PROJECT MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE

AREAS
 Project Integration Management
 Project Scope Management
 Project Schedule Management
 Project Cost Management
 Project Quality Management
 Project Resource Management
 Project Communications Management
 Project Risk Management
 Project Procurement Management
 Project Stakeholder Management

Source: A Guide to the PROJECT MANAGEMENT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE (PMBOK® GUIDE ) Sixth Edition
Project Life Cycle Phase

Conception
(Feasibility)
Phase

Design and
Project Cleanup
Development
Phase
Phase

Implementation
Phase
5 Phases of Project Management
According to the PMBOK Guide (Project Management Body of Knowledge) by the Project
Management Institute (PMI), a project management life cycle consists of 5 distinct phases
including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure that combine to turn a
project idea into a working product.

The 5 basic phases in the project management process are:

 Project Initiation
 Project Planning
 Project Execution
 Project Monitoring and Controlling
 Project Closing
5 Phases of Project Management
Role of Project Manager

 Figure head role

 Disseminator role
 Disturbance handling role
 Negotiations role
 Resources allocator role
 Leadership role
 Monitoring role
Stakeholders of a Construction Project

 Architect
 Client (Owner)
 Contractor
 Consultant
 Subcontractor/Supplier/Vendor
 Lawyer, Insurer etc.
 Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)

¨ Systematic structure for assigning the responsibilities in an organization.

¨ The organizational structure is about how to use one of the basic resources, people,
and how to facilitate overcoming the communication barriers at organizational
interfaces.
¨ For example, the organizational structure indicates the arrangement of different
departments and the division of labour.
¨ It is rare for two construction companies to have an
exactly similar kind of organization structure. Main Contractor

¨ Even for the same construction company, the

organization structure may not remain same over a
long period of time.
Project Organization

 Project Manager

 Project Office

 Functional Managers
 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is an organized, hierarchical

representation of all work - broken out in sufficient detail - to support a
project’s planning, assignment of roles and responsibilities, and ongoing
monitoring and control.
Level Description Main criteria
1 Sub project level An independent deliverable end product requiring
process of multitasks having large volume of work.

2 Task level An identifiable and deliverable major work containing

one or more work package.

3 Work package level A sizeable, identifiable, measure and cost able work
item.

4 Activity level Identifiable lower level job, operation, or process,

which consumes time and possibly resources.

5 Operation level A lowest level day to day operation (Part of an

activity).
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
 WBS Example
Housing project

Sub project level Residential Public

Educational
Foundation Super
structure Finishing Task level

Base construction
Raft construction
Plinth wall Work package level
construction

Activity level
Shuttering Reinforcement Concreting Curing
 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Project level

Sub project level

Task level

WBS of Simple Residential

 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Project level

Sub project level

Task level

WBS of Road Project

 In order to prepare a good WBS,
you need to have a good
knowledge of construction practices!!
Project Scheduling: Myths and
Misconceptions
 Project Scheduling: Myths and Misconceptions
 Big Construction firms are using projects schedules to resolve the challenges
they are facing in today’s world.
 These challenges are being able to complete their project on-time and
underbudget or being able to co-ordinate their complex project among the
project team.
 But while using construction schedule as a tool to fix these problems, there are
several Myths and Misconceptions about project scheduling.
 Myth 1:
Accurate Schedule = Expensive Scheduling Software
 It is possible to have the most accurate schedule if we get the most expensive tools or the best
scheduling software on the market.
 Well, just because we have money to spend on tools and software does not mean we can guarantee
the best results.
 Term called ‘garbage in, garbage out’. So, if we don’t spend enough time on planning the projects
scope or on finding the correct data like, activities duration, sequencing of activities or planned
resources all we can expect to get out any scheduling software is a beautiful looking but a very
useless schedule.
 Quality of any schedule depends not just on the technology we use, but also the people involved in
building it and their management of the schedule.
 Myth 2:
Being good at using computer/software, not equal to Good Planner/Schedular
 If you’re good at using a computer or learning a
new software, you can be a good planner/scheduler. Earned Value Management
 Sometimes, people who do not possess any Resource loading
construction related experience are able to get a Construction Terminologies

schedulers position at a construction firm. The

main problem in this case is, even though they
know how to use the scheduling software, they have
a hard time understanding the terms like Earned
value management, or resource loading or any
construction related terms. It just makes the job
harder and unproductive.
 To be a good scheduler, it is more than using
Primavera or MSP. As a scheduler you’ve to be
good at communicating your schedule with project
team and Project manager.
 Myth 3:
CPM Schedules are useless. Required because of client or owner on the project
 CPM schedules are useless and are only required because it is
asked by the client or the owner on a project.
 In most of the infrastructure projects, a contractor is usually
required to submit a baseline schedule as per the contract
[project schedule management].
 However, in may cases, the owner (received by scheduler for the
owner) receives basically a baseline schedule from contractor
with several errors in it and poor work breakdown structure
and sequencing of activities.
 It is important to understand that, CPM schedules are legal
documents and are binding in most contracts. So, when a
contractor is unable to perform as per their own baseline
schedule, and a delay claim is filed and if it goes to an arbitrator
or a judge, contractor becomes liable to pay for all the delay
related expenses caused on the project. And this all happens
because contractor thinks schedules were useless and are not
legally binding them.
Myth 4:
We don’t need an expensive scheduling software, I have it all in my head.

