dilbert.com
Spreadsheets are excellent tools for small and large projects alike. Excel spreadsheets, are after all, very versatile and easy to use, as stand-alone applications. Spreadsheets can be used to create plans, Gantt charts, change of orders, estimates, forecasting – even payroll.
Project variables
The widely accepted project management triangle articulates the relationship between;
1. Time: where completion of various tasks depends on a number of factors, such as the number of people working on the project, their experience, and level of skills.
2. Cost: Money and time are intertwined. Money buys the resources required for project delivery; including people resources.
3. Scope: this involves a list of deliverables which need to be addressed by the project team to deliver an outcome.
The causes for fluctuations in any of these 3 elements are because of the project variables. In other words, changes to the ‘original’ scope of works.
Allow me to expand.
cartoonstock.com
From a MEP construction project perspective, the MEP project construction manager and the technical manager are one and the same.
A technical manager is someone who climbed the technical ranks up to project leader, through experience, skill, wit, influence and the ability to articulate technical issues clearly, to those who are not technically minded.
Based on years of technical experience, technical managers assess technical risks and assist with problem solving. Technical managers have (or should have), the ability to cut though the layered details, to determine the project’s outcome.
Thus technical managers are project delivery focused as opposed to task delivery focused. There’s a difference!
Construction estimating software vs spreadsheets benchmark report.
Courtesy SoftwareAdvice.com
According to a survey carried out by SoftwareAdvice.com, there doesn’t seem to be much difference in user satisfaction between estimating software vs spreadsheets. But of course one must be cautious, because user satisfaction might be inaccurate. Some users might not possess enough knowledge on the subject other than the methods that they are using. Thus satisfaction quota might be subjective.
MEP construction industry analysis.
FJ (that's me)
This post wasn’t planned. It came about on a whim decision after spending an evening with an ex-colleague, and life-time friend, reminiscing about the old days. I decided to post edited excerpts of our conversation on one blog post. Please feel free to join in the conversation, and add your say at the bottom of the page.
This post discusses the MEP design through to the awarding of the contract and pre-construction phase.
We briefly touch on the relationship between the architect, the developer, construction managers, MEP consulting engineers and the MEP contractor(s) on a typical medium to large construction project.
I won’t claim to have vast knowledge, or experience as an expat engineer in foreign countries — I don’t! I’ve worked in two countries besides South Africa; Mozambique and UAE for a combined period of three years.
Nonetheless, lessons have been learned, and in hindsight I would have done some things differently.
