April Review - Business Planning, Ethics, Programming & Data Management Flashcards
What is Data?
Collection of information and the basic input to any decision making process
e.g emails, cost information, pricing
What is the data management process?
Collating, Storing, Organizing, Accessing & Deleting data
How can data be stored?
Physical: in secure storage units
Electronic: Cloud data bases
How to protect data?
- Assign passwords to documents, folders and computers
- Auto locking computers
- Access restriction and restrict unathorised access
- Automatic backup
- Internet security and anti virus
Common sources of published and internal data?
SPONS Published by AECOM
BCIS Published by RICS
Series of pricing across the industry, allows for accurate cost estimating for a comprehensive comparison.
What is the Data Protection Act?
UKs implementation of GDPR
Controls how personal information is collected and used by organisatinos
What is GDPR?
General Data Protection Act
EU Law
Strong set of data protection laws
Protects individuals personal data
Key personell under GDPR?
Data Controller: Decides how and why to collect the data.
Data Processor: Processes the data on behalf of the controller.
Data Subject: the individual which data is about
What is BIM
The process of building collaboratively using one coherent system of computer models rather than separate sets of drawings. Incoorporates the design, construction and maintenance of the building.
Advantages of a cloud based system/ BIM?
- Easily accessible for all
- Environmentally friendly
- Security controlled
- Time saved for repetitive works
Disadvantages of a cloud based system?
- May require training
- Possible system errors
- Initial cost
- Online security can pose a threat
What is a business plan?
A document that defines the business objectives and suggests strategies to be undertaken to realise how this will be achieved within a defined time frame.
What is a business strategy?
Outlines the actions and decisions a company plans to take to reach its business goals and objectives.
What are typical business objectives?
- Profitability
- Retain staff
- Retain clients
- Establishing and maintaing productivity
- Sustaining cashflow
- Planning for growth
Components of a business plan?
- Executive Summary
- Marketing strategy
- Financial forecasts
- Products and services
- Vision statement
How to ensure a company’s profitability?
- Grown client base and maintain
- Hightlight key business objectives
- Responding to change
- Accurate forecasting and budgeting
- Increased productivity and efficiency
Business Structures
Partnerships, LLP, PLC and Sole Practitioner
Organisational structures
Hierarchial, Flatarchy, Team based, Divisional
Difference between fee earner and non fee-earner?
Fee: PM, QS, Architect
Non Fee: IT, Admin, Bid, Accounting
Issues of high staff turnover?
- High recruitment costs
- High training costs
- Inconsistency in work and disatisfied for clients
- Reputational damage
SWOT Analysis?
Structured analysis of the market:
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Pestle Analysis?
Structured Method of analysing key factors affecting the market:
- Political
- Economical
- Social
- Technological
- Environmental
SMART Targets
A criteria for setting goals in project management:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
What is a programme?
A sequence of events to complete the overall tasks.
What are key milestones of a project?
Tender Period: tender pack, tender review appointment.
Start on site: Foundations, superstructure, services, finishes.
Defects
- Overall start date
- Overall completion date
- Start and end date for each activity and float
- Critical Path
Benefits of a project programme?
A) Resourceful planning of activities
B) Monitor progress
C) Manages resources
Different types of project programme?
- Contractors Master Programme: Scheduled and sequence of construction activites
- Clients Overall Programme: everything from appointment to completion
- Design Programme: Sequence of design tasks from inception to technical compleion.
- Information release schedule: which information needs to be released by the design team.
What is float?
The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the subsequent activity of critical path.