Every individual involved in the process of planning, designing, financing, constructing and operating

physical facilities related to the project under consideration, gain different viewpoints on project
management for construction.

The contribution of proficient knowledge can be very beneficial, mainly when it comes to large and
complicated projects, since experts in various specialties can offer valuable services. On the other hand,
it is very important and advantageous to understand how the different parts of the process match
together.

The poor coordination and communication between the specialists can result in waste, excessive cost,
and delays. It is chiefly the requirement of the owner to assure that such flaws do not happen between
them. And it owes all participants involved in the project to regard the interests of owners, as at the end,
it is the owners who provide the resources and make the decisions.

Implementation of owner’s viewpoint will help the participants to focus on the completion of the project
by having proper attention in the process of project management for constructed facilities. This would
minimize the old concept of bringing decisions based on the historical roles of specialists involved in the
project.

Specialists mentioned are the planners, architects, engineering designers, constructors, fabricators,
material suppliers, financial analysts and others. It is true that each specialist individually has a lot of
contribution to the advances seen in the construction field.

But the understanding of the entire process of project management will make them respond more
effectively to the owner’s desires. Hence, they can contribute their proficiency through opinions in
improving the productivity and quality of their work.

Enhancement of project management boosts the construction industry which in turn facilitates the
development of national and world economy. To have significant improvements, know the construction
industry, its working environment and the institutional constraints affecting its activities and the nature
of project management.
Construction Project Life Cycle

The purchase of a constructed facility is a major capital investment. The owner can be an individual, a
private corporation or a public agency.

As the commitment of resources for such a large investment is stimulated by market demands or real
needs, the facility is likely to satisfy certain objectives. These requirements will be within the constraints
of the specified owner and applicable policies.

Most of the constructed facilities are custom made in consultation with the owners, with an exception in
the case of the residential units that may be sold as built by the real estate developer. He is regarded as
the sponsor of building projects, so far as government agency may be the sponsor of a public project and
turns it over to another government unit upon its completion.

For project management, the terms “owner” and “sponsor” are one and the same because both have
the ultimate power to make all important decisions. It is judicious for any owner to have a clear
understanding of the acquisition process to sustain firm control of the quality, timeliness, and cost of the
completed facility, as he is essentially acquiring a facility on a promise in some form of agreement.

The project life cycle for a constructed facility may be represented schematically in Figure 1. A project
meets the market demands or requirement on a timely basis. a variety of possibilities may be taken into
consideration in the conceptual planning stage.

Hence the technological, as well as the economic feasibility of each option, will be assessed and
compared to select the best possible project.

The Project Life Cycle of a Constructed Facility

Fig.1.The Project Life Cycle of a Constructed Facility

The financing strategies for the proposed options and ideas should undergo a clear examination, which is
later programmed with respect to the timing for project completion and based on the cash flow
availability.

Once the scope of the project is clearly explained and defined, thorough engineering design will provide
the blueprint for construction, and the definitive cost estimate will provide the baseline for cost control.

Careful planning and control during the procurement and construction stage, the delivery of materials
and the erection of the project on the site has to be maintained. Once the construction is completed,
there is usually a brief period of start-up of the constructed facility when it is first occupied.

At last, the management of the facility is turned over to the owner for full occupancy until the facility
lives out its useful life. That is to check the building durability once the functionality is started. If the
building cannot show any defects before the period specified, it was chosen for demolition or
conversion.

The stages of development may not be strictly sequential as shown in figure-1. Certain specific stages
require iteration, and the others can be carried out in parallel or in overlapping time frames. This
decision mainly depends on the nature, size and urgency of the project.

Moreover, an owner may gain house capacities to handle the work in every stage of the entire process. If
it is not possible they may request professional advice and services to guide the work in all stages.
Reasonably, most owners choose to handle some of the work in-house. To guide other components of
the work, they give the contract to outside professional services as per requirement.

Analysis of the project life cycle from an owner’s perspective would help us to focus on the proper roles
of various activities and participants in all stages apart from the contractual engagements for different
types of work.

Life Cycle Phases in Construction Project

A standard construction project, in general, has following five major life cycle phases:
Initiation

Planning

Execution

Performance and monitoring

Closure

This has been shown in following figure in sequence:

clip_image003

A brief description specifically about each stage are explained below.

1. Initiation Phase of Construction Project

We have to create and evaluate the project in order to determine if it is feasible and if it should be
undertaken, at the beginning of the project. Here the project objective or need is identified; this can be a
business problem or opportunity.

