Construction Project Management

Over the past several years, the construction industry has seen enormous changes. From an industry steeped in conservative practices and narrowly scoped services, construction has moved to the forefront of the design and construction profession. From general contracting to construction management to project management and program management, the methods of servicing the industry have evolved to be more varied and comprehensive. This requires that practitioners and students alike understand the many aspects of the world of owners, designers, tenants, regulatory agencies, community agencies, and subcontractors. Each participant brings political, professional, and personal motivations to the process, and each has the ability to place constraints on the project. To effectively navigate in this environment, the successful project manager must recognize the role of each participant, understand the nature of the project itself, and effectively use management tools to bring the project forward in a timely and cost-effective manner. In addition to contending with the nature of each project and the individual participants, the project manager also has his or her own organization to navigate as well as those of the owner and designer. As the major participants in any project, these organizations can support or hinder the process, depending on the fit between a particular organization and the project as well as the fit among the individual organizations. The recipe for success is indeed a complicated one. This book looks at the forms of organizations and some of the dynamics at play in them, and it outlines some methods for putting the right people and right organization together for a specific project. SCOPE OF THE TEXT To address all of the aspects that a successful project manager will need to understand, this text is organized to explore the people involved in the design and construction process, the principal phases of a project, and the tools required to effectively manage the people and the project. It is intended primarily for students in a four-year construction management curriculum serving as an in-depth introduction to construction project management. The book will also benefit undergraduate or graduate civil engineering or architectural students who desire to better understand the construction process. It is also intended to be used by older students or practitioners who are looking for an understanding of the changes in the industry and new tools and management methods available for dealing with those changes. INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUE People learn in many different ways. While most people are able to absorb lessons through the written text, the concepts being presented can be reinforced through other media. To that end, this book presents material in many different forms. The text is the major method employed, but the book also uses charts, illustrations, photos, and anecdotal sidebars. In addition, this book is coauthored by an academic and by an industry professional. That combination fuses theory and practical reality in dynamic interchange. Understanding of pedagogy and how people learn is teamed with the understanding of what information practitioners need to be successful in an increasingly competitive environment. In addition, many of the sidebars are authored by industry leaders, lending more real-world perspective to the book. ORGANIZATION OF THE TEXT The book is divided into three sections. The first section examines the industry and the profession by looking at the nature of the industry, future trends, and opportunities. It outlines the different sectors of the industry, explains the role of each participant, and analyzes the variety of contractual arrangements available for particular projects. The second section focuses on the project itself, giving an in-depth overview of all aspects of the project from the very first concept to occupancy. This section emphasizGould, Frederick E. is the author of 'Construction Project Management', published 2002 under ISBN 9780130480545 and ISBN 0130480541.