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Champion Voices
PMI South Asia

Adopting Holistic Approaches

Manager-Planning, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.
PMI South Asia Champion

HOW IS THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS EVOLVING?

The rapid technological advancements, high expectations of interested stakeholders, tighter budget and schedule constraints, change in management, and scarcity of skilled workforce have made it necessary for construction project managers to evolve their approaches in achieving project success. Project managers need to effectively plan, coordinate, integrate, and control various project management processes. They need to holistically manage dynamic project constraints, such as scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, and risks, by taking inputs from all the concerned stakeholders. They also need to build trust among team members from various technical, regional, and cultural backdrops. Lastly, they must develop a team by ascertaining skill gaps and organizing essential training to address those gaps.

WHAT SKILLS DO CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS NEED TO POSSESS?

The role of project managers in construction is evolving, which calls for a different skillset. Decision-making is a key skill needed to develop holistic solutions involving concerned stakeholders. Advanced analytical skills are essential for ensuring resource sufficiency and efficiency. Leadership and communication skills play a big role in creating an effective team support system by managing people effectively and empathetically. In order to stay relevant, project managers must make room for continuous process improvement by following best project management practices and lean construction techniques. Other important skills that are required are technical skills for a background in construction processes, and risk management skills to effectively identify and manage risks and opportunities. And ultimately, it is about achieving successful project outcome and customer satisfaction, while being aware of the overall organizational strategic goals.

WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING AS A PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHAMPION IN YOUR INDUSTRY AND ORGANIZATION?

The project management champion program has given me a clear way to take forward my passion for project management. It has given a new outlook to me to continuously explore various ways to advocate to a larger audience the importance of project management in every aspect. I am creating and conducting a series of podcasts on project management in my organization. It has helped in disseminating valuable knowledge with practical examples specific to the construction industry and my organization. This will definitely help my colleagues and the team to understand project management concepts in a simpler way. They can apply these concepts to their daily activities to constantly improve their ways of working and deliver quality outcomes for their projects.
Keeping Pace with Technology Changes

Senior Manager-Project Development, Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Capital Company Pvt. Ltd.
PMI South Asia Champion

HOW IS THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS EVOLVING?

Construction projects comprise a wide range of projects, including those based on engineering, procurement, and construction contracts and capital projects, like real estate projects, roads, dams, ports, power, and plants. The latter are based on a build-own-operate model as well as solely for divestment post capital appreciation. Based on the type and risks associated with a construction project, project managers are expected to be on their toes and always deliver all-weather solutions to accomplish the goals. Since construction projects mostly require heavy capital infusion during the project phase, project managers need to quickly address the needs of all the stakeholders. Unlike past practices that solely depended on the personal expertise of the project managers and the team, today there is technology to depend on. Data analytics, enterprise resource planning software for continuous assessment of project progress, and outsourcing non-critical project activities are some tech-enabled capabilities that project managers have access to today.

WHAT SKILLS DO CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS NEED TO POSSESS?

Apart from having all the basic skills that any project manager must have, construction project managers must focus on the following skills:

Industry Knowledge: To align with and best utilize the resources, construction project managers must have the necessary domain knowledge. It helps them in the efficient planning and negotiation aspects of a project.

Technology Skills: To meet the project schedules and leverage project cash flows, having knowledge of related technology trends is not enough. They also need to learn how to use these technologies.

Financial Management: Since construction projects involve the infusion of heavy capital through various sources like customer payments, debt from lenders or equity through promoters, project managers must know how to manage negative cash flows. How to control non-critical costs at the sub-activity level is an important skill to master, while ensuring that there are sufficient funds for activities on the critical path of the project.

WHAT ROLE ARE YOU PLAYING AS A PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHAMPION IN YOUR INDUSTRY AND ORGANIZATION?

As a project management champion, I am actively involved in spreading awareness among construction project stakeholders about the evolving technologies in the industry. Being in the network has helped me connect with project managers and experts in different domains. Besides, I am working on learning various ways of handling projects and the associated risks.

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