This book presents the principles and techniques of managing engineering and construction projects from the conceptual phase, through design and construction, to completion. It emphasizes project management during the early stages of project development because the ability to influence the quality, cost, and schedule of a project can best be achieved during the early stages of development. Most books discuss project management during construction, after the scope of work is fully defined, the budget is fixed, and the completion date is firm. It is then too late to make any significant adjustments to the project to improve quality, cost, or schedule to benefit the owner.
Although each project is unique, there is certain information that must be identified and organized at the beginning of a project, before any work is started. Numerous tables and graphs are presented and discussed throughout this book to provide guidelines for management of the three basic components of a project: scope, budget, and schedule. Throughout this book, achieving project quality to meet the owner's satisfaction is emphasized as an integral part of project management.
This second edition of the book has three new chapters: Working with Project Teams, Early Estimates, and Design Proposals. The topics in these chapters are extremely important to achieving a successful project. These topics are covered from the perspective of the engineer who is employed with either the owner's organization or the design firm.
The intended audience of this book is students of university programs in engineering and construction. It is also intended for persons in industry who aid the owner in the feasibility study, coordinate the design effort, and witness construction in the field. A common example is used throughout this book to illustrate project management of the design and construction process.