Introduction
Project management is a type of administration activity aimed at achieving certain intended goals by implementing a set of measures to ensure effective coordination using modern principles, methods, and functions of an economic management mechanism and rational use of all types of resources, taking into account risk factors. This methodology can be defined as a set of knowledge, skills, tools, procedures, rules, principles, and methods necessary to meet the project’s requirements. In other words, using the proper methodology, the project manager can identify and minimize risks and costs and ensure compliance with the project schedules.
The main strength of the concept is the delegation of authority and the assignment of responsibility for achieving goals to specific leaders. The specialist must understand and be able to analyze key participants’ interests and the work environment’s specifics. This specialist manages almost all processes, starting from the planning stage and ending with the approval of all necessary documents when the time comes for putting the finished object into operation. Thus, the project manager must have various skills and competencies necessary for precise and consistent project implementation in accordance with the interests and requirements.
Initial Phase
The Main Objective
The construction or reconstruction of any capital construction object needs technical and economic justification. To do this, design is carried out, during which the key characteristics of the object as a whole and its components are identified, the available data are detailed and supplemented, calculations are made, and initial characteristics are optimized. One of the stages of the renovation project implementation is the approval of project documentation (CHART, n.d.). In order for the documents to be approved, they must comply with the requirements of the legislation. As part of the project initiation stage, the investor sets the initial goals and expected results of the project. Subsequently, business planning is carried out, in which the content, financial resources, internal and external stakeholders, as well as other factors affecting the final result are determined. The approval of the project and the decision on its financing is carried out before the start of the project itself. In this case, the project manager and the project team prepare and analyze data in the business planning process. The participation of experts at an early stage makes it possible to identify potential project risks.
The Key People Involved
The customer or investor is a party interested in implementing the project and achieving its goals. In this case, it is the future owner of the project results. The customer determines the main requirements for the project’s results, provides financing of the project at the expense of its own or attracted funds, and can conclude contracts with the main executors of the project. The project curator is the head of the top level of the organization implementing the project, representing the project from the organization’s side (CHART, n.d.). This employee provides overall control and support of the project (financial, material, human, and other resources). The project supervisor is responsible for achieving the project’s final goals and realizing the organization’s benefits. This employee is responsible to the CEO or the governing board. The curator of the project is appointed by the project manager and is directly responsible for them to the superiors. In addition, this employee provides the necessary financial and technical conditions for the implementation of the project.
The Important Skills
At the stage of approval of project documentation (permission management), the project manager ensures that the project documentation is reviewed and approved in accordance with the established procedure in state bodies, municipalities, and other interested organizations. Therefore, knowledge of current legislation and legal documentation is a necessary skill. This is required to coordinate all stages of renovation with government agencies. The project manager organizes the approval and re-approval of the project documentation and makes changes to the project documentation according to the examination requirements (Alvarenga et al., 2019). Thus, an important skill is the ability to comply with the requirements of legislation and various regulations in order to take into account the sustainability and safety of the project for employees and people. At this stage, the project manager should be able to correlate the financial opportunities provided with various third-party requirements (Zuo et al., 2018). This is necessary in order for the project to be realistic and completed on time. Therefore, communication skills play a special role, which allows the project manager to coordinate various aspects with the interests of all stakeholders.
Development
The Main Objective
At the development stage, the project manager participates in selecting the general designer, as well as other design and survey organizations, registering contractual relations, and coordinating the cost with design organizations. At this stage, the deadlines for the execution and issuance of project documentation are also considered and control their execution. The project manager coordinates the interaction of project organizations and controls the provision of the required quality solutions in developing and implementing working documentation (CHART, n.d.). It is worth noting that the expediency of variant design and optimization of the proposed design solutions is determined. The project manager accepts, stores, and transmits project and working documentation to contractors, maintains reports on the design progress, and promptly informs investors about the need for changes or adjustments (Alvarenga et al., 2019). The project manager and the investor carry out detailed planning of the future implementation of the project and define and clarify the goals and objectives. In addition, the sequence of actions required for their subsequent achievement is developed, and the work’s composition is determined.