A suitable response to the need is documented in a business case with recommended solution options. A
feasibility study is conducted to examine whether each option clearly identifies the project objective and
a final recommended solution is determined.

Many questions related to the issues of feasibility i.e. “can we do the project?” and justification like
“should we do the project?” are mentioned and faced.

When a solution is approved, a project is initiated to implement the approved solution. For this, a project
manager is appointed. At this stage, the major deliverables and the participating work groups are
identified. This is the time when the project team begins to take shape. Approval is then required by the
project manager to move onto the detailed planning phase.

2. Planning Phase of Construction Project

The planning phase involves further development of the project in detail to meet the project’s objective.
The team identifies all of the work to be done. The project’s tasks and resource requirements are
identified, along with the strategy for producing them.

In a broader sense identification of each activity as well as their resource allocation is also carried out. A
project plan outlining the activities, tasks, dependencies, and timeframes is created.

The project manager is the one who coordinates the preparation of a project budget by providing cost
estimates for the labor, equipment, and materials costs. This is mainly carried out by project scheduling
software like MS project or PRIMAVERA. This scheduling charts would help us to track the stages of our
project as time passes. This is also referred to as “scope management.”

The budget of the project already estimated is used to monitor and control cost expenditures during
project implementation.

Finally, we require a document to show the quality plan, providing quality targets, assurance, and control
measures, along with an acceptance plan, listing the criteria to be met to gain customer acceptance. At
this point, the project would have been planned in detail and is ready to be executed.

3. Execution Phase of Construction Project

This is the implementation phase, where the project plan is put into motion and the work of the project
is performed practically on site. It is essential to maintain control and communicate as needed during
each implementation stages.

Progress should be continuously monitored and appropriate adjustments are made and recorded as
variances from the original plan. A project manager is the one who spends most of the time in this step.
Throughout the project implementation, people carry out the tasks, and progress information is being
reported through regular project team meetings.

The project manager uses this information to preserve control over the direction of the project by
comparing the progress reports with the project plan to measure the performance of the project
activities. If any deviation is found from the already defined plan corrective measures are made.
The first option of action should always be to bring the project back to the original plan. If that cannot
happen, the team should record variations from the original plan and record and publish modifications
to the plan. all through this step, project sponsors, and other key stakeholders are kept informed about
the project’s status as per the agreed rate and format of communication. The plan should be updated
and available on a regular basis.

Status reports should always highlight the probable end point in terms of cost, schedule, and quality of
deliverables. Each project deliverable produced should be reviewed for quality and measured against the
acceptance criteria.

When deliverables have been produced and the customer has agreed on the final solution, the project is
said to be ready for closure.

4. Performance and Monitoring Phase of Construction Project

This stage is all related to the measurement of progress and performance to make sure that items are
tracking with the project management scheduling. This phase regularly happens at the same time as the
execution phase.

5. Closure Phase of Construction Project

During the final closure, the importance is on providing the final deliverables to the customer, that is:

Handing over project documentation to the business

Termination of supplier contracts

Releasing project resources

Communicate the closure of the project to all stakeholders.

Last and final is to conduct lessons-learned studies to examine what went well and what didn’t.

This type of analysis would make the knowledge of experience to be transferred back to the project
organization, which will help future project teams.
https://theconstructor.org/construction/construction-project-life-cycle-phases/14283/

The 5 Stages of Project Management – Understanding a Construction Project’s Life Cycle

Project managers serve as the backbone of successful construction projects, dealing with a vast number
of complexities on a daily basis. Project management in construction, which includes juggling various
tasks and ensuring a project meets its deadlines, takes a great deal of expertise. The Project
Management Institute (PMI) defines project management as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools
and techniques to a broad range of activities to meet the requirements of a particular project.” With so
many details and steps going into a project, it is essential that project managers understand the project
life cycle. Breaking up a project into these five logical steps outlined by the PMI can help ensure your
project is organized and successful every time.

1. Project Conception and Initiation

The first construction project phase is building conception and initiation. The owner initiates the idea
and gathers his team of experts (design, contractor, trades). Collectively, the team decides whether or
not a project is feasible and if they can realistically complete it within the desired timeframe. This means
gathering a team of trusted partners together to do meticulous research to determine the scope and
cost of a project.

Two ways that the team can evaluate and determine this is through a feasibility study and/or business
case document. A feasibility study looks at the goals, costs, and timeline of a project to determine if the
project manager thinks they have enough resources to pursue the project. A business case document
defines the reasoning for starting a new project and the financial benefits. If after further research and
discussion a project is found to pass these evaluation tests, the project will move on to create a project
charter or Project Initiation Document (PID). On the contrary, if the team deems the project unprofitable
or unachievable, they will cancel the project.