 These were the words of a Project Manager when

asked about project scheduling using softwares. WHY SPEND
 The project team having a schedule in a software
or on paper is an efficient way of communicating MONEY?
with everyone involved on the projects.
 Schedule in someone’s mind is just not of any use
to others.
 Project Planning

• Defining the objectives

• Developing WBS

• Determining the Quanta of individual work elements

 Objectives of Planning

• Proper design
• Proper selection of equipment
• Proper arrangement of repair of machinery and equipment
• Procurement of materials well in advance
• Employment of trained and experienced staff
• Welfare scheme for staff
• Incentives for good workers
• Constant flow of funds
• Proper safety arrangement
• Arrangements of means of communication
 Project Scheduling

• Scheduling - Part of Planning

• Determining the sequence and timing of activities of the project
• Time-frame of the project
• Basis for:
 Allocating the resources
 Estimating costs
 Tracking project performance
 Need and Importance of Scheduling
• Establishing construction sequence
• Setting baselines (scope, budget and schedule)
• Assessing key project dates
 Start date and finish date
 Working hours
 Project phase and completion phase
 Project completion and handover dates
 Types of Schedule
• Project Schedule (Master Schedule)
 Used by PM and Upper Management
 For planning and reviewing the entire project
• Detailed Task Schedule
 Developed by functional managers
 Permits functional manager, engineers and supervisors to focus on tasks
 It has interface with project master schedule
 Basic Requirements for Project Scheduling
 Activities
 Durations
 Relationships
 Construction methodology
 Resources
 Cost
 ………..?????
 Steps in Project Scheduling

• Identifying the activities

• Estimating durations of activities
• Establishing the logic
• Drawing the schedule
• Analysis of schedule
• Setting baseline schedule
• Updating and revising the
 Scheduling Techniques
• Non-Network techniques
 Bar chart/Gantt chart
 Linear scheduling

• Network scheduling techniques

 CPM
 PDM
 PERT
 GANTT Charts

Invented by Henry L. Gantt in 1910

and used in WW-I, Hoover Dam
 Also called Bar Charts

Bar Chart is a graphical

representation of project
activities shown in time
scaled bar lines with no
links shown between the
activities.
 Preparing a Gantt Chart
 Obtain Activities and Durations
 List activities in increasing order of start date
 Bars should be time-scaled
 Usually represent earliest start and finish dates
 More than 100 activities makes it hard to visualize
• Bar charts can show partial project views but entire schedule should be
drawn up at the very beginning
 Activities can overlap
Gantt Chart Example

Placing a simple slab on a grade

Gantt Chart Example

Placing a simple slab on a grade placed in two parts

 Gantt Chart Example

Placing a simple slab on a grade, with activities necked during non-work periods
Gantt Chart Example

Gantt chart with resources (loaded with man-hours)

Gantt Chart Example

Gantt chart with resources (loaded with budget)

 Gantt Chart Example

Gantt chart with percent complete of planned (as-planned vs as-built)

activities
Gantt Chart with more
information
Gantt Chart – Percentage
completion
Gantt Chart – Planned vs Actuals
Gantt Chart – Milestones
 ILLUSTRATION - I
The activity breakdown for a certain project is as shown in Table. Prepare the Bar
Chart for the Project.

Activity No. Duration (weeks)  Activity 2 and Activity 3 can be

1 1 done concurrently, and both must
follow Activity 1.
2 2  Activity 2 must precede Activity 4.
3 4  Activity 5 cannot begin until both
Activities 2 and 3 are completed.
4 3  Activity 6 can be started only after
5 1 Activities 4 and 5 are complete.
 Activity 7 is the last Activity which
6 2 can be started only after
7 4 completion of Activity 5.
 ILLUSTRATION - II
Draw the bar chart for “finalization of designs and work order” for a building project.

Activity Description Time for

Completion
A Site selection and survey 4 weeks
B Design 6 weeks
C Preparation of drawings 3 weeks
D Preparation of specifications 2 weeks
and tender document
E Tendering (NIT) 4 weeks
F Selection of contractor 1 weeks
G Award of work order 1 weeks
 ILLUSTRATION - II
Draw the bar chart for “finalization of designs and work order” for a
building project.

 In the project, activities A and B can start concurrently, since some

parts of the architectural and structural designs can be done even if
complete survey data is not available.
 Similarly, drawing works can also be started, as soon as survey work
is over, though all the designs are still not complete.
 Specifications can be finalized when once the designs are complete.
 Activity E can be started only when activity D is complete.
 Activities E, F and G are to be completed in sequential order.
 ILLUSTRATION - II
Draw the bar chart for “finalization of designs and work order” for a building project.

