Project Management

Question 1

What are the 6 goals of project mgmt? to reach….

Answer 1

to reach the end of the project

to reach the end on budget

to reach the end of time

to reach the end safel

to reach the end error free

to me everyone’s expectations

Question 2

Describe goals vs objectives

Answer 2

goals are universal principles that can apply to all projects

objectives describe project specific results

Question 3

What are the 5 phases of Projectmgmt? s,p,d,p,c

Answer 3

start - proj begins

planning - how to perform work

design - the design is worked out. this is iterative and must be well developed to proivde the foundation for production to occur

production - prep of construction docs and other delis cables based on n design

close out - when work is completed

Question 4

What are the 6 activities of project management

Answer 4

defining - define the design projects’ scope of work, budget and schedule, in effect determining the project objectives

planning - planning the work so goals will be met

directing - directing the design team so that the project objectives will be met while staying on schedule and within budget

coordinating - coordinating hte efforts of the desing team so that interdisciplinary info flow smoothly

monitoring - monitoring the design team’s work and progress against objecgives budget and schedule

learning - learnin what went right what went wrong and improving

Question 5

What is the different between the 5 phases of project mgmt and the six activities of proj mgmt

Answer 5

phases provide a timeline for action.

activities provide the primary purpose of the project manager

Question 6

What comes first, planning or defining a project

Answer 6

Defining

one a project is defines with an established scope of work, budgte and rough schedule it can be planned through the mechanism of a work plan

Question 7

What is a project work plan

Answer 7

PWP - is an organizaiton framework to plan how and in what sequenc ethe project will occur

Question 8

What does a PWP do / outline? What does it establish?

Answer 8

It takes the scope of services, outlined in the contract docs and client agreements, and ORGANIZES this scope into specific tasks, and clarifies how and when this work will be accomplished by the desing team

Provides the design team with a high level plan of project work to reference as the project progresses

The PWP will establish:

project communications precedures

hiarchy and reporting structure

safety , accounting and quality control procedures (CAD standards)

Question 9

What are the 6 objectives of the project work plan?

Answer 9

definition of project objectives

ID of project team

breakdown of proj tasks and budget

development of proj schedule

establishment of proejct quality control program

last, ID of other project specific procedures and standards

Question 10

How do you define project objectives? www,h

Answer 10

what needs to be done

when it needs to be done

who will do it

how much will it cost

Question 11

How do you ID the project team? What does PM consider when putting team together

Answer 11

not the LA’s job

will be established by client owner or prime consultant

project manager will consdier the following:

what disciplines are needed

are those dicsiplines available in hours or are consultants needed

how will work be divided between these parties

how will info be shared amongst the project team

When teams are very complex - an org chart is helpful

Question 12

What are the 3 componenets of project tasks

Answer 12

Tasks have 3 components

1 an objective
2 a duration
3 effort (labor hours and cost)

Question 13

How does one develop and define project tasks? What is a WBS and what does it establish?

Answer 13

A WBS Work Breakdown Structure document is often used to structure tasks. it will establish

a hiearchy of takss
the realtionship between various takss
shows smaller tasks as components of larger onces
Each task is given a code so it can be tracked

Question 14

Describe the 4 elements / considerations of a project schedule

Answer 14

They should be centered around MAJOR MILESTONES

KEY DELIVERABLE DUE DATES throughout the process

they should confirm dates and timelines established in the desing CONTRACT DATES

they should include scheduling CONTINGENCIES

Question 15

What is the best practice for buffering contingencies

Answer 15

incorporate 10% more time in scheudle than is anticipated

Question 16

What is a QC program? In what phases are they important? What doe they outline?

Answer 16

QC establishes the quality control procedures to ensure project is complete and accurate as possible. Completeness and accuracy are defined in terms of climent objectives, contract terms, and regulatory standards

QC important during transition from concept to schematic and from schematic into construction. relevant prior to major submissions and review periods

QC is for detailed review - spell check, cad standards ect_) AS WELL AS ensuring all parties are using updated, coordinated and same information in their desing drawings

Question 17

What is QC’s role during construction?

Answer 17

To ensure work is constructed in conformance with the design drawings and specifications and to correct any deficiencies that arise

Question 18

under section 6 of a workplan - what may not be captured in previous sections that should be addressed?

Answer 18

project work safety plan

required equipment for communication, field work, site visits, etc

may include elemtns of CAD standards

invoicing procedures

templates or standard formats for meeting mintues telephone calls or other correspondance

Question 19

What are the types of project schedules?

Answer 19

Milestone List

Bar Chart (aka Gantt Chart)

Critical Path Method

Question 20

What is a milstone list project schedule?

Answer 20

most basic form of schedule. often used on small projects
often appear in RFP’s

include a simple table with Milestone, scheduled deadline and actual deadline (to be filled in)

Question 21

What is a gantt chart or bar chart project schedule?

Answer 21

Most common graphic schedule used in the desing profession becaue they are easy to create and easily understood

a table outlines tasks and subtasks in the 1st column, then a date range across the horizontal axis. Colored bars fill in timelines for each task

Question 22

Critical Path Method - what is it? visually? what does it ID? how?

Answer 22

Visually looks like Gantt chart BUT…

the CPM schedules ID tasks that are critical to the project and illustrates relationships and interdependencies between tasks AND will highlight the most important tasks

Tasks are considered to be CRITICAL when NOT meeting the task deadline will direclty and irreversibly impact the project schedule

Question 23

What doe the terms “float” and “no float” mean in relationship to a CPM schedule?

