University of Technology, Jamaica

Module Name: Construction Management/

Construction Management & Operations

Module Code: COE4006

SEM 2 2020/21

Title: An Overview into the Project Management of the construction of National Bakery’s
retail outlet on Balmoral Avenue

Names:

Imani Sewell-1806320

Landel Smith - 1607757

Tajera Thompson - 1505641

Gifford Whyte - 1907150

Lecturer: M. McIntyre

Due Date: March 23rd 2021

Table of Contents
Introduction 4

Project Summary 5

Inception 6

Purpose of Project 6

Team 7

Timeline 7

Contract Awardment/Procurement 7

Project Cost 7

Feasibility Study- Site Access 8

Feasibility Study- Site Services 8

Feasibility Study- Site Visit 8

Procurement of Labour 8

Procurement of Materials 8

Procurement of Equipment 9

Pre-Construction Dependables 9

Project Charter 9

Planning and Design 11

Project Scope 12

Human Resource Management Planning 13

Staffing Plan 14

Worker’s Contract 14

Payment 14

Accidents and Insurance 15

Communication Management 16

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Risk Management 16

Environmental and Occupational Safety 16

Accidents 17

Financial Risks 17

Procurement Management 17

Stakeholder management 18

Time Management 18

Procurement Management 18

Executing 19

Direct and Manage work 20

Performing Quality Assurance 21

Acquiring Project team 24

Manage Project Team 25

Manage Communications 25

Conduct Procurement 26

Manage Stakeholder Engagement 28

Controlling 28

What is Controlling / Monitoring? 28

The relationship between with Controlling and Functions of Management 29

The relationship between P.M.B.O.K with Controlling and Closing 33

Project Integration Management 33

Project Scope Management 37

Project Time Management 40

Project Cost Management 40

Project Quality Management 41

Project Communication Management 43

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 Project Risk Management 44

Project Procurement Management 45

Project Stakeholder Management 46

Closing 47

What is Closing? 47

Closing and Controlling relating to Project’s Lifecycle 47

Commissioning 48

Maintenance and Repairs 48

References 49

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 Introduction

This document is a representation of the project plan used to construct the National

Bakery Retail Outlet located on 9-11 Balmoral Avenue in Kingston 10. It is an analysis of

methods and practices used to manage construction versus the best practice approach. This

project shows a critique of the activities taken place on site. It generally speaks to the 5 process

groups of management which are initiating (Pre-Contract), planning (and design) , executing,

monitoring/controlling and closing. The ten knowledge areas of project management were also

used to guide the analysis. The ten knowledge areas of project management includes

Integration Scope, Time, Quality, Human Resource, Risk, Communication, Procurement and

Stakeholders. The project was introduced to the contractors at Deverm Engineering Company

by the parent company, Continental Baking Company.

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 Project Summary

Project Title: National Bakery Retail Outlet

Location: 9 & 11 Balmoral Avenue, Kingston 10

Project Type: Commercial

Timeframe: April 2017- March 2018

Budget: $ 160,000,000

Client: Continental Baking Company

Project Manager: Deverm Engineering

Contractor: Devon Brown

Site Supervisors: Landel Smith, Devon Sinclair

Architect: Lighthouse Project Ltd

Engineers: SkyCon Engineering

Electricians/Mechanical/ HVAC/ Plumbing : Client sought

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 Project Pre Contract Phase

Gilliland (2019) essentially sums up the pre contract phase of construction as activities involved

prior to the commencement of construction. These include the preparation of tenders to bid for

the project, the development of designs and strategic project planning. It also involves the

procurement of various permits and grants and assets such as materials tools and labour that are

needed to execute the project.

Inception

The stakeholders at the National’s Baking Company Ltd had a vision to grow and expand its

operations. This would be achieved by acquiring a plot of land located at 9-11 Balmoral Avenue,

Kingston 10, St. Andrew. The site of the project in question is located between the busy business

districts of Half-Way-Tree, Cross Roads and New Kingston.

Purpose of Project

The purpose of the project was to erect a structure that would serve as an outlet and production

facility that would give license to the company to produce and sell their products.

Stakeholders

Stakeholders for this particular project are the clients, the contractor, the municipal, the

consultants, the community, the project management team.

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Team

The Deverm Engineering Company was awarded the contract in early 2017. The project team

comprised of an architect, engineer, project manager, contractor and a client representative

Timeline

The initial timeline that was stipulated for the construction of the new National’s Bakery

Company was an eight month project, which commenced in April of 2017 was schedule to end

in November 2017. However, the project went 4 months over schedule and was completed in

March 2018 as a result of improper planning, frequent changes to working drawings, incorrect

work executed due to poor and insufficient supervision, poor time controlling and a scheduling,

Contract Awardment/Procurement

The contract was awarded to Deverm Engineering by means of selective tendering. The contract

was awarded through this avenue as the client had previously contracted said company with pior

projects.

