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What is so special about managing Projects..?

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Strategies for Construction Cost Control ...!!!

(Actual Spent) + (ETC Qty x ETC Rate) + ETC Overheads within Revised Cost Baseline...!!!


Yes.. any strategies to Control Cost should fall within the below Constraints...!!!
Actual Spent + (ETC Qty x ETC Rate) + ETC Overheads <= Revised Cost Baseline Actual Spent = From Summation of all cost heads in ur MIS
ETC Qty = Revised BOQ Qty - Actual Executed Qty
ETC Rate = Labour + Material + Plant Rate
(adjusted to actual Productivity Rates, Market Rates, Escalations and Wastages)
ETC Direct Cost = ETC Qty x ETC Rate
ETC Overheads = Staff + Temp Structure + Water/Power + Stationary + Insurance + Financing Costs + Sundries + Misc.
Revised Cost Baseline = Latest Approved Project Budget
Revised Project Estimate = Actual Spent + ETC Direct Cost + ETC Overheads
Any decision taken in the project should be towards minimizing all the above cost components contributing to Revised Project Estimates, such that the above referred constraints always holds good...
i.e Revised Project Estimate <= Revised Cost Baseline There is no Shortcut to Cost Control, BUT only Skill and Experience to see the Complete Picture referred above can result in successful Cost Control...!!!
By saying REVISED COST BASELINE, I am trying to stress on the FACT that no PROJECT is free from SCOPE CHANGES in due course.
Hence any Approved SCOPE Change should be simultaneously accompanied with REBASELINING OF COST which is nothing but REVISED COST BASELINE...!!!
Once there is an APPROVED SCOPE CHANGE, the ORIGINAL COST BASELINE is IMMATERIAL and OUTDATED.
If there is no approved scope change then
REVISED COST BASELINE = ORIGINAL COST BASELINE...!!

Techniques to minimize cost overrun in Construction..!!

Realistic COST BASELINE...!!
First step to avoid Cost Overruns is by arriving and adhering to a Realistic COST BASELINE in the Project...
Most of the Time it does occur that we become over Optimistic and set Unrealistic COST BASELINES to get a token of appreciation / recognition from Top Management.
This is a Contagious disease affecting Project health and it so happens that irrespective of performance of the project the same Cost Baselines are adhered too.
That is at any stage of review, Estimates to Complete (ETC) Costs are back calculated to fit into the Cost Baselines rather than Highlighting the TRUE Picture
Its only during, Testing & Commissioning Stage that this Cost Overruns normally pops out, by which its too late to recover...!!

Tips: How to become successful Project Manager ?

Leadership Qualities ...!!!
Project Management Skills are all about steering the Project Management TEAM towards achieving the set Objectives and Success Criteria to get the Deliverables Acceptable by Client inorder to declare the Project as Successfully Completed...
Each and every stage of the PROJECT involves TEAMWORK and is NEVER a ONE MAN SHOW!!!..
And whenever SUCCESS from TEAMWORK is required, it is HIGHLY MANDATORY for a Project Manager to have GOOD LEADERSHIP QUALITIES in him...!!!

How to select the right Construction Project Delivery System?

Contract Management Team...!!!
All Projects are MADE of CONTRACTS...!!!
Irrespective of the Delivery System, a Good Contract Management Team is a must to Monitor and Control if the Deliverables are in line with the Requirements set for the Project.
Whether its from Client side or Contractor side, a Good Contract Management Team is a Must.
It is better not to overload such contract management teams with roles and responsibilities which may dilute their effectiveness in managing the CONTRACT.
Thus it is a true fact that whoever has a CONTRACT MANAGEMENT TEAM in his side has better chances of exhibiting their responsibilities and dealing with their liabilities in a Project Smoothly...!!!

What data should be maintained on a construction site to win claims in arbitration?

ISSUE LOGS refers to a document covering the following details updated during any ISSUES/DISPUTES raised between two parties in a CONTRACT and ISSUES analyzed on a Priority Basis:

  • Date of Issue
  • Between Which Parties
  • Issue Title / Description
  • Root Cause of Issue
  • Outcomes
  • Corrective Action / Preventive Action to be Taken
  • Effect on Set Project Constraints (Priority Weightage)
  • Reference to related Records / Correspondences
  • Claim Amount with Break Up Details (If any)
  • Acknowledgement from the other Party with Remarks

Project Management is misunderstood as GENERAL MANAGEMENT in many cases..!!

Considering the Dynamics of Construction Projects and also considering that various factors listed below affects the Estimation of such projects, it is a FUTILE EFFORT to search a Best Estimation SOftware to use in your PROJECTS..
  • Market Trend
  • Political scenario
  • Inflation
  • Escalation
  • Contract Conditions
  • Productivity Rate
  • Incentives
  • Overheads
  • Profit Norms
  • Unit Consumption
  • Working Conditions
  • Sequence of Operations
  • Criticality of Work
  • Quality Aspects
  • Safety Aspects...... Never Ending Lists

Hence it is advisable to BUILD on your OWN Templates for Estimating Repeatitive and Standard Natured Works within your OWN ORGANIZATION as the same are more reliable rather following or depending on Some Softwares and adapting towards it....!!!

The Misconceptions of Project Management...!!!

Project Management is GENERAL MANAGEMENT...!!!

Project Management is misunderstood as GENERAL MANAGEMENT in many cases..!!
WHICH IS WRONG!!!
Eg. General Management deals with managing routine administrative operations of a HOTEL or CINEMA COMPLEX or HOSPITAL etc.
Whereas PROJECT MANAGEMENT is all about handling the UNIQUENESS and TEMPORARY Nature of the Task in HAND within SET CONSTRAINTS.
Though General Management skills are offcourse required for good Project Management to occur, General Managers can't be called Project Managers or made to handle PROJECTS without necessary skills, exposure and experience in handling PROJECTS and PM Processes.
PM Field is more challenging considering the Voluminous Flow of Money in delivering Products which are UNIQUE in nature..!!

Be a PMite... do follow up..