What is Construction Management?
“Construction management is a professional service that provides a project’s owner(s) with effective management of the project’s programme, cost, quality, safety, scope and function. Construction management works for all project delivery methods. No matter the setting, a Construction Manager’s (CMs) responsibility is to the owner and to a successful project.” Construction Management Association of America (CMAA).
Construction projects are complex, challenging, and unpredictable. To be successful, construction projects require particular skillsets and knowledge around planning, management and coordination. That is where Construction Management comes in.
Construction Manager (CM) provides the fundamental building blocks for project success by creating the framework to navigate all facets of a project (design, preconstruction, procurement, construction, handover and maintenance) regardless of the construction industry sector (e.g. commercial or residential building, heavy civil, industrial etc.).
It is a demanding process and requires a particular set of skills and knowledge of the industry to drive the right outcomes. This requires skills and knowledge across different disciplines and maximising quality, margin, and time metrics within a project. Cue the Construction Manager. This specialist role underpins CM by keeping on top of each phase of a project through careful planning and coordination of teams throughout the entirety of project execution.
What is a Construction Manager?
According to the Construction Management Association of America, a construction manager has 120 responsibilities. These responsibilities are necessary to provide oversight over an entire construction project, to represent the owner’s interests, and to maximise project outcomes. They are therefore accountable for the work of all parties involved in a project to ensure the project delivers on time and on or under budget, whilst ensuring the owner’s expectations on standards are met.
A Construction Manager is therefore required to determine a project’s best execution path and develop detailed schedules along with robust budgets, whilst keeping an eye on project risks.
Being successful at Construction Management is underpinned by construction method knowledge and experience, backed by project management and complex planning skills. The benefits identified by a 2013 study by McGraw-Hill Construction and supported by the CMAA Foundation have evidenced that Construction Management and managers lead to cost reductions, avoidance of litigation by mitigating disputes and to higher quality results for owners.
How to Digitalise Construction Management
With project challenges increasing, the benefits of adopting digital tools to improve accuracy, data management and efficient communication have never been more important in Construction Management.
To get started, it helps to learn construction management software that will help you stay on top of your projects. For instance, adopting scheduling software that is designed for the industry, simplifies planning, and optimises time, cost and quality outcomes is key.
At Elecosoft, we carry out monthly webinars where we educate our audience on the best way to deliver and manage construction projects via our Powerproject portfolio of solutions. To find out more about our webinars click here or watch our recorded webinar on Avoiding common problems in construction planning.
What is more, adopting solutions that harness the cloud to deliver transparency, control and integrity to project planning and execution will take the strain of keeping everyone informed, simplify project administration, and ensure decision makers have the right information. Software like Powerproject Vision helps connect teams with the project plan and how things are progressing, whilst automating workflows and centralising data to drive standards and deliver key project insights.
There are many benefits to digitalising construction management, including:
- Streamlined project management
- Seamless communication
- Centralised reporting and business intelligence
- Improved team collaboration
- Real-time updates from the site
Implementing digital tools will provide a competitive advantage for Construction Managers and organisations that embrace these tools. Knowing how to use these software packages can even benefit you for future employment opportunities, so there’s never been a better time to try the software out for yourself and get some professional training.