Project Cost

The cost of the project was budgeted at 160 million. This budget was drafted to cover the

expenses of the entire project which are subjected, but not limited to, property purchase,

construction expenses, materials, tools and machinery rentals.

Feasibility Study- Site Access

The site in question is located at 9-11 Balmoral Avenue, Kingston 10, St. Andrew. The site could

be accessed from Balmoral Avenue and Skibbo Avenue.

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Feasibility Study- Site Services

For the site in question, there were existing services such as a clean, potable source of water

from pipes. However, electricity had to be sourced from the Jamaica Public Service (JPS).

Feasibility Study- Site Visit

Upon the first site visit, it was noted that there was an existing warehouse structure. Additionally,

there were also two single family dwellings on said property.

Procurement of Labour

For this project, skilled and unskilled labour sourced in and around Kingston. The labourers

were provided by the contractor.

Procurement of Materials

Materials were sourced from local hardware stores in Kingston.. Such stores include tankweld

and national supply. Additionally, said materials were stored at onsite in a secured storage

container.

Procurement of Equipment

Machinery and tools that were used in the execution of the project were rented. *make a list of

the tools/machinery* Entities such as gastron were engaged for the rental of a backhoe, while

total tools for work tools. These tools were kept in a safe and secure spot onsite.

Pre-Construction Dependables

These are works that are needed to be executed prior to construction. These works included but

not limited to demolition and site stripping.

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 Project Charter

General Information

Project Title National Bakery Retail Outlet

Project Scope The National’s Bakery Company has its main office

located at 43 Half-Way-Tree Road, Kingston 5, St.

Andrew. The aim of the project is to open a new

outlet facility. This new facility will be situated in

between Kingston and St. Andrew’s busiest business

districts of Half-Way-Tree and New Kingston and is

located at, 9-11 Balmoral Avenue Kingston 10.

Project Level of Authority Project Sponsor(s) Type of sponsor

Manager/Contractor

Devon Brown Continental Baking Client

Company

Product Description/ Deliverables The project is to be constructed on a piece of land

that had two existing family structures and. These

structures would have to be demolished in order for

the works to begin.

The project deliverables of this project were the

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 complete production outlet with parking and

boundary walls.

Project Objectives The objective of the project is to strategically

expand the operations of National’s Bakery in

Jamaica. Locations such as these are business centre

hotspots and it can be expected that a high volume

of consumers would travel to and fro.

Work Site The site is located at 9-11 Balmoral Avenue.

Pre Assigned Resources The project team.

Planning and Design

The planning and design phase of construction is a crucial process to ensure efficiency

and cost effectiveness. Design is a process of creating the description of a new facility, usually

represented by detailed plans and specifications; construction planning is a process of identifying

activities and resources required to make the design a physical reality according to Carnegie

Mellon University (n.d). Early planning can significantly impact upon project outcome but clear

targets must be agreed and established early to enable the correct decisions to be taken at the

right time (Sherif & Price, 1999). The planning and design phase also gives an opportunity to

identify possible mishaps and pitfalls during construction.

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 To achieve this goal, managers of the projects have to write management plans, building

plans and the other necessary construction documents such as permits, boundary surveys,

contracts/agreements, bill of quantities, financial statements, project schedule ect. When one is

considering planning and design, numerous operational tasks must be performed with a variety

of precedence or even in a simultaneous manner. Effective planning will improve project

performance which is dependent on time, cost and quality of work.

Project Scope

The project analyzed is a retail outlet for National Bakery Company Ltd parented by the

Continental Baking Company on 9 &11 Balmoral Avenue in Kingston 10, St. Andrew. The

company involved in the construction of the storefront was Deverm Engineering, a small

engineering company located in Westmead, Bridgeport, St. Catherine. The project was acquired

by selective tendering where the client brought the project and concept to the contractors at

Deverm. The architectural company involved was the Lighthouse Project Ltd and the structural

engineering consultants were from SkyCon Engineering. The facility will also host an outlet for

Copperwood Pork.

The idea of the operations of the establishment is that baked products will be brought to the

store from the main bakery to be distributed, a similar procedure is applicable for the sales of

meat. The site had an existing building constructed of and a portion of it was incorporated in the

final building construction and this was the direct request of the client. This part of the project

has a roof structure made from I Beams. This portion of the building was assessed in term of the

structural resilience of the building and was approved by the engineers at SkyCon Engineering.

