Leading Projects, People and Teams

Question 1

How do meeting minutes assist you with leading a team?

Answer 1

Meeting Minutes allow me to accurately record conversations during a project team meeting, confirming agreed actions. I am then able to follow up with the project team following the meeting to ensure actions are being adequately progressed.

Question 2

How does a Responsibility Matrix assist you with leading a project team?

Answer 2

A responsibility matrix allows me to clearly identify to the team their roles and responsibilities during the refurbishment project.

Question 3

How do Dashboard reports allow you to lead a project team?

Answer 3

A Dashboard report allows me to accurately report into the client and proactively notify them of any decisions required over the coming period.

Question 4

What is the difference between leadership and management?

Answer 4

Leader - Focuses on empowering and inspiring.

Manager - More process driven, optimising efficiency of a project.

Question 5

What is autocratic leadership?

Answer 5

A clearly define hierarchy with a single decision maker who does not consult the wider team.

Question 6

What is democratic leadership?

Answer 6

Team members will all be involved in making decisions. A hierarchy remains however all parties are involved in a final decision.

Question 7

What is laissez-faire leadership?

Answer 7

Virtually no hierarchy with project team members being empowered to make all decisions. A hands off leader.

Question 8

What is paternalistic leadership?

Answer 8

A clear authority figure however all the project team are treated like an extended family with loyalty and trust expected of them.

Question 9

What type of leader do you think you are?

Answer 9

Paternalistic. I believe a clear hierarchy is important however I believe that the project team should be consulted in decision making with trust being placed in the Project Manager.

Question 10

What are employment laws?

Answer 10

Employment laws are legislation that governs employer - employee relations.

Question 11

Could you please provide an example of an employment law?

Answer 11

The employment rights act 1996 which relates to items such as redundancy and unfair dismissals.

Question 12

Could you please explain what the employment act 2008 is?

Answer 12

This act specifically provides procedure for dealing with employment disputes. It relates to items such as unlawful underpayment and provision of the enforcement of minimum wages.

Question 13

What is the Health and Safety at work act 1974?

Answer 13

This provides a duty for all employer’s to ensure the health and safety of all employees. Focuses on H&S training, H&S information to be held on site (O&M’s)

Question 14

Why would a tender post RIBA stage 1 design allow the refurbishment to be undertaken quicker than other options?

Answer 14

The design stages would likely be consolidated by the contractor into a “design development period”. Greater buildability input from the contractor may find efficiencies

Question 15

Are there any risk associated with the post RIBA stage 1 procurement route?

Answer 15

A lack of design control for the client. They will be dependent on the robustness of the ER’s when enforcing the quality of the works to be undertaken.

Question 16

With a design post RIBA stage 1 approach, what design would you typically undertake prior to entering into the contract?

Answer 16

Client brief, performance specification from services engineer and architect.

Question 17

In the 200 Aldersgate Cat A+ refurbishment, How did you assess the contractor’s design capability?

Answer 17

Case studies, visiting referenced projects, previous work, extent of design team.

Question 18

On your 200 Aldersgate Cat A+ refurbishment, why did you not tender to four main contractors?

Answer 18

Following the initial PQQ, to 6 contractors, we were only comfortable with recommending 3no. parties for tender. Strong PQQ responses were received so we were confident that none of the tendering parties would drop out.

Question 19

On the 200 Aldersgate Cat A+, If the contractors were proposing options / proposals for the design, how did you ensure that the tender returns were level?

Answer 19

All contractors provided their tender returns based on a design compliant with the employer’s requirements. The quantity surveyor worked with the tenderers for a week to ensure all bids were level. Design options were then shown as an option cost.

Question 20

on 200 Aldersgate, Why would the agent’s input be valuable when reviewing tender returns?

Answer 20

They reviewed the proposed design to ensure that they were in-line with the market expectations for a Cat A+ project.

Question 21

on 200 Aldersgate, aside from design what other elements dictated your contractor selection?

Answer 21

Cost proposed by each tender, project team, sustainability credentials.

Question 22

On Cat B fit-out Leadenhall building, why did you only notice that the consultant was performing poorly at stage 3?

Answer 22

Up until this point the consultant had been fulfilling their responsibilities. Once identified that the consultant wasn’t performing then this was quickly addressed.

Question 23

As project manager, would you attend design coordination meetings?

Answer 23

Yes.

Question 24

What risks would a lack of coordination for the services design typically present?

Answer 24

A lack of coordination could result in post contract change as there may be differences between the architectural and services for items such as drawings. This could present a programme risk also if additional orders of long lead items are required.