The Key People Involved
The project Manager is the person responsible for project management. The project manager is responsible for achieving the project goals within the budget, on time, and with a given level of quality. The main task is to ensure the daily management of the project, and the project team, in the context of all the main management functions (management by deadlines, costs, and risks). Depending on the size of the project, the project manager may receive support from the project administrator or the support team (Zuo et al., 2018). The general contractor is a party or participant of the project that enters into a relationship with the customer and assumes responsibility for the performance of works and services under the contract – it can be the whole project or part of it. At this stage, various architectural or design bureaus are also involved, which are responsible for the main aspects of creating the basic technical requirements for the project (CHART, n.d.). Consequently, third-party technical specialists are also involved, who directly check the conditions in which the project will be implemented.
The Important Skills
The project manager coordinates, if necessary, the interaction of design, survey, and other organizations participating in the project preparation of renovation. They control the provision of the required quality of design solutions in the development and implementation of design and working documentation, determines the feasibility of variant design, and value engineering of proposed design solutions (CHART, n.d.). The project manager accepts, stores, and transmits project and working documentation to contractors and keeps reports on the design progress (Alvarenga et al., 2019). In this case, an essential skill is to inform the investor in a timely manner about the need to make changes or adjustments, as well as a significant deviation from certain design conditions.
In addition, the ability to competently monitor the situation is an essential skill at the design stage. The project manager should be able to take into account the interests of various stakeholders and connect specialists with each other for transparent planning and development of the project (Zuo et al., 2018). In this case, the project manager must also have leadership and communication skills in order to formalize contractual relations with all participants in the process. This is manifested in the fact that it is necessary to be aware of the timing of the project’s realization and adapt to various stakeholders’ requirements.
Realization
The Main Objective
The project manager monitors the timing of receipt of equipment and materials, organization of acceptance, submission, and consideration of claims against manufacturers and suppliers. At this stage, it also considers and settles disputed issues on the fulfillment of the terms of construction contracts. The project manager prepares periodic reports on the progress of construction and the execution of work schedules. Then it is necessary to inform the investor in a timely manner in case of deviation from the deadlines for the project implementation and offers solutions to reduce and optimize the terms and budget of construction. The definition of the scope of work is aimed at formulating detailed requirements and characteristics of the future project, its technical and technological features, and justification of investments (Gilday, 2018). The main components for determining the project’s scope of work in construction are pre-design studies, conditions and restrictions of territorial planning, and the availability of engineering infrastructure. In addition, other aspects that can significantly affect the cost and timing of the project are taken into account.
The Key People Involved
A subcontractor makes a contractual relationship with a contractor or subcontractor of a higher level. It is responsible for the performance of works and services in accordance with the contract. Suppliers are subcontractors who carry out various types of supplies on a contractual basis – materials, equipment, vehicles, and other necessary devices. At the stage of the project implementation, all the people specified in the previous stages are involved. The project manager acts as the main link between the organization and the customer (investor) (Zuo et al., 2018). The contract organization carries out the direct process of reconstruction work in accordance with the schedule and project plan. At this stage, senior management may also be involved in the event of unforeseen circumstances related to erroneous calculations in the implementation of the project, which may lead to customer dissatisfaction. Consequently, the project curator acts as the primary supervisor, who ensures that the work is carried out according to the general recommendations and deadlines.
The Important Skills
At the implementation stage, the project manager participates in the selection of general contracting and contracting organizations, mainly based on the results of tenders, and develops a task for conducting a tender. Then, they assess the construction conditions of the facility given in the tender offer. The construction and installation technology are implemented by the contractor, equipment with the necessary equipment, and machinery. The project manager determines the availability of the necessary permits of self-regulating organizations, the internal quality management system, and the contractor’s reputation and financial condition (Zuo et al., 2018). Therefore, essential skills at this stage are the ability to make the necessary financial calculations according to the budget and work deadlines. In this case, the project manager should be able to check the working team’s condition and equipment comprehensively. The project manager should be able to prepare periodic reports on the progress of construction and the execution of work schedules. In addition, it is essential to inform the investor in a timely manner in case of deviation from the project implementation deadlines and offers solutions to reduce and optimize the construction time and budget.
Completion
The Main Objective
Upon completion of the renovation project, its compliance with the requirements of current legislation, technical regulations, design, and working documentation is assessed, the results of which are the acceptance and commissioning of the completed building. The object’s delivery date is determined by the general contract and is limited by the construction permit. The delivery of the object takes place both to the customer and the state construction supervision (Gilday, 2018). Attention is paid to compliance with current building regulations, quality, safety, and further operation of engineering systems and the building as a whole. All project documentation changes must be executed per the established procedure before the completed construction object is submitted for acceptance (CHART, n.d.). After all the work has been completed in full, an application is sent to the investor on the compliance of the completed construction of the facility with the requirements of technical regulations and project documentation. The signing completes the procedure for the acceptance of the renovation object by the construction participants of the act of acceptance of the completed project.
