Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers - Career - Nairaland
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| Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by PM2305: 2:23pm On May 03, 2015 |
Hi, I am delighted to start this discussion thread on Construction Project Management for the purpose of bringing together all aspiring, practicing and retired Project Managers to share experience, lessons learnt and seek advice where necessary to militating issues on our respective past, ongoing or imminent projects. A quick introduction - I am a graduate of Architecture and presently a Consulting Construction Project Manager with 10 years post graduate experience, with 8 of the years, actively as a Construction Project Manager. I have a Project Management Professional Certification from the Project Management Institute, USA. I have been involved in quite a wide array of projects of diverse nature namely, corporate, commercial, religious, institutional, residential and infrastructural projects within the private, oil & gas and public sectors and notably in key cities of the country. I have noticed the need to share and foster Project Management Principles via social media, hence the need to start the thread. Please feel free to contribute on all suitable PM knowledge areas. I will be delighted to answer questions on the following topics (though not limited to) - Project Charter, Strategic Brief, Scope definition and Management, Design Timelines, Statutory Planning Approval, Service Level Agreement for Consultants, Design Development and review, Tendering, advise on trade contractors and subcontractors in Nigeria, Cost Management, Contract Award, Suitable Type and Form of Contract, Contract documents, Programme of Works, Advance Payment Guarantee and Performance Bonds, Contract Administration, Reporting, Team Building, Communication, Interim Payments to Contractors, Disputes, Termination of Contract, Loss and Expense, Health Safety and Environment, Quality Management and Materials' Testing, Risk Assessment, Claims, Change Management & Variation, Practical Completion, Sectional Completion and Final Completion. If pertinent, I will gladly oblige requests to share my experience, mentor and address teams, firms and organisations on any of the aforementioned topics at no charge. It is my little way of giving back to the profession that has been extremely beneficial to me. Cheers. Happy Sunday! Cc: Seun CrazyMan 1forall 5 Likes |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by Jegede4real2002(m): 9:15pm On May 03, 2015 |
Thanks, Architect. God bless your kind mind. I am a graduate Civil Engineer, Do you have a site/link for me to work and gain experience? |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by PM2305: 8:50am On May 04, 2015 |
Jegede4real2002: Unfortunately, I do not know of any site or link with respect to work placement. However, you may share on this platform details of your qualification and experience (if any). You may also include what your expectations are. |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by Nobody: 6:24pm On May 04, 2015 |
Well, i have no hands-on experience nor hold any project mgt position but i hold a Certified Proj. Manager certificate with d Int'l Proj. Mgt Professionals. I hold HND, Cooperative Econs & Mgt. I would like to go into project management as a career. How do i go abt it? Do i nid advance certification or experience? Any opportunity for me to gain experience or any useful advice will be appreciated |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by MrHighSea: 6:38pm On May 04, 2015 |
FP material. Civil Engg rocks. lemme relax first. |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by casiello(m): 4:40am On May 05, 2015 |
Eddyken:Just to add weight to his question, basically we need advice on steps one can/should take in pursuing a project management career, this of course shouldn't be limited to the construction industry. Thank you |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by PM2305: 3:11pm On May 05, 2015 |
Eddyken: casiello: My response: The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines Project management as the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements; and defines a Project as a temporary endeavour in that it has a defined beginning and end in time, and therefore defined scope and resources. And a project is unique in that it is not a routine operation, but a specific set of operations designed to accomplish a singular goal. So a project team often includes people who don’t usually work together – sometimes from different organizations and across multiple geographies. The development of software for an improved business process, the construction of a building or bridge, the relief effort after a natural disaster, the expansion of sales into a new geographic market — all are projects. Association for Project Management Uk, defines Project Management as the application of processes, methods, knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the project objectives; and defines a Project as a unique, transient endeavour, undertaken to achieve planned objectives, which could be defined in terms of outputs, outcomes or benefits. A project is usually deemed to be a success if it achieves the objectives according to their acceptance criteria, within an agreed timescale and budget. To this end, pursuing a Project Management (PM) Career, I will recommend the following steps: 1. Develop interest and understand what Project Management is about. I am a proponent of PMI, USA and advise every aspiring Project Manager to read PM journals, e-books, articles and related content online. Furthermore, for those with very keen interest, the PMBOK fifth edition may be procured (soft or hard copy) online or at a reputable book store. 