Activity Description Time for Preceding activity

Completion
A Site selection and survey 4 weeks -
B Design 6 weeks -
C Preparation of drawings 3 weeks A
D Preparation of 2 weeks B
specifications and tender
document
E Tendering (NIT) 4 weeks D
F Selection of contractor 1 weeks E
G Award of work order 1 weeks G
 Illustration - II
Weeks

Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Site selection
and survey
Design

Preparation of
drawings
Preparation of
specifications
and tender
document

Tendering
(NIT)
Selection of
contractor
Award of
work order

The duration for completion of the project is 14 weeks.

 ILLUSTRATION - III
For the following activities, determine the duration for completion of the project.
Activities A B C D E F G H I J
Preceding None None A & B A C A& B F G G I
activity
Time in 40 20 15 25 15 25 10 15 10 15
days

A
A A
40 40 40

B
Activities

Activities
Activities

B B
20
C 20 20
C C
15
15 15

Time Time Time

Case 1 Case 2 Case 3
 Illustration - II
A
40

B
20
C

15

D
The duration for
25 completion of the
E project is 100 days.
Activities

15
F
25 G

10
H
15

10
J

15

Time
Practice Problem 1
 Practice Problem 2
A small house project consists of following operations:

The project commences on Tuesday, 01th August, 2023. Assuming five working days a week,
prepare a bar chart for the project. State the job logic (assumptions made). Also determine (a)
total time, and date of completion of the project and (b) expected progress by 31st of August, 2023
(which are the activities that are complete and which remain – by how many days?).
 Advantages of a Gantt Chart
 Simple to prepare and easy to understand
 No ‘theory’ or complicated calculations are required
 Can be used as a good summary tool – especially at review meetings
 Can be easily changed
 Good for repetitive projects
 Ideal for projects that are simple and sequential
Drawbacks/Limitations of Gantt Chart??
Example: What is the relationship between
Activity B and C?

Weeks

Activitie 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
s
Activity
A
Activity
B
Activity
C
C depends on A, and not B – Evident?

Weeks

Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Setting
reinforcement for
Grade Beam
Setting
reinforcement for
Columns
Setting forms for
Grade Beam
 Disadvantages of a Gantt Chart
 Difficult to depict interdependencies clearly
 Cannot establish criticality of activities
 Can be very complex to prepare for large projects
 Construction logic (activity sequencing assumption) is not easily
obtained as relationships are lacking
Shortcomings of Bar Charts and
Remedial Measures
1. Lack of Degree of Details

 On Bar Chart, only Major Activities are shown. If too many activities
or tasks are separately shown, it becomes clumsy.
 Due to this, bar charts are not useful for big projects.
 A particular activity, whether big or small, is shown by one bar, without
any details of sub-activities contained in it.
 These sub-activities cannot be separated out. Due to this, effective
control over the activities cannot be achieved.
1. Lack of Degree of Details

Weeks

Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Remove existing machine

Dispose of existing
machine
Await delivery of new
machine
Get new power installation

Install new machine

Testing and commissioning

1. Lack of Degree of Details

 For example, consider the activity “Dispose of existing machine”.

 This item is represented in the chart by one bar, through the following
functions control the completion time for the activity:
A. Dumping machine in store
B. Notice inviting bidding
C. Finalization of highest/lowest bid
D. Final disposal of the machine
1. Lack of Degree of Details

Weeks

Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Remove existing machine

Dispose of existing
A B C D
machine
Await delivery of new
machine
Get new power installation

Install new machine

Testing and commissioning

2. Review of Project Progress

 A bar chart does not show the progress of work and hence it cannot
be used as a control device.
 For proper control of the project, information of the progress made at
particular instant of time should be available.
 “Controlling” is essential for re-scheduling the remaining activities.
 However, an existing bar chart can be modified to depict the progress
made. This can be done by showing the progress of each activity, by
hatched lines along the corresponding bar of the activity.
 2. Review of Project Progress
Weeks

Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

5
3. Activity Inter-relationships

 There are some activities of a project, which are taken up concurrently,

while there are some others which are take up only after completion of
some other activity.
 In a project, certain concurrent activities indicated by parallel lines, the
inter-relationship between them cannot be clearly depicted.
3. Activity Inter-relationships
A. Excavating the trench – 3 weeks If all activities are schedule serially = 10 weeks
B. Laying and joining the pipe – 4 weeks If there is delay in Activity A by 2 weeks, how
C. Refilling and compacting – 3 weeks will it affect the Activities B and C?

Activity C is dependent on B and A, while activity B is dependent on Activity A.

Weeks

Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Excavating the trench

Laying and joining the

pipe
Refilling and
compacting
4. Time Uncertainties

 Bar chart are not at all useful in those projects where there are uncertainties in
determination or estimation of time required for completion of various activities.
 Because of which certain activities require rescheduling. Such rescheduling
flexibility cannot be reflected in the bar chart diagrams.
 Therefore, bar chart diagrams are useful for only small sized conventional projects,
specially construction and manufacturing projects, in which time estimates can be
made with fair degree of certainty.