Successfully Managing Complex Construction Projects
Project management requires attention and skills, no matter the industry. When it comes to construction project management, the task becomes even more complicated since the various stages a project has and the hundreds of subtasks that need to be completed on time skyrocket compared to a smaller-scale project.
Managing a construction site entails planning, scheduling, staying in the loop on everything, and working with stakeholders, subcontractors, and other project parties. Although you have developed a strategy that works for you, it’s always fruitful to refresh what you know and get some new insights and takeaways. Let’s go over four top tips for construction project managers that can boost efficiency and success.
Communication and Relationship
As the construction manager, you are the hub connecting architects with their blueprints, stakeholders with their deadlines, and foremen with their crew issues. Prioritizing might be complicated when you’re wearing many hats but taking the time to show that you acknowledge the person behind the job duties will pay off. Building trust and establishing human relationships leads to enhanced professional communication.
Proper means of communication play a significant part as well. According to a research from PlanGrid, 52% of rework is caused by miscommunication and poor project data, leading to billions of dollars lost every year. This year’s statistics aren’t available yet, but it’s evident that communication suffered considerable damage during the pandemic. For example, the need to shift from in-person meetings to phone and zoom calls made it harder to convey what’s happening on the job site.
A digital solution that will fit any budget is photo documentation. For example, 360 Photo can offer you clear, professional, timely images capturing project milestones along with routine workflow stages.
Flexible Planning
Everyone who has ever worked on a job site knows that project delays and construction go together like weeds and gardening: you want to get rid of them, but they just keep cropping up. The good news: you can prepare for what you know.
The rule of thumb: the bigger the project, the more likely the delays. This year, project delays took the prize for being the top issue in the construction industry: because of COVID-19 orders to socially distance, lock downs, and other unforeseen barriers created by the pandemic.
Having a plan and preparing to face the most unexpected events will provide you with some leeway and a sense of control over the situation. The ability to access any location on the job site at any given moment also empowers you to plan ahead, update, and verify progress & schedules. Photo documentation tools are the ones to look out for. It’s essential to have not only the bird’s eye view but also the ability to dive into the details. You’ll quickly figure out which “minor” issues might snowball into serious problems and how to prevent it from happening again.
Another crucial thing is to stay flexible: an original plan is never set in stone, and if you’re ready to pivot quickly as soon as new circumstances arise, you’ve already saved yourself and your project a lot of valuable time.
Risk mitigation
Each construction project or job site is unique and has its opportunities and challenges. This means that risks can also be of different types and come from both internal and external sources.
Although it seems impossible to always be alert and on stand by, the best practices to mitigate construction risks include trying to avoid them, delegating those you’re not responsible for, identifying risks as quickly as possible when they appear, and breaking them down into actionable tasks.
Surprisingly, the lack of awareness of how costly risks are was reported to be one of the top obstacles to risk management by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Lifelong Learning
Cutting-edge technology is embedded not only in our personal lives but also in our professional day to day. New tools, materials, procedures and methods for how to do your work appear every day. If you don’t stay in the know, you might fall behind – first with deadlines, then with business in general.
Keeping an eye on the latest news and trends is the first step you should take to stay ahead of your competitors. The second step is finding the best tools to put your findings into action. If you’re considering leveraging photo documentation services, explore 360 Photo to find out about the ample opportunities it can bring to your project.
In a nutshell, any construction professional should be open to communication, agile in building strategies, ready to take responsibility, and eager to learn something new every day. Here, at Multivista, our mission is to support you on your journey. Do you want to learn more? Check out our resources section here. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions!