2. Work in an organisation that is involved in executing projects. for Eddyken who studied Cooperative Economics & Management, it is easy for him to set up projects relating to how to improve economic data collection. Specific targets within the organisation can be turned into Projects with defined commencement/end dates and expected objectives. Projects duly differ from routine operations (production line or repetitive endeavours). 3. Attend a Project Management certification class/training at a registered education provider center. PMI offers the CAPM and PMP certifications. More information on these certifications can be found on their website, www.pmi.org. Attending the training, will broaden the attendees knowledge of PM within a class environment and through an interactive session. The training sessions introduce participants to salient PM tools, techniques, Process Groups and Knowledge Areas. This fast tracks the ability to understand and garner knowledge (a key prerequisite to being a Project Manager). 4. Apply the tools techniques and knowledge gained to every work endeavour. That is begin to turn every little activity at work and at home into a project. Develop a plan, define scope and objectives, research, develop checklists, develop cost, define timelines, carryout risk assessment, identify stakeholders, communicate effectively, , build teams, monitor and track progress, develop lessons learnt and close the activity/project. Successful event planners do possess PM knowledge, tools and techniques and apply same to the business of planning events. 5. Gain skills. Learn a planning.scheduling software. Learn how to use any or some of the following softwares, Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Asta Power Project etc. They are useful tools in preparing timeline schedules in a Gantt Chart format and tracking resources/progress/cost periodically. Learn other useful softwares relating to your field of endeavour to give you the requisite authority to manage teams as a Project Manager. The more skillful and adroit a Project Manager is, the more trust he earns from his team members. Often times, a Project Manager will have to commit a suitable percentage of his income to personal development and learning. Gaining skills and applying them appropriately is a notable propeller to aid a Project Manager's career success. 6. Gain Experience. PM Experience comes by applying PM techniques, tools, knowledge and skills continuously. This implies that an aspiring Project Manager must be involved in executing Projects at all times. As Malcom Gladwell cited in his award winning book and masterpiece, the Outliers, the 10,000hrs rule also applies to PM. Keep mastering the PM methodology without compromise. Continue to get better. Aspire to be a generalist in your sector. For example, having been involved in several projects and working with different adept consultants, i have obtained useful experience and knowledge in all design disciplines. Hence to an extent, I can carryout mock reviews of most design development activities and also proffer suggestions on methods to improve the design deliverables thereby adding value. 7. Appraise your performance, targets and goals. Make efforts to carry out objective assessment of your Project Management performance. Review your personal targets and goals. It is a useful technique to improve the Project Manager's output and Project outcomes. 8. Turn PM into a culture. Live the life of a Project Manager. Think outside the box. Buy and read books on Project Management. Be different. Be deft in the subject of your endeavour. If you are a Banker, understand the requirements of your department by studying global concepts and approach to what your organisation does and make efforts to contribute your quota to the improvement of the organisation's processes and procedures. This earns you respect and builds your confidence as a Project Manager. 9. Share knowledge. The best part of my career is inducting new staff into my organisation, reviewing lessons learnt on related projects with a new team at the start of a new project or sharing past PM experience(s) with fellow Project Managers. Wow. Sharing knowledge has such a monumental reassuring effect on the person sharing. 10. Keep records and be organised. Keep an active repository for all Project information. Ensure the database is up to date and aptly tracked. For example, if you apply Project Management methodology to managing your own wedding and keep adequate records, you can Project Manage a similar wedding within a week by referring to the records kept during yours. Though the two weddings can never be the same, but lessons learnt can be shared and information on cost and resources can result in time savings. This applies to all forms and types of projects. Finally, the distinction is about adding value to oneself and any undertaken endeavour always. I hope my response suffices for the queries raised. Cheers. 9 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by Nobody: 6:26pm On May 05, 2015 |
PM2305:Thanks!!! Great advice 1 Like |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by casiello(m): 4:58am On May 07, 2015 |
Thanks for the response, @PM2305. |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by trafters: 1:36am On May 10, 2015 |
OP, thank you for this tread. Pls how do identify the critical path on a gant chart. I understand that the critical path is the longest route on a network diagram and it actually determines the duration of the project. While it can easily be highlighted on MS project computer display how can you identify it on a print out. |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by PM2305: 5:30pm On May 17, 2015 |
