The Quality and the Capability of the Construction Company in an Airport - Essay Example

? PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AIRPORT Executive Summary This is a paper giving detailed undertakings in an airport construction project. The airport is to be constructed in a land inhabited by farmers and therefore needs reallocation process. The airport is of international standards; it should be well designed to meet the standards. Its standards are to be met through quality implementation by a good contractors firm. The quality will be determined by the capability of the construction company to do a good job. Important inclusions which need attention have been emphasized; this includes the project schedule, WBs, and PID. All the construction processes have been identified together with material usage. It has also looked attest and inspection of all construction processes. Importance of good record keeping techniques have been emphasized together with what is there to be recorded and why. The project has also entailed the risk management process where all the risks have to be identified and possible solutions put down. Introduction Fast paced communication systems, restrictive budget, efficient planning, and just-in-time deliveries make projects operation easy for both the project leaders and project team. In order to keep time, construction’s players must streamline their operations in the construction, improvise ways to improve their rate of operation, shorten and innovate the construction cycle, as well as all other undertakings with in the construction process. In an international airport construction in a developing country, many aspects must be looked at to ensure that nothing goes wrong in the under takings. Having in mind that it is been built in an occupied land makes it complex because of the relocation policies of the land. A quality project needs adequacy in planning, efficient technology should be used, access to construction materials should be good, and the project schedule should be followed to the letter. This paper is a detailed airport construction project where famers need to be relocated and the land acquired through the right channels. The paper looks at the overall construction process including the schedules to be used, resource management process, and the subsequent risk management. Risk management is quite essential because poor risk analysis may lead to project implementation failure. WBS This is the process used in both system engineering and project management where the undertakings are broken down into smaller potion to facilitate the implementation processes. In project management, it is termed as discrete work components and facilitates the scope organization as well as definition along with availing guidelines for project control and development. Below is a sample of a WBS in an air craft system. The work breakdown in this project entail: farmers’ displacement, land acquisition, project schedule analysis, risk assessment and analysis, material acquisition, and airport construction process. The tool facilities overall frames work in the planning and control of the project as well as their implementation process (Thomas, 1996). Famers’ relocation and land acquisition Land being used in this project is under use by the farmers, the acquisition process needs fairness and use of the right channel to ensure that the displacement process has gone inline with the legal policies and ethics of the land. The best way to do this is by purchasing a land of equal productivity and relocating the farmers in that land and putting up structures for them or making compensation financially with respect to the value of the land. PID The term is used in project management to mean plan of approach. This is a series of documents containing different important documentations which include: reference terms, business case, project tolerances, risk register, communication plan, project plan, and any other important document in a quality plan. Important inclusions in the PID: Project goals – the goals of this project is construct an international airport that is of high quality, well situated, internal standards, well equipped and assessed Scope – construct the port within the required time with maximum resource utilization Project organization – the project management team will by lead by an experienced person as far as projects are concern. This will be in the aim of reducing the risks associated with management inefficiencies, and other project implementations. The project schedule will be keenly followed to ensure that the constructions are completed in time. Business case – all the project inclusions should not be above the cost of the contract. Resources will be maximally utilized to avoid unnecessary wastes; materials should be well secured from damage and theft. Constrains – all the risk associated with the project should be analyzed and identified. Required actions should be taken to deal with the risks by providing solutions. All other kinds of constrains should identified and solutions lay down. (Thomas, 1996) Budget A budget is very important in designing any project. Prevailing economy greatly affects the implementation process; budget should be quite flexible in accommodating the changes affecting the sector. This is because a project is a long term process and adequate planning should be considered to meet the objective. Narrative Amount Duration Materials $7 billion Long term Labor $ 5 billion Long term Contractor $11 billion Long term Miscellaneous expenses $3 billion Short term Use of technology in project management The tremendous advancements in technology have also been involved in project development, planning and the subsequent management. Technologies in project management, Inc. (PMT) have refined and developed the current executive suits in training initiatives that have explored essential methodologies. These methodologies have specifically improved the project schedule designs and good record keeping winch is essential in every activities. The schedules have been developed in a way that time is well managed and activities which are not in the scope are easily identified. These activities are one of the major items that play part in wasting the allocated time and resources thus increase the cost of the overall project (Triant, 2008). Progress schedule This acts as a navigation system or a destination map to an unfamiliar long trip. To avoid making turn backs here and there, conservation of resources and time, scope completion, and excellent implementation, there should proper guidelines to indicate to us where we go wrong as well us giving us all pathways available to meet the target (Thomas, 1996). The schedule should be reviewed frequently for the purposes uncertainties; this revision should be in the course of the implementation process and before the process to enhance certainty. It’s the duty of the schedule to transform a time-based plan from a vision. In this project it I the work of the project schedule to allocate time to a certain task, indicate when