2. Project Definition/Planning

Once a project is approved and given the thumbs-up, a plan needs to be outlined and put into writing.
Having a written plan helps ensure that everyone on the team is on the same page and understands the
steps that they must take to complete the project effectively. During this step in the construction
project’s life cycle, many of the fundamental best practices for project management in construction are
utilized in this phase.

Project Life Cycle dcblogcta

Even before the design documents and drawings have started, designers, contractors, and trade partners
must work collaboratively to achieve the project owner’s goals. Gathering insight from all project
stakeholders in the beginning will provide better alignment on cost, scope, duration, and quality. Hitting
on each of these areas gives the team a well-rounded idea of what will go into a project and address any
possible risks proactively. Therefore, an important part of project management in construction is having
a thorough risk mitigation plan.

The more issues that the team can address during the planning phase will save time and money during
the execution phase. This is why early involvement of trade partners and subcontractors is critical. This
phase is imperative in preparing and executing a successful project.

Tip: Give some thought to who you want on your team. Do they have the skills required to carry out the
role? If not, make sure they receive the proper training!

3. Project Launch/Execution

The next step in the construction project life cycle is the actual execution based on your comprehensive
plan developed in the previous step. This stage is where the team collectively develops deliverables to
satisfy the customer. This is where the magic happens and the project comes to life. Using the plan as
the project guide, team members assign specific tasks for completion and allocates resources
accordingly. Some of the specific tasks during this phase include: assigning teams, executing project
management plans, conducting status meetings, updating project schedule, and modifying project plans.

Project Life Cycle dcblogcta

With much of the execution happening at the jobsite, it is critical for those that are not on the jobsite to
have visibility. Project managers in the office, designers, and owners rely on the updates of the field
team to gauge execution. There are lots of fancy new technology available to gauge progress and jobsite
activity such as drones, cameras, lasers, and sensors. However, sometimes a good old daily report will
suffice.

Tip: Consider using a cloud-based construction software so that you can track and share every aspect of
the project’s life cycle. Software to help keep the whole team organized and on track!

4. Project Performance/Control

This stage of the project life cycle is all about monitoring. Project performance and control goes hand in
hand with the previous step because they occur simultaneously. During this construction project phase,
project managers track a project’s progress. Many times the project manager must make several
adjustments to keep a project on track. Specific key performance (or project) indicators (KPI’s) for cost,
time and quality are selected and utilized. These KPIs determine degrees of variation from the original
project goal. Some examples of specific KPI’s include project schedule, estimate to project completion,
effort and cost tracking, and project performance. Calculating these KPI’s keeps projects on track to
prevent any project failures.
Tip: Communicate and stay flexible. Go into a project with the mindset that things are going to change
because they will! Successful project managers know how to adapt and modify.

5. Project Close

Once the team executes all the deliverables and delivers it to the satisfaction of the customer, they can
close the project. When the team officially completes the project, we move into the final stage of the
construction project life cycle. This last step is vitally important because it allows team members to
evaluate, document and learn from the project. Project Close helps members determine what issues
they had so that they can make improvements in the future. A final team meeting is usually held and led
by a project manager to officially mark the ending of the project. Valuable team members are rewarded
and recognized, contractors are terminated, and project successes and failures are identified. Also,
project managers must create a final project budget and report to close out the project.

While this is the close of one project, all the lessons learned and data is important to take into future
projects. When reviewing actual hours on specific labor activities versus the estimates, the team can
adjust estimates on future projects. For example, perhaps the team discovered that site work actually
consumes 200 labors. However, previous bids included estimates of 150 hours. This is critical information
that can be used to improve future bids.

Tip: Prepare a list of anything left unfinished and identify who will complete these items. Make sure to
communicate this information to any stakeholders so that they stay informed. The ultimate customer is
the owner, and their satisfaction determines the overall success of the project.

Conclusion
Construction projects are complex which makes project management in construction equally complex.
Project managers are the critical piece of this complex puzzle. Therefore, understanding the different
construction project phases helps to ensure the process is much easier and efficient. The most important
thing is to include the primary stakeholders including subcontractors as early in the project as possible.
While each phase serves an important function, the most thoroughly planned projects are often the
easiest and fastest to execute.

https://esub.com/5-stages-project-management-understanding-construction-projects-life-cycle/