Overview: Understanding Project Management

Understanding Project Management

Project Management Definition

Project Management is the art and science of organizing people, activities, and resources to achieve a defined outcome.

In construction, it combines two essential disciplines: the judgment to make informed decisions and the systems to carry them out.

The Art of Project Management

The art of Project Management lies in understanding people, anticipating problems, and making informed decisions.

Every member of the Project Team brings different responsibilities, capabilities, motivations, and priorities.

Understanding these differences helps the Project Manager recognize developing problems, manage relationships, and respond appropriately.

The art requires judgment, communication, and an understanding of how people behave when circumstances change.

The Science of Project Management

The science of Project Management provides the structure needed to control the Project.

It includes established systems, processes, and tools for:

Defining Scope, Budget, and Schedule.
Coordinating the Project Team.
Managing Bidding and contracts.
Monitoring progress and costs.
Documenting decisions and changes.
Enforcing contractual obligations.

These processes make Project Management more predictable, consistent, and accountable.

Why Both Matter

The art and science of Project Management are inseparable. They dance together in an intricate play of communication and action.

Systems without judgment cannot resolve every problem. Judgment without systems cannot reliably maintain control.

The science provides structure, processes, and information. The art applies judgment, communication, and an understanding of people to determine what action is needed.

CIY brings these disciplines together, teaching Owners not only how to manage their Projects, but how to recognize and respond when circumstances change.

The Project Manager’s Role

The Project Manager coordinates the activities and participants necessary to deliver the Project.

This involves working with Owners, Designers, contractors, inspectors, vendors, and other stakeholders.

A stakeholder is anyone with an interest in or responsibility for the Project.

Construction relationships evolve as work progresses. Differences in experience, capabilities, expectations, and performance can create challenges.

The Project Manager must recognize these conditions, evaluate their implications, and respond before they become larger problems.

Project Management is not simply tracking what happens. It is understanding what is happening and determining what needs to happen next.

The Owner does not need to perform every management activity personally. However, the Owner must understand who is responsible for each activity and maintain appropriate oversight.

CIY provides the structure and instruction to help Owners exercise that responsibility.

For a deeper dive in the types of PM’s their roles and motivations, click here.

TIP: Try to understand where loyalties lie and align yourself closely with those whose loyalty lays closest with you.