the project implementers tempt to go off truck, and help in calculation of work one and work in progress. Below is an example of a project schedule; Airport construction progress schedule Project ID Federal number(s) Initial: Update: Proposal item # Letting date Order of progress Work controlling tool (tick when approved) CRITICAL PATH CALENDAR DATE LINEAR SCHEDULE BAR CHART CALENDAR DATE N/A DATE OF COMMENCEMENT: DATE OF COMPLETION: Remarks: Name of contractor Name of project manager Chief contractor’s signature date Project’s manager signature Date Understanding the construction environment The soil texture of the environment should be evaluated; this is in the aim of analyzing how the basing will be done. The tender will be awarded by merit and all the contesters will be evaluated to see which construction firm has the best profile in terms out discipline, out put, qualifications, and time management. All the resource areas should be identified to know where quality construction materials can be accessed with the best terms. The cost should also be a key factor, source of labor, and security should be deeply looked at. Laborers should be from the surrounding communities to ensure that the construction project is playing its community development role. The cultural and religious practices of the resident should be full honored and given room in the construction process (Triant, 2008). The surrounding communities should also play part in giving suggestions because in the long run it is their asset. This will also help in making the community feel appreciated regardless of the inconveniences brought about by the construction (Saleh, 2010). Project plan Below is an example of prior project plan Construction survey Construction surveying team has the following responsibilities to accomplish to see that the objectives are met. This includes: setting benchmarks, giving out a layout of the job, taking cross-sectional elevations, grade stakes, designing navigation routes, lighting, and elevation taxiways and runways. Staking methods should be determined by are to be identified by survey consultants as well as adequate control systems in the aim of illustrating the projects specifications and plans. In it is applicable, permanent approach surfaces markers and runaway centerlines should be put in place. The construction plan must have all makers’ installations and locations. Inspection and testing Acceptability and quality of materials, the rate at which the work will proceed at should be certified by the relevant authorities. Materials and work proved to be below standards in reference to the requirements put in place by the quality evaluators should be rejected, redesigned, or replaced. Full time inspection is not required; it should be done randomly within short time lapse, however, the chief inspector/engineer should keep track of all the process taking place at a specific place time, he/she should also avail his/her randomly to oversee the progress and being available where need be. All through the life of the project, the inspector should ensure that quality inspection and testing are required to meet an efficient and reliable conclusion. This will also minimize chances of delays and poor output. The inspector should also report all test results to the relevant authorities for proper record keeping (Saleh, 2010). Material acceptance and usage Material usage should be properly analyzed especially before usage; the contractor should enquire for production certificates to ensure that they have met the standard. An airport is quite expensive and therefore using substandard material may lead to big losses and loss of reputation and work profile for both the project management and the contractors. This is because the two parties have a responsibility of making sure that all the activities go along with international requirements. Project records and report All material test documents and certificates should be approved by all the project management team. The untested items should also be documented as well, the report summary must be signed by the relevant individuals and later submitted to the relevant authorizes. Sensitive information should be reviewed frequently to avoid fraud, errors and other misrepresentations. Other record to be considered as air port construction is concerned is daily weather fluctuations, communication between the implementers and the management, work in progress, equipment usage, disputes among leaders, test locations and performance, and commencing and completion dates. After construction After the notice on completion from the contractor, final inspection and testing will precede. It will be conducted by the project management and the chief contractor. The aim of pre-inspection because it looks at weather all the requirements of the project have met. Any unsatisfactory work should be reviewed and after all has been proved; the project can be called complete (O'Brien and Fredric, 1999). Risk management In every project, risk management is very crucial; it is the key determiner of whether a project is applicable or not. It involves risk identification, evaluation and analysis and later a solution. Building an airport may not be that simple and this calls for integrated ways of risk identification and analysis. The whole project team should sit down and evaluate all possible risks and get a solution to each and every individual risk. Cost is one of the key risk components; the cost of the project should be well calculated to ensure that there are enough funds to meet the overall cost. The finances should be certain where to avoid working on probability. All uncertainties should be identified. The firm implementing the project should be competent enough to ensure that the expected product is of standard. Material standards should be also looked at to the letter; this is to ensure that all the activities in the project are not let down materials’ quality (Saleh, 2010). Conclusion This is project if well implemented; we can practically turn this project to reality. For a project to be successful there must be clear outline of the objectives, good team, real budget, integrated communication, good control systems, and quality human resources among other. Construction sector is the midst of the current economic development. The choice of contractors is very important in all undertaking as far as constructions are concerned. Quality output is highly affected by the proficiency of the contractors. Project managers should be very ready to work with the project implementers to see that all provisions made in the project are fully implemented. References O'Brien, J. J. and Fredric, L., 1999. CPM in construction management. London: McGraw-Hill Professional. Saleh, A. M, PhD, Saleh, M., 2010.Construction Project Scheduling and Control. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Triant, G. F., 2008. Dennis Lock Aviation project management. London: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Thomas, T., 1996. Airport capacity and development funding. Texas: Thomas Telford. Read More