Question 25

How did you mitigate any programme delay that you would have experienced due to the services engineer not performing?

Answer 25

Given that this issue with the services engineer was progressed there was minimal programme delay as a result of their non-performance. When speaking with their director I explained that the design programme was in delay, he confirmed that additional resource would be allocated to the project in order to rectify this.

Question 26

Were any changes affected following this conversation with the services director following their companies non-performance?

Answer 26

Yes, attendance from the project lead was received at all meetings. He was issuing information for coordination on a far more regular basis.

Question 27

On your Cat A refurb on King William Street, What form of contractor reporting would you typically expect on a project of this nature?

Answer 27

Weekly project reports incl. site photos, commercial updates, key issues.

Question 28

Did a lack of organisation on site present any health and safety related risks?

Answer 28

No as this was addressed quickly enough by the contractor. Materials were not being removed from site so in time this could have presented a fire loadings risk.

Question 29

On your Cat A Refurb at King William street, If the project director was not replaced did this result in a reduction in preliminaries?

Answer 29

It did not, this was used as part of the discussion with the contractor when requesting a replacement for the project director.

Question 30

On Cat A King William Street, what wider impacts to the project could this lack of senior leadership from the contractor have had?

Answer 30

This could have created health and safety risks on site, reduction in quality.

Question 31

Why did you believe the project required director involvement?

Answer 31

To provide leadership on the contractor side. To provide a quality assessment prior to areas being presented to the client.

Question 32

Did the appointment of the project director make adequate changes for the project?

Answer 32

Yes, this helped police the contractors team better and improve organisation on site.

Question 33

On the main reception entrance relocation, Why was this not raised earlier on in the design process?

Answer 33

This opportunity was only further explored following the client making the project team aware that the adjacent building reception was becoming vacant.

Question 34

On your reception refurbishment, why was maximising usable space important to the client?

Given this is a reception space this would not generate additional income for the client?

Answer 34

The agency team advised my client that this was the best course of action of the client. I believe additional rent could be generated for other floors within the building if the reception was improved.

Question 35

How did you go about determining that a new entrance could be formed within the facade?

Answer 35

An initial feasibility assessment was undertaken by the structural engineer. Design options were then presented to the client by the architect.

Question 36

What is the purpose of a conservation area?

What conservation area did this building sit within?

Answer 36

To protect areas of significant historic and architectural interest.

King William Street conservation area which was formed in 1971.

Question 37

Why would forming a new entrance be contentious from a planning perspective?

Answer 37

These are works to the buildings external facade within a conservation area.

Question 38

For the new planning consultant, how did you ensure the level of fee for the works was reflective of the necessary involvement?

Answer 38

I reviewed their scope of service, with the professional team, to ensure this was reflective of the works required.

Question 39

Why would the appointment of a planning consultant de-risk you progress on the project?

Answer 39

This would allow the design team to receive early planning advice and factor this within their designs prior to planning submission.

Question 40

How did you appoint the planning consultant?

Answer 40

Client signed their terms of engagement.

Question 41

Was an application made for the new entrance?

What process did you go through to submit the planning application?

Answer 41

Yes, we made an application for the new entrance to be formed. We underwent a pre-application prior to submitting. DAS collated etc.

Question 42

What information is required within a planning application?

Answer 42

Design and Access statement, elevation, site boundary plan.

Question 43

Who submits the planning application?

Answer 43

The client.

Question 44

Why would you manage a non-performing team member?

Answer 44

• Risk of impacts to quality, cost and programme.
• Speak to their project senior initially.

Question 45

Why did the D&B post RIBA Stage 1 approach allow for an expedited programme?

Answer 45

• Design period expedited by the contractor and can overlap with lead in.

Question 46

Is returning a high quality product to market not always the aspiration of the client? Why was this particularly important for this project?

Answer 46

• Higher quality then normal given this was Cat A+ and speculative expenditure.
• Wanted to establish a brand for their Cat A+ refurbs.

Question 47

Would you normally consult agents during the contractor interview process?

Answer 47

• Not always however given their input on design to date this was felt to be important.

Question 48

What is typically included within a lead designers scope of service?

Answer 48

• Lead design team meetings.
• Ensure coordination with wider team.
• Review consultants design information.

Question 49

If no further improvement was received following a senior directors notification, what would you have done?

Answer 49

-Ask for a different member of their team to work on the project and then:
- I would have reviewed their appointment to understand ability to terminate involvement. Coordinate with clients legal advisor.

Question 50

Did escalating your concerns to the services engineers senior result in improved performance?

Answer 50

Yes, the consultant re-engaged with the team.