trafters: The critical path is the longest sequence of activities in a project plan which must be completed on time for the project to complete on due date. An activity on the critical path cannot be started until its predecessor activity is complete; if it is delayed for a day, the entire project will be delayed for a day unless the activity following the delayed activity is completed a day earlier. (http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/critical-path.html) Critical path is a term used in the field of project management to define a sequence of tasks in a project wherein none of the tasks can be delayed without affecting the final project end date. The sequence of tasks making up the critical path starts with the first task in the project, and follows through to the last task in the project. In effect, the timely completion of each task in the sequenceis to the timely completion of the project. (http://www.agilepm.com/downloads/CPMdefinition.pdf) The key focus of the critical path method is calculating for forward pass (early start and early finish dates of all activities), backward pass (late start and late completion dates of all activities) and calculating the float of each activities. Thus any activity with zero float, that is a delay in the activity will have an impact on the end date). Most scheduling softwares (MsProject, Primavera P6, ASTA Power Project etc) used to draw the Gantt Chart have in built commands to highlight the activities on the critical path with zero float. For manual assessment of the critical path from the Gantt Chart, you will be required to draw up a network diagram or track each activity on the chart to ascertain which activities have zero float. I sincerely wish I can practically take you through the process. The links below should be of help: http://www.pmexamsmartnotes.com/how-to-calculate-critical-path-float-and-early-and-late-starts-and-finishes/ http://www.pmknowledgecenter.com/node/61 http://www.freepmstudy.com/pdffiles/networkdiagram.pdf http://www.agilepm.com/downloads/CPMdefinition.pdf http://4squareviews.com/2013/04/16/5th-edition-pmbok-guide-chapter-6-critical-path-method/ Apologies for my late response. Cheers! 1 Like 1 Share |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by Venom104: 1:06am On May 19, 2015 |
Thank You OP.. I have gone through Nairaland for a while now looking for experienced architects willing to give career advice to some of us still trying to find our ways in this our chosen career path.. Lucky to have bumped into this one today I am also a graduate of architecture with Bsc (2011) and Msc (2014), architecture with about 3years working experience working with a small scale firm in the northern part of Nigeria. i have some experience on small scale construction process, contract documentations and general project management. I wish to know what other Certificate courses one can take on during the NYSC year (as i am to serve this year) to further expand ones knowledge in the field as well as become more attractive to bigger architectural/ construction firms in Nigeria. Also, i want to know more about PMP registration/examination centers and process here in Nigeria. Getting a reasonable job has not been easy, currently earning less than 30K all in the name of experience and the lack of NYSC cert doesnt help either,Does it get better? what has your own journey been like? |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by helovesme(f): 8:42am On May 19, 2015 |
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| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by sholasys: 3:50pm On May 20, 2015 |
Project management is the first profession God displayed why creating the world (Heaven and Earth). God created the world as a project, ordinarily God could and can create the whole world and everything underneath within a sec or min. However He choose to "projectised " the creation and Sequence the Activities (let there be light...., then water etc ) without lag or delay. Why would He choose to create the (Heaven and Earth) for six 6 days and rested on the 7th day ? He could have just created the whole world in a min. God had a Plan (project management plan to create the world), He had a scope, objective and schedule and a checklist. I want to be sure that His To-Do List were marked as He accomplished His daily deliverable for six days. God, the first to display project management skills, rested on the 7th day which is part of project management to celebrate success. To be a project manager, you have to be passionate about it, ready to read and research and learn. You need to go through quality training from a reputable training institutes, get mentored by a pmp certified professional like ME or through an experienced project practitioner. I am into ICT projects, oil and Gas surface technology project execution. Lets keep this thread rolling- Anything project management skill domain. 3 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by Arubab: 6:03pm On May 20, 2015 |
Thanks for the information. Can you please give an qualitative international courses that can aid civil engineers to gain more added advantage in career pursuit even without experience especially for the young graduates. |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by yimikaa: 6:26pm On May 20, 2015 |
A Project Management thread. This is wonderful. God bless you @OP Please, this thread should be for mentoring, sharing ideas, and learning project management. I am a project engineer 3yrs experience. Quality training is very necessary. Like the op said, knowledge of Ms Project,primevera, etc is very important. Lastly, I need to learn primevera who is willing to tutor me on it. 1 Like |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by gpokoh(m): 3:47pm On May 21, 2015 |
