PM Phases and Processes

by Doug Berube

When evaluating the initial project setup, the responsibility identification stage is crucial. The identification stage has three major components: stakeholders, phases, and processes. The identification process uses models that have been established to attribute the proper objects to be incorporated into a progressive image of the project. Once the model has been designed for the particular project, a responsibility document must be drafted to create to next step in the phase accountability. This is the start of developing a clear project vision.

The project vision is illustrated, documented, and track by the project schedule. There are many different types of schedules, but in construction, the critical path method is the most commonly specified. This article is not about critical path methodology, the focus is to discuss the project phases because the phase tasks reveal the responsibilities of the contract stakeholders. The phases of a project reflect the logical direction the construction process flows. The logic is the activities and the order of these activities. An example is that you can’t install the roof joist without installing the wall support structure, this is called workflow.

Each task has a list of preconditions that impact the performance of that task. The preconditions are:

·         Construction design

·         Components and materials

·         Manpower

·         Equipment

·         Space

·         Connecting tasks

·         External conditions

Each item in the above list is an input to be calculated into the activity sequence to determine the duration of that task. Once each task duration is calculated, it needs to be added to the schedule and sequenced into the logic of the schedule. A proper sequenced schedule shows a processed flow designed to ensure proper control of the project and to attain the desired objective. Each task in the schedule is assigned to a stakeholder who is responsible for the work and communicating its progress. The task communication is crucial to the sequence of the construction process. A risk to the outcome of the project and impact to the stakeholders are affected by a task not accurately reported.

Now that the schedule is complete and the construction process has started, the next project manager task is scope control. The PM tool is called scope creep management. A project can and will change because when the work begins situations are discovered and results that were not anticipated can impact the scope. For example, a more server winter than normal that exceeds the allowed weather days. Now the stakeholders have a decision to make about the control of the project. The scope change can be controlled or the scope can creep and end up controlling the project. The latter will lead to an undesired outcome for the stakeholders. Since a project can have unforeseen conditions, there is a change framework where each stakeholder can understand the cost and change involved to decide whether or not to act on this change. The framework is normally determined at the beginning of the project because scope creep is hard to prevent on large a project and these changes need to be kept under control. Also, too many changes will cause scope creep, which will control the project management.

Projects are very complicated and project management requires vigilance. The identification of all processes and framework of control at the initiation of the project is to assist in the process awareness for all stakeholders. The schedule building phase of the project reveals how critical the stakeholders influence the construction process. So to help insure the integrity of the project quality control, monitoring the scope, and process compliance, the stakeholders have to report their progress accurately and timely. This is why the proper process framework is implemented. The devil is in the details.

  

References:

1.    Mind Tools – Project Management; www.mindtools.com

2.    PMBOK 3^rd Edition pp. 19 - 32