Jose Maria Delos Santos Avatar
Get the Free Newsletter!
Subscribe to Project Management Insider for best practices, reviews and resources.
This email address is invalid.
Get the Free Newsletter!
Subscribe to Project Management Insider for best practices, reviews and resources.
This email address is invalid.

Demos, trials & More information


Check out our library of 60+ pm books