What is construction management?

The term construction management encompasses a set of processes related to planning, budgeting, coordinating, and supervising every stage of a construction project. The objective is to ensure the proper execution of construction in the most efficient manner in terms of time, cost, quality, and safety.

What are the main tasks of construction management?

The tasks involved in construction management largely depend on the characteristics of the project itself; however, the following areas of expertise can generally be identified:

• Planning: this involves the development of a detailed plan to determine all aspects of a project before start-up. During the planning phase, the objectives, deadlines, resources, sequence of activities, suppliers, manpower, budget, permits and licenses, etc. must be taken into account.
• Coordination: at a construction site, various professional teams (architects, contractors, suppliers, etc.) come together and need to coordinate well with each other. Part of construction management consists of ensuring timely, coordinated work among all the teams, as well as effective communication between them.
• Supervision: the continual monitoring of progress made on the project to ensure compliance with the predetermined plan in terms of finances, time, and quality. Supervision also involves managing changes and solving problems that may arise.
• Cost management: aims to optimize the use of available resources and, above all, prevent any budgetary problems, whether due to poor distribution or misuse of funds. Cost management starts with planning with the estimation of expenses associated with the project; however, it entails continual monitoring.
• Safety monitoring: compliance with occupational risk prevention measures is essential to ensure the physical integrity of everyone working on a construction site. It is also essential to comply with current safety regulations. One of the responsibilities of construction management is to verify that the working environment is safe and that workers are complying with all protocols.
• Overview: projects are never isolated but are part of public or private organizational strategies. One of the tasks of project management is to verify that the decisions made within the individual project are aligned with the overall objectives of the project.

What professional profiles can lead in construction management?

A wide range of professional profiles can carry out the role of construction management. Generally, professionals in this role specialize in executive roles within their respective areas and receive complementary training for construction management. Some of the most common professional profiles include:

• Architects.
• Civil engineers.
• Industrial engineers.
• Business administrators.

A project’s characteristics may require participation from several professional profiles to carry out joint management that is comprehensive.

What skills does a project manager need?

• Analytical thinking.
• Good communication.
• Attention to detail.
• Motivational ability
• Negotiation skills.
• Understanding of the processes.
• Knowledge in terms of safety.
• Rigor and method.
• The ability to manage processes.