Project management doesn’t just apply to the construction industry. It covers almost every industry in the world and can therefore have a variety of different requirements and processes to follow. However, regardless of what you are managing, there is definitely a common denominator amongst all project managers and how they approach things. It all comes down to the techniques that they use to get their projects to the finish line.

In my career as a project manager in the construction industry, I’ve had the opportunity to not only learn from my peers, but also from my own research. Unfortunately, not every organization actually takes the time to train the following techniques to their PM’s, and much of it is often left to them to figure out on their own. The following list isn’t all-encompassing by any means, but it definitely is something I would consider a minimum requirement in order to effectively manage a project in construction.

For more details on any of the techniques listed below, simply do a quick google search and you’ll find there are quite a few free templates out there for you to utilize.

The following list represents what I believe are the most important techniques PMs in construction should know. Not every project may warrant the use of every technique in this list, but the point is that this is the minimum requirement in terms of tools needed in order to help steer any project to the finish line successfully.

Okay I’ll be honest, I made UTWP up… but it’s at the top of my list for a reason! Utilizing technology to improve existing processes and workflows has been a staple of mine my whole career. I’ve been in the position where I, like many other PM’s out there, have waaaay too much on my plate. I’ve constantly explored ways of automating workflows, such as creating email templates, macros in excel, and other spreadsheet-related hacks. Once I discovered modern construction software, I realized the potential it offered and how it could make my life so much easier.

The ideal construction management software typically adopts some of the principles listed below and allows PMs to decrease the time required to manage their projects. This allows them to start focusing more on the important things, or as I like to call them, the ‘big brain’ activities, such as planning, forecasting, and managing their teams.

In my opinion, there is no better software to assist a PM on their projects than Construction Workflow Automation (CWA). It puts PMs in the driver seat and lets them tell the software exactly what they need it to do, not the other way around.

Keep reading this blog on Ontraccr.com

• 
•