Answer 23

Float - excess time in a schedule

No float - means a task must be met on that deadline - as not meeting it will direclty and irreversibly impact the project schedule

Question 24

What is the convention for PMs for tracking progress and QC on deadlines for design drawings

Answer 24

The PM will assign a series of percentage completion milestones

0% - the drawing is not started but the shhet size may be decides and titleblock is inserted

25% - the darwing has been started but most of the design is still in progress

50% - plans. sections and details are drawn but dimensions notes and callouts are missing or incomplete

90% - the drawing is complete, pending changes or comments during QC

100% - drawing complete with final QC incorporated

Question 25

What is a constructability review? what does it consider?

Answer 25

an audit process in which the contract documents are reviewed to ID potential construction related problems and suggest improvements for how to streamline and improve project construction

broad considerations but may include:

materials costs
equipment limitations on site
local expertise in a building trade

Question 26

What is value engineering?

Answer 26

entails review of the contract docs to determine if construction costs and duration can be reduced while maintaining or even improving project quality

Question 27

When the LA is the prime consultant. what coordination and communicaiton tasks will they be resposible for? What about when they are a sub consultant?

What is always true of information regardless of being a prime or sub role

Answer 27

communication is always hiearchical and will always defer to the prime contractor or consultant

The prime will communicating info between various subconsultants and to the owner

subs recieve information and are directed by the prime

Regardless of contract role - the LA’s work must always conform with the client / owners objectives and the LA must recieve client / owner approval on key desing decsiisons and recieve approval prior to transitioning from the design phase to the production phase

Question 28

Who is responsible for facilitating meetings?

What does facilliation entail?

Answer 28

the prime will act as the facilliator, unless otherwise arranged in a contract

facilliation entails:

scheduiling date time and place of meetings

preparing meeting schedule and agendas

ensuring that meeting participants are aware of deliverables related ot a metting

taking notes or meeting minutes and distribuing them post meeting

following up with key atendees and the owner / client to confirm key decsisions and next steps

Question 29

What are the best pracitces around meeting agendas and meeting minutes?

Answer 29

meeting agendas should be distributed to all attendees prior to a metting

meeting minutes should include a date time location lace names posiitions and other key identification of atendees. and should record all notable statmeents relevant to taks oriented, high level summary take aways from a meeting

Question 30

What is the best measure to take in preventing contract conflicts and disputes

Answer 30

effective projecment mgmt, and well written contracts

contracts for design services should describe services in detail including the clear exclusion of scope of works not included if potential for misunderstanding exists

Question 31

What are the three mechanisms for dispute resolution typically outlined in construction and design contracts?

Answer 31

mediation:
voluntary method, led by third party to help the disputing parties come to a common agreement that ends the conflict. does NOT prescribe legally binding decisions and any resolution brokered is not court enforced

arbitration:
third parties are given autority to render a final binding decsiion that cannot be repealed. it is formal and can be binding so that it is court enforcable

partnering
a preventative process that is meant to address serious conflicts prior to escalation. parties are led through team building exercises by a trained facilliator to id common goals, improve communciation and promote unity in the project team

Question 32

What is the typical phases into which a project budget is broken down?

Answer 32

administration

design

construction

construction support services

contingency

Question 33

What is overhead

Answer 33

non labor costs associated with operating and maintaining an office

Question 34

How tools / references can be used to help you determine a project. budget.

a successful budget balances what two things?

Answer 34

analysis of similar projects

feasability studies

cost data handbooks

successful budgets find compelling common ground between bdugetary constraints and programmatic requirements

Question 35

In a project budget what constitutes an admin cost?

Answer 35

project management - depending on client expertise, it may be allocated more toward client or owner’s staff - or toward general contractor or prime who will be admin’ing the project for the client

Question 36

in a proj budget what constitutes a design cost? what profit goals should an LA typ shoot for?

Answer 36

amount allocated toward developing a concept and translating this into construction documents

should take design for all needed disciplines into account.

shoot for 15 to 20% profit

Question 37

What should LA do if client’s design budget is insufficient for required scope of services? what is standardar markup to cover printing, presentations ect if not explicity covered in budget?

Answer 37

reduce number of deliverables

reduce the number of meetings

adjust the overall scope of work so that services are reduced

10%

Question 38

in a proj budget what are construction costs? how is related to design?

What is the term for construction cost estimates produced by a designer? How early is it appropriate to develop cost estimates

Answer 38

money allocated to build the project

LA must produce a design that meets the construction budget and maximizes design impact within budgetary constraints

“opion of probable cost” Concept phase - for purposes of LARE - is too early. LA should not offer costs until design had advanced in its lifecycle enough to provide substantial cost information

Question 39

what are construction support services costs in a proj budgte?

Answer 39

budget for constrcution inspection, testing, review of submitalls, ect

Question 40

What is project contingency costs in a proj budget? what is best practice set aside?

Answer 40

amount of money client or owner has set aside for cosntruction changes and buffer for unexpected cost overruns

• to 10%

Question 41

QC during the construction phase is generally addressed through:

Answer 41

> sunmitals and samples of prefab projects for designer approval
mockups of elements constructed on site to serve as ref for larger scale work
materials testing to ensure installation quality
Direct observation of installation