This facility would have to be designed with temperature control using suitable HVAC systems.

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The facility has biodigesters as well. The project began in April 2017 and was scheduled to end

in Nov 2017. The budget for the project was 160 Million.

Features of the project include:

● 2 Cold Rooms

● Delivery Ramp

● Several Restrooms

● Storage Area

● Retail Area

● Office Spaces

● Lounges

● Locker Rooms

● Bulk Distribution Points

● Services/Maintenance Rooms

● Parking lot

Human Resource Management Planning

The main goal of effective human resource management is to ensure project success by

acquiring the best persons with optimal skill. The project that was analyzed had no solid human

resource plan, however considerations were made when hiring was done. The

recommendations that we have for the project as it relates to human resource management

includes:

1. Staffing Plans

2. Payment

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 3. Welfare Planning ( Accommodation planning, safety gears. insurance ect)

4. Accidents and Insurance

Staffing Plan

The contractor for the project is the individual who acquired the workers from previous projects.

The contractor hired the best tradesmen to tasks done as well as their associated labourers.

Additional workers were brought on site as the need arose.The skills that he sought included

steel fabricators, welders , masons and carpenters. The clients also had their own mechanical,

plumbing, air conditioning, and electrical specialists to work on the project;. This eliminated the

need for sub-contracting work as well as the client would be more comfortable using individuals

they trust. As was previously mentioned the project was brought to the contractor. So it can be

observed that the client is quite specific in how they would like the work to be completed.

Worker’s Contract

Establishing roles and responsibilities of each individual throughout the project, this is basically

a synopsis of each job, these would be distributed among the various members of the project

irrespective of the level. This contract will also state the pay rates as well as the duration of the

project. In the case of the extension of the project then contracts will be renewed to reflect these

critical changes.

Payment

A combination of payment options were used on-site. Cheques and Cash was used to pay

workers on-site. We would not recommend that cash is used for paying workers. The site is

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located in a very volatile area where robbery could take place. If the site is being watched by

criminals then they may be able to ascertain when payments are going to be made on payday.

Workers could be then targeted and robbed. The option of cheques is more feasible as it relates

to safety. The option of bank transfers could be feasible if workers have bank accounts. As a

form of development, workers would be instructed to open bank accounts in order to be

employed. There were instances where tradesmen were responsible for paying the additional

workers.

Welfare

As it relates to welfare of the workers there were some considerations taken. The

accommodation aspect of welfare attracted an additional development of a nearby lot which the

company purchased to host the workers. The food options that were available to the workers

was at a proximity that is unfavourable to effective time management . What the company

decided to do was allow workers to take work breaks in shifts to prevent losses. What we

suggest is that food is cooked on-site perhaps at a cost or the make arrangement with an

affordable independent cook to bring the food onsite ? The company initially did not offer

safety gears to workers nor did the supervisors ensure that persons were wearing personal

protective equipment.

Accidents and Insurance

The workers did not have insurance to offset some of the costs in the event of accidents,

injury or death. There was an accident on site where a 15 ft deep excavation for a biodigester

which did not have a shoring system and it collapsed with the reinforcement which could have

been fatal if a steel fabricator was still working inside the trench. A worker fell off two flights of

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scaffoldings, he sustained injuries and the succumbed to his injuries afterwards. After this tragic

incident, the construction company sought to get insurance packages for their workers as well as

tightened the safety measures. Safety became of utmost importance, workers were required to

wear safety gears. We would have suggested a proactive approach to this as opposed to this

reactive approach.

Communication Management

The communication style can make or break any organization. Bi weekly meetings were held to

discuss changes and distribute information among the project team. Planning also took place at

these meetings and as it relates to each phase of the project. Oftentimes the schedule had to be

amended to reflect changes especially seeing that the project went overtime severely.

Variations and other queries were addressed between clients, contractors and other members of

the team. The administrator on-site was responsible for communicating meeting dates among the

staff site as well as issuing memos and distributing other communication documents via email

and word of mouth.

Risk Management

Risk management in construction is designed to plan, monitor and control those measures needed

to prevent exposure to risk. To do this it is necessary to identify the hazard, assess the extent of

the risk, provide measures to control the risk and manage any residual risks. (Stakeholder Map,

n.d )

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Environmental and Occupational Safety

As it relates to the actual location of the site, the site was in an area that is considered to be

somewhat volatile, where crime occurs frequently. The contractor, client and likewise were

privy to this and the necessary precautions were taken and planning was done to mitigate

against loses due to theft and vandalism. As it relates to occupational safety, the site was

lacking in terms of making sure that workers were outfitted with personal protective gear. The

occupational safety was breached in terms of not following proper construction techniques in

shoring excavation more than 5 ft deep.

