The construction industry is complex and demanding. From planning to execution, the entire process involves a great deal of effort, resources, and coordination. Construction companies use effective management systems to complete projects on schedule and within budget. These systems streamline processes, enhance communication, and improve overall productivity.
Basics of Construction Management
Construction management involves the use of specialized knowledge, skills, and tools such as management systems. Construction managers or project managers play a key role in construction projects. They must have a strong understanding of construction methods and materials and excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills. Managers work concurrently with AEC professionals and other stakeholders to ensure the project meets the owner’s requirements and objectives.
Here are some of the key management systems that are essential for the construction industry.
Construction management is the technique of planning, coordinating, and controlling all aspects of a construction project. The process includes everything from pre-construction planning and design to construction execution and project closeout.
The four most prevalent types of management systems for construction are:
a. Practice management
b. Risk management
c. Safety management
d. Relations management
e. Digital and SaaS-led project management
Functions
The functions of construction management include the following:
1. Object Specification
The function specifies project objectives and plans, including scope delineation, budgeting, scheduling, performance expectations, and project participant selection. It ensures that there is a plan in place that is to be followed throughout the construction phase.
2. Labour efficiency
Construction management involves working closely with the workforce. The function includes procuring labour, materials, and equipment per the schedule and plan. By and large, they are responsible for maximum and efficient utilization of the resource.
3. Proper Planning
Planning refers to the full process of developing a construction project from conception to completion. All in all, it entails creating a detailed plan outlining the project’s scope, objectives, timetable, budget, and resources. Other activities include site surveys, feasibility studies, cost estimates, and risk evaluations.
4. Communication
Effective communication mechanisms for implementing various operations through proper control and coordination come under their ambit. It involves coordination between planning, designing, estimating, contracting, and construction. Additionally, resolving conflicts among the various participants is another critical function of construction management.
Types of construction management systems
Practice management systems
It is a collaborative approach to who manages the finance and administration of construction works. It has been proved through great projects that working through partnering helps in achieving the following:
- A Greater value of money
- Higher profits for the company
- Quality improvement
- Prediction of project completion
Some characteristics associated with partnering are:
- The pricing is open book procedure
- The problem resolution is agreed upon
- work carries out in terms if trust and cooperation
- Continuous improvement is committed throughout the project
- Have a set of mutual objectives
Safety Management systems
Construction sites expose workers to various safety hazards. Falling objects, working from rooftops or scaffolding, and exposure to heavy construction equipment markedly pose a danger.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) particularly emphasizes the importance of worker participation in the safety and health program. Companies can put this in place by involving workers in safety. Toolbox talks, safety briefings, site inductions, and offering safety incentives are effective strategies are other some measures.
Safety management provides a disciplined framework for managing the integrity of operating systems and processes. They apply good design principles, engineering, and operating practices. For instance, sites can prevent and control incidents by implementing safe work practices, training, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Safety helmets for head protection,
- Safety glasses or goggles for eye protection, especially for welding works and in sunlight,
- Use of high visibility clothing for work during night shifts, and so on.
Relationship Management systems
Relationship management is the process and technique through which an organization maintains its level of engagement with its target market, client base, stakeholders, business competitors, and so on.
While the advent of joint venture and partnering contracts has increased the emphasis on collaborative characteristics. Yet, many construction businesses do not pay much attention to the need for stakeholder relationships.
Relationship building in AEC is vital to address the coordination of project participants. The deterioration of relationships in the long run can lead to time delays, cost overruns, and quality issues. By improving connections, companies can reduce the likelihood and effects of poor performance.
Risk management systems
Construction projects are inherently risky. Risks are generally characterized as incidents that impact a project’s principal objectives. They could be project delays, complex processes, high financial stakes, unfavourable environments, and shifting organizational structures.
Risk management is a systematic and comprehensive technique for analyzing, identifying, and responding to risk variables to meet project goals. Evidently, having a good understanding of the risks enables the parties involved to take measures to mitigate them. Project managers must understand and actively manage risks. Clearly, this is evidence of good project management, not an admission of failure.
Digital and SAAS-led management
Construction companies use endless piles of paperwork and many spreadsheets and files to attempt to stay on top of projects. Despite the relevance of technology, many businesses continue to rely on manual management. These manual processes pose considerable issues, with data duplication, analysis, and input errors.
Companies can implement SAAS for effective project management to overcome these roadblocks. Project managers can reduce rework and risk and create a more productive job site with excellent site documentation. Cloud-based construction management software integrates data, equipment, and people on a single platform. They enable professionals to centralize and simplify job processes and duties. Henceforth, managers can share information securely and track all parts of a project in real-time.
With access to the cloud, general contractors and all involved parties can communicate and coordinate easily. Thus, planning, collaborating, tracking project progress, sharing documents and images, and delivering the final project becomes easy. Cloud-based construction management systems work excellently for collaborative, data-driven construction management.
Features of cloud-based construction management
Seamless collaboration
Smooth collaboration flow improves response time, and real-time connectivity helps make better decisions. As the feature keeps everyone connected at all times to make informed decisions, it certainly reduces costly delays.
Easy file sharing
The file-sharing tool facilitates the simple, paperless transfer of massive data. Files that are usually too large to share via email or other means are promptly shared. Clear communication and fast and efficient project management help the firm stand out to clients.
Common communication platform
Information exchange happens on a variety of means, including email, SMS, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Gathering information from these multiple sources takes time and is prone to inaccuracy. But with a cloud-based digital construction tool, you can communicate with many project stakeholders at a time. Thus, management can keep everyone on the same page. The common platform eliminates mistakes, makes decision-making easy, and helps complete projects speedily.
Real-time updates on project progress
There is a time-lapse in the transfer of data and communication between the main office and the construction sites. That gap consequently creates many delays that need to be avoided to keep a project on time and within budget. If you respond to outdated information, your decision is impaired. But if live data inform you, then you can respond quickly to issues and resolve them before the onset of problems. The software allows project managers to have access to data in real-time. Online tools are updated in real-time, and that data is shared throughout the software. The program can then provide reports based on real-time data, which assists you in making better decisions, resolving problems faster, and communicating more effectively.
Security
Online security threats are evolving and becoming more sophisticated. Privacy in cloud computing has always been a topic of concern. With access to sensitive data, anyone could misuse it or use it for unauthorized purposes. Cloud solutions offer security features that can help keep sensitive information safe. SAAS platform provides role-based access to data so that you can control who in your organization accesses what data. It interacts with common software and offers robust security and administrative capabilities.
Data Analysis
Contractors can improve workflows, find ways to automate tasks, increase efficiencies, and cut costs by analyzing data. For that reason, contractors need the right tools to parse and scrutinize the data and have meaningful impacts on their projects. With advanced data analytics software, each member of the team can view real-time operations statistics. Simultaneously, they can highlight areas for improvement and collaboration.
In Conclusion
Effective management systems are essential for the AEC industry. They undoubtedly help construction companies to streamline processes, enhance communication, and improve productivity. Furthermore, with a centralized platform, companies experience efficient project execution, better cost control, and improved project management. Businesses can improve collaboration, communication, and data management by implementing SAAS-based platforms.
