Successful Project Management - the Starting Point of the Journey to Effective Design

"Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." The saying of Arthur Robert Ashe Jr., a well-known American tennis player, is true and valid for all paths of life because to reach the desired destination, it is important to pay attention and place importance on the journey that takes there. And, in the field of construction, project management is the main pillar to achieve satisfactory results and successfully complete the journey.

But what, after all, is project management?

Project management consists of managing all the productive and bureaucratic steps of a construction project. This part encompasses efficient coordination of different resources, covering materials, finances, human resources, equipment and everything that is necessary for the project to be executed with quality, without risks and according to the established budget and terms.

What qualities are essential to be a good project manager?

The professional responsible for project management has to be organized, as he or she will have to deal with planning, schedules, and contracts. Besides that, the manager needs to act as a leader, since he will be responsible for the team involved in the project.

What are the benefits of good project management?

Well-executed project management leads to growth in prosperity, productivity, and quality while reducing risk. With good management skills, we should also be able to detect which are the best ways to make more assertive decisions.

What are the consequences of poor project management?

Mismanagement of a project can lead to problems related to meeting pre-determined deadlines and the delivery and logistics of materials. It is also possible that it results in an increase in budget costs and, consequently, affects the quality of the work.

What are the consequences of poor project management?

The most important thing for a project to be well managed is to have a manager and a team made up of specialized, qualified professionals with adequate know-how in their areas of expertise. It is also necessary that the person responsible is present at each stage of the life cycle of the construction project. For all this to happen, it is important that there is a shift of paradigm in the way we work: collaborative work, documentation, and information exchange are essential parts of this new dynamic. In addition, it is important for the manager to be aware of new methodologies and new technologies such as Building Information Modeling and never stop learning to bring innovative processes and methods to his or her staff and work.