Accidents

Accidents were generally avoided on site due to the high diligence of management staff and

workers. Open excavations were taped off, striking of formwork was done in teams to reduce

the risk of formwork falling on persons, rebar ends were capped and safety gears were issued.

However, despite their efforts few accidents did occur on site as a worker fell from a two (2)

tier level scaffolding and died a couple days after.

Financial Risks

These risks include damage or theft of building material, down time on tools and equipment,

variations in works, corrective works, lost days due to bad weather and late or non payment

from client.

Procurement Management

This speaks to the risks in obtaining goods and services needed for construction. Materials

could be delivered late or be incorrect which would impact project time, needed items might

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not be instock. Quality skilled workers might not be available when needed or might only be

available for a short time.

Stakeholder management

Each stakeholder requirement might result in project variation, miscommunication between

and among stakeholders based on the medium chosen, delays in feedback and responses,

issuing and formalising instructions.

Time Management

In terms of risk management as it relates to time, the contractor did not manage the

project in terms of time effectively and subsequently the project went overtime by months. The

contractor faced losses due to this as workers and equipment time were accounted for. The

clients were not pleased. This is not a desired position to be in as a contractor.

Procurement Management

Procurement is the acquisition of the materials, supplies or services needed to

successfully operate a business or complete a project. In construction, this refers to the goods and

services needed to successfully complete a build from start to finish (TowerEight, 2019). The

contractor who played the role of project manager had authority to allocate the funds in the

budget with the projects’ best interest in mind. These following strategies were used to ensure

cost effectiveness.

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 1. Most material was purchased from the same vendor in bulk to get a cheaper rate and an

easier and less frequent delivery. This was ideal for location as delivery trucks had a

difficult time maneuvering the area. This ensured that there was a lower downtime as

well. Tools were also rented from one place to reduce delivery costs.

2. The client was also responsible for the procurement of construction materials. This has its

advantages and disadvantages. The contractor can spend histamine doing something else

other than seeking resources, however if the material is of poor quality the quality of the

overall work will be of substandard. The main advantage of the client purchasing

construction material is that the client may feel more in control and satisfied.

3. The site administrator was responsible for requesting quotations for materials from

various companies and keeping record of deliveries and equipment and machinery

Executing

Executing in project management means to integrate people and other resources to carry

out the project plans for the project. This phase, also called the construction phase, begins the

activities to complete the work that was defined in the initiation and planning phases. During this

phase of the project, the project manager procures the team members to complete the actual

project work. Execution is not just about the work getting done, however, it is about how the

project is managed. The execution phase of the project usually takes the most time and resources

to complete. This is the work that is commonly thought of as project management. The project

manager works to get the team focused on the work and activities to complete the deliverables

defined in the project planning phase. The construction phase also has the most opportunities for

cost overruns due to changes and delays, disputes with contractors, and the resulting contract

changes and claims. Construction operations are the actual work that it takes to build the project.

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This includes laying out the foundation, placing the concrete, laying the block, setting the steel,

framing the walls, installing the roof, installing the electrical, running the plumbing, and doing

every other construction activity needed. As the construction moves forward, the ultimate goal is

to keep the project on schedule, within budget, and of high quality.

The diagram below shows the tasks that were undertaken during the execution phase of

the project.

Project’s W.B.S

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Direct and Manage work

Works were directed by a Foreman or Supervisor on site by means of instructing,

guiding, counselling, motivating and leading. Instructions were issued vocally and written down

for clarity and reference. If a particular worker was unsure of what to do the Foreman or

supervisor would guide the particular work in carrying out the task at hand. Workers were also

counselled and motivated to perform by sharing past experiences, pay incentive and refreshment.

Performing Quality Assurance

Quality assurance (QA) takes a long-range view toward developing systems that produce

high-quality work consistently over time (Construction Management Jumpstart). Systems of

these natures were in place on this project such as the use of rebar bending template to ensure

that different sizes of bends could be replicated to the desired amount.

Picture showing template for rebar bending and rebar fabrication area

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Equipment such as a laser level and optical levels were used to transfer and mark levels for

various uses such as finish floors in all rooms, lintel heights, sidewalk levels, levels for floor and

roof screeds, levels for manhole cover, etc.

