Project management and leadership skills for engineering and construction projects

by Barry Benator, P.E., C.E.M. Albert Thumann, P.E., C.E.M.

Project management and leadership skills for engineering and construction projects: A project can be defined as a large or important item of work, involving considerable expense, personnel, and equipment.

It is typically a one-time endeavor, with a specific result or end-state envisioned.

Examples of projects in the engineering and construction fields could include the upgrade of a building’s heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system, the design and construction of a new building, relocation of a manufacturing plant, or a comprehensive energy audit.

A project is distinguished from ongoing business activities by several characteristics:
Uniqueness: A project is typically a specific mission (design and build a new building or plant, upgrade a computer installation) as contrasted with ongoing business functions such as accounting, human resources, purchasing or manufacturing which are performed on a day-in, day-out basis, ideally with increasing productivity.
Duration: A project tends to be of finite duration with a defined start date and a planned completion date.

Project management and leadership skills for engineering and construction projects: Day-to-day business functions such as human resources, information technology support, accounting, word processing are typically in place before a project starts and will continue after the project is concluded.

People: People assigned to a project may come from any part of an organization or from outside the

organization, and depending on the scope and budget of the project, may include engineering, construction, financial, scheduling, cost estimating and other professionals who can make the project a success.

When the project is completed, these professionals will likely move on to other projects or back into line functions within the organization.