The Key People Involved
The authorities are the parties that put forward and support environmental, social, and other public and state requirements related to the implementation of the project. At this stage, the project manager plays a certain role, carrying out the final inspection of the project for compliance with all necessary regulations. Subsequently, this information is transmitted to the curator of the project, who is responsible for its presentation to senior management. Consumers of the final product are legal entities and individuals who are buyers and users of the project result, determining the requirements for the products and services provided, and forming the demand for them (Gilday, 2018). Consequently, all the above-mentioned key parties are also involved at this stage. They strive to reflect the obligations fulfilled within the framework of the project and receive appropriate compensation for their work. The interests of the mediocre management are the high-quality execution of projects in order to meet the immediate needs of the customer and investors.
The Important Skills
The project manager determines the operation mode of the facility during individual and complex tests of engineering systems and equipment. In addition, control over commissioning and organization of preparation of the facility for commissioning is provided. The specialist should be able to check the executive documentation and transfer the documentation on the acceptance of the object into operation for storage to the object user (Zuo et al., 2018). Then the necessary documents for the completed renovation object are submitted to the acceptance commission. If necessary, the project manager interacts with the legislative supervision to obtain an opinion on the object. It is also necessary to agree on eliminating defects and deficiencies within the framework of the contract with the contractor.
The leader should be able to prepare documents for applying to the relevant executive authorities for permission to put the facility into operation. In addition, it is necessary to provide documents for the commissioning of the facility and its subsequent registration with local authorities in accordance with the procedure established by them. The project manager transfers the completed construction object to the investor (Gilday, 2018). In this case, it is necessary to have the skill to prepare and transmit to the investor a report on the fulfillment of contractual obligations and the achievement of the necessary parameters by the project based on the results of the construction.
The project manager, together with the contractor, organizes the training of the investor’s personnel — the operation service according to a pre-developed and agreed program. During the warranty operation of the facility, the leader, at the investor’s request, controls the fulfillment of obligations by construction participants during the warranty period (Gilday, 2018). In addition, participation is carried out in the organization and elimination of defects identified after the facility’s commissioning by the guilty party’s efforts (CHART, n.d.). The contract determines the duties and responsibilities of the project manager in construction, depending on the object’s complexity and the project manager’s scope of work determined by the parties. Therefore, an essential skill is also the ability to resolve conflicts and contradictions that have arisen.
Conclusion
The construction project manager is a specialist responsible for the successful implementation of the construction site entrusted to them. They manage the entire process from the planning stage and approval of project documentation to the commissioning of the building and sometimes perform post-project support. In addition to knowing all the features of the construction work, the project manager should be well-versed in the legislation to avoid adverse consequences when handing over the object. In addition to a large amount of practical knowledge, a project manager must have several personal qualities that will help to implement the tasks set successfully. Leadership qualities are essential for this specialist. The project manager must have organizational skills, lead the entire construction team, and find solutions to minor problems that can affect the work process.
It is necessary to have communication skills that allow them to effectively interact with ordinary workers and the authorities that regulate and control construction projects. At the same time, the project’s finances, deadlines, and content are monitored, as well as risk management and working with objections. This means that the project manager must be able to interact with different sides of the process: business, engineers, and technical documentation. This critical skill is a necessary condition for the implementation of the project to take place in accordance with all the requirements of both technical and legislation. The essential skill is the ability to bear responsibility since the project implementation involves constant risks. Consequently, the manager must be responsible for their own decisions and mistakes, and the team following labor, administrative, civil, and criminal legislation. Thus, the project manager must have a wide range of skills.
References
Alvarenga, J. C., Branco, R. R., Guedes, A. L. A., Soares, C. A. P., & Silva, W. S. (2019). The project manager core competencies to project success. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 13(2), 277–292.
CHART. (n.d.). Importance of a project manager for home renovations. Web.
Gilday, K. (2018). Home renovations and project managers – an essential relationship. Gilday. Web.
Zuo, J., Zhao, X., Nguyen, Q. B. M., Ma, T., & Gao, S. (2018). Soft skills of construction project management professionals and project success factors. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 25(3), 425–442.