Effective Team-based Project Management

Project team management in design and construction is increasingly more complex.  Owners and stakeholders, each with their own map to project success are calling for a hands-on approach to design and construction information.  Complex design teams include joint ventures and an ever-growing list of professional design and construction consultants.  Construction teams can include extensive multi-prime contracts, each contractor with their own team of sub-contractors.  All of these groups are in need of timely, accurate and valuable information related to the design and construction process.

Therefore, effective team-based project management throughout design and construction is imperative.  Successful management by the owner and licensed design professional is directly correlated to reduced liability, reduced overhead costs and most importantly, satisfied stakeholders.

Although truly effective project management ultimately relies on the integrity of the individuals responsible to deliver it, that team often requires powerful tools to keep pace with 21st century  project delivery. Our recent experience with new-generation web-based tools has enhanced most aspects of integrating the complex flow of information from start to finish. It simultaneously reduces the need for large-scale hard-copies and over-land deliveries. A digital construction team platform clearly delineates what is expected, and who is responsible, in near real-time.

The key components to look for in any successful project management system include:

-Accessibility

All pertinent project information should be accessible by any team member through a clean, clear and concise user interface.

-Accountability

Working together effectively as a cohesive and mutually respectful team is a requirement for any successful project.   Automated document time stamps, automated email reminders of outstanding information and a chronological timeline of all project documentation can assist any project manager in enforcing accountability for each and every team member.

-Adaptability

Every construction project requires a specialized set of management tools to meet varying needs including complex client organizations, extensive teams of professional design consultants, or multi-prime construction contracts.  The ability to adjust any management system to meet those needs from project to project is imperative for an effective long term solution for any owner or design professional.

-Profitability

A simple return-on-investment calculation that shows an immediate reduction in tangible costs is extremely helpful in justifying any first cost to the entity responsible for purchasing the management solution.

The project management marketplace is flooded with software and we’ve seen many approaches over the years.  The recent improvement of online project management tools have vastly reinvented the project manager’s ability to meet all of the needs listed above with a single product.  If your current system of project management isn’t meeting all of the criteria listed above, it is time to take a look at the new online project management software available.