Are You a Project Manager?
Many people consider themselves, are labeled as, or actually hold the title of Project Manager (PM).
Project manager positions exist in nearly every industry; from construction to food service to medical care, there are PM roles everywhere.
Until recently, I worked in the AEC design industry as a Project Manager. During the 30 years I worked in this industry, I basically did the same type of work, which for me involved managing design projects in the architectural, mechanical, and electrical design disciplines for commercial buildings. This management function involved monitoring and managing schedules, communication, and deliverables. From my experience, the vision I saw of a project manager was someone who coordinated, executed, and oversaw a team or a series of processes on a regular basis in order to achieve a specific positive outcome (your vision may be a little different). In my new role I serve as an owner’s rep/project manager for construction and renovation projects that range from $100k to over $10 million dollars. No matter the size or costs, the processes are the same.
Based on the AUGI Salary Survey, there are a fair number of Project Managers in our ranks, but some may wonder exactly what project managers do. As the title would suggest, project managers manage projects; sounds simple enough, but what exactly does that mean? Even though project management comes in a variety of forms and industries, there should be a basic understanding or definition of what project management means.
Fortunately there are organizations that have covered this in much detail. The Project Management Institute (PMI), which is the largest project management organization in North America, provides the following definition:
“Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. Project management is accomplished through the appropriate application and integration of the 47 logically grouped project management processes which are categorized into five process groups.”
This definition comes from PMI’s “Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th Edition.”
According to PMI, every project goes through a series of process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Within these groups you follow a specific set of processes. A simple summary of the process groups follows, although you can get a much more detailed definition and explanation in the PMBOK Guide mentioned above. A project has a start and a finish, but it also has a series of steps or “processes” in between. The PMBOK Guide covers 47 processes in a project’s life cycle, which it organizes under the five process groups.
Initiating
Initiating is the process group used to define a new project or a subsequent phase(s) of an ongoing project. This is where the scope is defined and finances are committed to the project, stakeholders are identified, and the project manager is often assigned.
Planning
In this series of processes where the scope is better defined and refined, objectives are set, and a course of action is developed.
Executing
This is where the work gets done on the plan—where the tasks are performed in order to meet the project objectives.
Monitoring and Controlling
This is the process group that covers monitoring and tracking in order to review the progress of the project and its overall health. This monitoring is what identifies possible issues that may require changes or updates to the project plan.
Closing
This is the end of the project cycle. This is where a project is finalized and reviewed to make sure that contractual obligations have been met.
Although most people will not think in the detail above, understanding the flow of a project and what happens in each phase is important to make the outcome successful.
Now that we have some definition of what project management is and have an idea of flow, what defines a project? According to PMI, a project is:
“A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result.”
A project is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end time, and therefore defined scope and resources. This definition comes from PMI’s “Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th Edition”.
As mentioned above, PMI is the biggest player in North America, and like AUGI, they are also an international organization. PMI is not the only project management resource, though. Other organizations include the International Project Management Association (IPMA), the Association for Project Management (APM), and the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management (ASAPM).
The IPMA and the ASAPM are member organizations made up of other Project Management associations from around the world (APM in the UK, AIPM in Australia, PMAC of Canada, GPM in Germany, IPM in Ireland, etc.). There is no shortage of available project management resources out there.
Now that we have definitions of both project management and a project, what does that mean for the role or roles of the Project Manager?
The PM has many roles, and because of this, requires many skill sets. Some of the most critical skills of successful PMs are good communication, organization, negotiation, and discipline. These and many other skills allow a PM to keep a project on track through its various stages. I will cover more about the Project Manager’s skill sets in a future article.
Projects happen in all industries, but for the sake of this article, let’s look at how a typical building design project may go through the previous mentioned flow.
Initiating
Initiating is the phase that many in the design world get brought in after. This phase still happens, but it typically happens at the customer’s level with their executive team. If they think they are in need of a building, whether it be a new factory, office building, or warehouse for distribution and storage, or just an expansion or renovation to an existing facility, they need to do some homework.
The customer will create a list of their needs and resources, generate a business case, and pitch it to their board or advisors. At some point they will reach out to a developer or possibly directly to an architect if they already have the real estate they need. Obviously, architects, developers, and contractors can come in at various parts of the initiating process because as we know from the definition of a project, it is unique—each one is different.
Planning
The planning phase is the most critical part of a project and it may include some or all of the previously mentioned parties. The planning phase is so important because it is where the majority of the work gets done that can make or break a project. The design team is put together, the needs are established, vetted, and organized on their level of importance, costs are determined, and a schedule is developed. During the planning stage a methodology is chosen to move the project forward, which could be Design Bid Build, Design Build, Construction Manager, or possibly Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). Typically the more time spent in the planning stage, the better the project’s outcome.
Executing
The executing stage is where the work gets done and is typically the longest phase of the project. In the AEC world, this is where the contractor(s) start the actual building process. The project shifts from paper or model to a real-world building. Depending on how well the planning was done, this part of the project can go very smoothly or can be a rough ride.
Monitoring and Controlling
Monitoring and controlling is not a standalone phase—it actually starts during the planning phase, and covers the executing and closing phases as well. Monitoring and controlling is how the budget, schedule, and project methodology are monitored, reported on and, of course, controlled. This entails verifying when extra costs come up or schedule delays happen that need to be corrected. By constantly monitoring the schedule and budget, you can catch issues before they spiral out of control.
Closing
The closing process is where the record drawings are finalized to match what was actually installed (important for facilities maintenance), make sure all outstanding invoices are paid, liens are released, warranty information is collected and filed, and a “lessons learned” review is done. The lessons learned can come in handy for future projects that the customer may do and will be very helpful for the design and construction team to make sure any issues or benefits that were discovered during the process can be applied to their future projects.
Do these process groups and steps seem familiar or fall in line with your day-to-day workflow? If so, you may be a project manager.
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