Hi Seun, You did well to have started out this discussion on Project Management. It is my pleasure to contribute immensely as an experienced project manager @ Project People Limited - an outstanding UK franchisee project management consulting firm that offers training in PRINCE2 and PMP. From my experience, I have realized that the major problem that is known with managing construction projects is communication organization within the project specifics and so I would start my contribution by educating on how to effectively overcome this challenge. DAILY TEAM INTERACTION Normally, the team is engaged as needed, and probably a bit more often on customer status calls. However, it is necessary to interact with the group more often especially if the project is drifting off target. Scope creeping, estimate padding and other sly practices are easier to spot and deal with when time between contacts and critical project resources is reduced. Interact on a daily bases. You can try using a Facebook group. This will help you remain current and keep a tab on issues as they develop. It will also keep the team line with daily oversight and accountability. ENGAGE THE CLIENTS SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE WEEK In much the same way as the project team, the client also needs to be kept engaged. You may do fine engaging the client once weekly for smaller or slow moving projects. However, better results will be obtained for larger projects if you interact with the client two, three or four times weekly. INCLUDE FINANCIALS IN YOUR STATUS REPORT The project budget, being very important, should as much as possible, be placed in the view of the team and the client. This gives it its deserved prominence and prevents the project from gradually going irretrievably adrift. In summary, these easy steps should help to some degree to safeguard your project timeline, stay in control of budgets and resource planning, and ultimately improve your standing with your customer. To your success, Godspower Okoh 3 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by eromspete(m): 12:29pm On May 24, 2015 |
Good day all. I'm pleased to discover this thread for Practising project Mgrs, aspiring and experienced PMs. Firstly, I'd like to plead with everyone not to derail this thread with adverts as there's specific sections to do so. As an introduction, I'm a young Civil Engineering graduate, PRINCE2 Practitioner certified, currently working as part of a construction project team developing an Airport somewhere very interesting. I'm actively involved in getting pre-construction document approvals for my work packages (structural and finishes), preparation and review of sub-contractor construction micro-schedules, progress tracking, reporting and issue resolution and escalation where necessary. I'm not directly involved in the Procurement, Finances and HR aspects of the project but I have an understanding as regards such and how it affects the work package out on site. (Material approvals, Work inspections, Manpower requirements for direct construction, etc.) As a project Manager, I feel records keeping, learning from issues/situations and, progress monitoring and tracking is key. Not an easy thing to do depending on the people you're dealing with but it does help a great deal. Also do not neglect your stakeholders as they have an impact on your overall success as a PM  Let's talk 2 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by eromspete(m): 12:32pm On May 24, 2015 |
Either you get a PMI CAPM Certification (USA) or a PRINCE2 Foundation certificate (UK). Both of them do not require prior experience. Arubab: |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by areb4u2008(m): 10:11pm On Jun 01, 2015 |
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| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by jayesmalling(m): 12:32pm On Jun 02, 2015 |
I am a 400L Project Management Student of the Federal University of Technology Akure..Please I need someone to help me with I.T placement in a construction firm or Production company in Lagos...07061171770 |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by Elekwa: 10:08am On Jun 03, 2015 |
PM2305:
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| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by Elekwa: 10:15am On Jun 03, 2015 |
If you need materials or training on Professional Project Management, based on PMBOK 5TH Edition feel free to contact us; Ritetrac Consulting Nigeria Limited - 07043486192 or 08037022479. Also find attached our 2015 TRAINING CALENDAR. |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by iacmng: 5:08pm On Jun 04, 2015 |
hello sir, i am very much interested. how can i go about it? |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by pathardy(m): 4:09pm On Jul 16, 2015 |
Impressively! Pls share with us info as regards to PMP exam. I will be writing my exam by September. I did the training 2013, though undergoing a refresher course now in prepareation. Expert judgements pls. What must I do to pass my PMP exam? Cc PM2305 Eromspete Sholasys And others pls |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by PM2305: 10:42am On Jul 25, 2015 |
pathardy: If you are referring to the PMP exam offered by PMI, USA, then you are on track to pass the exams by attending the training and follow up with a refresher course. A sure fire way to pass is to read the PMBOK 5th Edition back to back, page by page, acquaint yourself with the process groups, knowledge areas and ITTOs and attempt sample questions that can be found online. The first time i wrote the exam, 2 years after my training, i read all sorts of junk study materials online and i failed woefully. The second time, about 2 years after, i read only the PMBOK for 5 days and made efforts to relate the knowledge to my work endeavors, and i passed in flying colors. I am still applying the knowledge which is the primary reason for the certification. |
| Re: Discussion Board For Construction Project Managers by pathardy(m): 4:06pm On Jul 25, 2015 |
PM2305:Thank you Sir. Pls can u share some pass question with me? |
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