Effective Project Management Through Applied Cost And Schedule Control

This work outlines a state-of-the-art project control and trending programme, focusing on advanced applied-cost and schedule-control skills for all phases of a project at both owner and contractor level. It contains information on the three major aspects of the total project programme: the techniques and procedures utilized for a project; the experience and analytical ability of project personnel; and the commitment and teamwork of a project group.

This work outlines a state-of-the-art project control and trending programme, focusing on advanced applied-cost and schedule-control skills for all phases of a project at both owner and contractor level. It contains information on the three major aspects of the total project programme: the techniques and procedures utilized for a project; the exper

PROJECT CONTROL Reader-friendly, integrated approach to construction project cost and scheduling control, with all-new pedagogical elements The Second Edition of Project Control is an introductory practical guide that explores the reasons and methodologies for proper planning, monitoring, and controlling project costs and schedule and shows how productivity models are created, monitored, and controlled, as well as how corrective actions are implemented as deviations from the baseline occur. Project Control uses simple language to convey project control principles, making it an excellent resource to teach with and learn from in a classroom setting. This Second Edition has been updated with all-new pedagogical elements and ancillary materials for use in the construction project management classroom. This new edition features all-new sections on baseline scheduling, estimate development, probability analysis, and more. Written by Wayne Del Pico, a seasoned professional with over 40 years of experience in construction project controls, Project Control includes detailed information on: Role of the project manager, covering leading the project team, creating the project plan, developing the project schedule, and monitoring project progress over time Project control cycles, covering plans to achieve goals, executing work according to plan, identifying variations and their causes, and executive work and measure changes Pre-construction planning, covering key personnel and responsibilities and establishing baselines for schedule and cost control Budgeting, covering types of estimates, organization estimates, and harnessing the budget as a management tool Providing expert insight into the management skills of the project manager combined with the analytical focus of the accountant and the “big picture” oversight of the executive, Project Control is an essential resource for students in construction management programs and professionals in construction firms with specializations in long-term infrastructure projects.

Management and administrative processes within the construction industry have been undergoing major changes in the last several decades. These changes have involved significant adjustments in management science and manage ment techniques, brought about by the need for contemporary valid informa tion with which to manage the construction process. In short, management in the construction industry is changing significantly; change will continue at an accelerated pace at least through the next decade. The responses required of construction industry management are now resulting in a movement away from an entrepreneurial management style to professional management tech niques and procedures. THE COMPELLING ECONOMIC ISSUES The issues forcing these changes are economic. The rising costs of construction and of money are forcing the buyers of construction services to be more demanding. Their demands are for more construction economies, more pro duction, and more productivity than at any time in the past. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the Business Roundtable on construction and in the response of the construction industry to it.· To be successfully responsive, management in the construction industry will be required to use the best project management methods available for cost control, schedule control, and for financial and accounting controls. But responsive professional management can survive and will flourish within this more demanding eco nomic environment.

The key to successful project control is the fusing of cost to schedule whereby the management of one helps to manage the other. Project Control: Integrating Cost and Schedule in Construction explores the reasons behind and the methodologies for proper planning, monitoring, and controlling both project costs and schedule. Filling a current void the topic of project control applied to the construction industry, it is essential reading for students and professionals alike.

Master all the modern project scheduling and cost control techniques you need, in one focused tutorial! Randal Wilson's Project Schedule & Cost Control isn't your typical project management guide: it's 100% focused on the specific principles, techniques, and best-practice methodologies of scheduling and cost control. Wilson illuminates key issues through the extensive use of graphs, charts, case studies, and worked examples; and calls your attention to crucial issues that "generic" PM books ignore. Coverage includes: Project structures, including differences between projects and programs, and how those differences affect costing and scheduling Initiation: how projects start, how to develop project charters and stakeholder registers, and how to manage stakeholders Planning, in depth: what costs must be addressed, and what schedule constraints must be considered Project schedule analysis: activity definition, WBS, and work packages; activity sequencing and diagramming; proven methodologies for estimating resources and activity durations; and schedule development Project cost analysis: gathering and estimating all project costs, including labor, materials, vendor bids, subcontractors, contracts, equipment, facilities, and direct/indirect costs. Budgeting via top-down, bottom-up, and activity-based methods Project monitoring and control: earned value, tracking Gantt, S-Curves, performance reviews, milestone analysis, change control systems, estimate at completion, forecasting, and much more For both project management newcomers and working project managers who need to sharpen their skills

Although projects always carry risk, too many projects run late or exceed their original budgets by eye-watering amounts. This book is a comprehensive guide to the procedures needed to ensure that projects will be delivered on time, to specification and within budget. Eight expert contributors have combined their considerable talents to explain all aspects of project control from project conception to completion in an informative text, liberally supported where necessary by clear illustrations. This handbook will benefit all project practitioners, including project managers and those working in project management offices. It will also provide an invaluable guide for students studying for higher degrees in project management and its associated disciplines.

More than 80 percent of all projects start with underestimated schedules and costs, and are doomed to exceed projections. This concise book demonstrates how to establish realistic estimates, how to control a projects schedule and costs, and how to develop the projects plan and processes for successful project completion.