Construction project management (CPM) is the process of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling the activities associated with a construction project. A business that needs construction project management typically has one or more of the following goals:
To reduce costs and minimize delays
To ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget
To improve quality and safety
To manage relationships with subcontractors and suppliers to manage relationships with the client.
A business that has CPM needs to have a clear understanding of its goals, which will affect how it analyzes the risks associated with each of these goals. It must also make sure that its current level of management and information (or lack thereof) is appropriate for attaining its goals. The next section describes the key elements that comprise CPM.
Key Elements of Construction Project Management
CPM can be broken down into three basic stages: planning, controlling, and monitoring. Table 11-1 outlines the key aspects of each stage.
During the planning stage, you should set up a detailed project plan with time estimates on every activity and task that needs to be completed. A project plan is the key document used to convey information regarding the scope, time and cost of the entire project. It must be written in a detailed fashion and include all of the necessary information required for getting the work done.