Construction Industry Examples

During the execution of a construction project, the stakeholders involved, particularly the main contractor, project manager, and project management team, are typically required to achieve project goals in a number of specific areas. Some activities and goals are common to all projects, whereas others include requirements that are mandatory on specific projects.

Strict management of the schedules for construction projects is dictated in part by the tight budget and the narrow margin of profit. Although each construction is unique in its concept, design, and architectural solution, the activities involved in finalizing a construction can be detailed with a high level of accuracy, and the timing of required resources can be scheduled with a high level of confidence.

Some of the more often used project outline codes for organizations operating in the construction business are highlighted in the following sections.

Project Status

For large organizations that manage a significant number of construction projects at any given time, it is necessary to group various projects by the phase they are in, or by construction goal/component. For example

• Initiated

• Approved

• In Execution

• On Hold

• Canceled

• Closed

Project Phase

Portfolio managers will find it useful to group their projects by their respective phase. Most organizations these days use a stage-gate model for the development of their projects. Transitioning a project from one stage to another most often requires organizational approval and, to make a good, informed decision, the management of a company needs to have a clear view of how many projects there are in every stage of their life cycle. Following is an example of values that can be used for grouping projects by their respective phase:

• Initiation

• Planning

• System Design

• Construction

• Commissioning

• Closing/Cleanup

Projects by Types of Construction

Contractors and construction companies normally specialize in one or more of the following types of construction, which can constitute the basis for grouping your organization's portfolio of projects:

• General Building

• Highway

• Heavy Constructions

• Utilities

• Specialty

Projects by Construction Component

Another useful outline code is the Project Component, which may in turn provide valuable information regarding distribution of the work force and financial resources. An example of how portfolio managers may choose to group the portfolio of projects by construction component is as follows:

• Site Development

• Civil Structures

• Thermal Systems

• Flow Systems

• Storage Systems

• Electrical Systems

• Mechanical Systems

• Environmental Systems

• Instrumentation and Control

• Auxiliary Systems

Resources by Skill Set

Along with the other generic resource outline codes already presented in the beginning of this chapter, the deploying organization may find it useful to organize its generic resources by skill set category. This type of classification helps project managers estimate the skills demand for their projects and allows resource managers to develop an optimum skill set mix. A sample of skill sets used in the construction industry is presented here:

• Design-Build

• General Construction

• Heavy Duty Construction

• Transportation

• Construction Management

• Concrete

• Demolition/Wrecking

• Electrical

• HVAC

• Excavation/Foundation

• Glazing/Curtain Wall

• Waste

• Masonry

• Mechanical Work

• Painting

• Roofing

• Sheet Metal

• Steel Erection

• Utilities

• Wall Ceiling

Resources by Construction Management Position

An important resource outline code is identification of management positions because these positions are often critical to the success of the project. Having the right mix of management positions allows organizations to effectively manage multiple projects and minimize risks to the project. The following is a sample of values used for grouping management resources available by their position in the organization:

• Project Manager

• Project Engineer

• Estimator

• Superintendent

• Foreman

• Office Manager

• Expediter

• Safety Specialist

• Inspector

Resources by Core Construction Skills

It is critical for a construction company to identify who in the company has a certain skill because it is an important tool in the management of people and their careers. The following is a sample list of values that can be used in grouping resources by their core skills:

• Blueprint Reading

• Layout

• Tool Usage

• Construction Materials

• Concrete

• Plumbing

• Electrical