Picture showing Laser Level and accompanying receiver

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 Picture showing Optical Level

Concrete mixes were done using a mechanical mixer to achieve a consistent concrete mix and to

match standards established in structural drawings. It was used to mix concrete for structural

components, concrete full block pockets, mortar to lay blocks and mortar for rendering.

Concrete mixer used on site

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Standardized tools such as aluminum rods were used in rendering operation to ensure the proper

thickness was achieved.

Picture showing a mason rendering a wall

Acquiring Project team

The project team, consisting of a Project Manager, Architect, Civil/Structural Engineer

and contractor, was acquired by the client of the project, Continental Baking Company.

Developing Project team

Over the course of the project, various development of the project team took place. The

contractor engaged his own Engineering consultant, draftsman and experienced supervisor to

increase production speed, achieving and maintaining the required quality. The contractor also

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secured the services of an administrator to handle purchases orders and handle the payment of

workers. The project Engineer also increased personnel to provide greater support to the project.

Drone technology was also fielded by the Engineer to achieve unique angles to aid with site

designs.

Manage Project Team

The project team was managed by the Project manager through Bi-weekly site meetings,

site visits and Project schedule.

Manage Communications

Bi-weekly site meetings served as a major communication medium during the execution

stage. Construction drawings were the main construction document for the project and were

updated at regular intervals with new hard copies made available to the contractor. These

updated drawings were used to communicate changes and variations on site to trades persons by

the contractor. Copies of these drawings were also given to various skilled works to use on site

to further disseminate information. Internet connection was installed on site so the emails could

be sent and received instantaneously. These emails were between contractor and client, Engineer,

Architect, Project manager, suppliers, municipal corporation and Ministry officials. Some

signage at the main entrance of the site was to communicate safety requirements and to urge

caution to the passing public.

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 Picture showing entrance to site

Conduct Procurement

Procurement was conducted of various equipment, material and services. Some materials

such as cement, aggregates, steel and lumber were procured and delivered to the site. As such

was a constant supply of these materials on site and were ordered when stocks were running low.

Tools were rented for the duration that they were needed and returned after. Concrete for large

volumes was procured from ready-mix suppliers such as Pre-mix. It was ordered on a “as

needed” basis. An independent Engineer was engaged to perform services such as setting levels

25
for roof and floor screed, leveling surveying and grid surveying to establish levels. His services

were procured when those tasks were ready to be undertaken.

Picture showing poring of roof slab

Picture showing Pump truck used on site

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Manage Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder management was very important throughout the execution phase. The client,

Engineer, Architect and Project manager were all engaged through Bi-weekly site meetings, site

visits, emails and phone calls. Workers on site were engaged through the foreman and

supervisor, in terms of issuing instructions and the handling of on site issues. Suppliers were

engaged through email and phone calls to request quotes, send purchase orders and set delivery

dates. Subcontractors were engaged by the client and worked in coordination with the main

contractor.

Controlling

What is Controlling / Monitoring?

Controlling involves the comparison of performance to plan. This means that in every

aspect of production. Controlling is necessary to measure the amount of performance and

compare this with plans. The show if the process is being made or whether the project is failing.

The fluctuation between performance and plan changes in some cases, e.g., work is

delayed due to weather conditions. In these cases, controlling and monitoring is crucial in these

cases as a manager who is in control will increase the labour force to make up for lost time; this

then increases the chances of a reasonable comparison of performance with plan. There are some

aspect that can by Monitor and control these are:

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· Time

· Safety

· Cost

· Quality of work

The relationship between with Controlling and Functions of Management

They are six (6) different functions through which management operates. These are:

· Planning

· Organizing

· Staffing

· Leading / Directing

· Controlling / Monitoring

· Motivation

All six of the management areas are dependent one each to successfully operate. In case of

controlling / monitoring; all five management process areas are dependent on how they are

controlled. In other worlds properly controlling the management areas can develop into better

Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Leading / Directing, and motivation. Let us take planning into

consideration, when planning is controlled; the results varys from planning for the future to

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planning within a scope e.g., deciding what needs to happen in 2 weeks; this was utilized with

the project of interest.

Now, to see how all of this relates to the project in interest.

Planning - There were meetings kept every two weeks on site with all the members of the project

team; Architect, Client’s representative, Contractor, Engineer. During these meetings the work

produced over the past two weeks would be compared with the plans / requirements that were

stated at the last meeting; as a means of controlling the planning needed for the upcoming weeks.

A new schedule was created at every meeting for what needs to be done within the upcoming

two weeks before the next meeting is held again. It was observed that planning was well

controlled to ensure that the work produced within the two weeks was done within time and if

not, could be addressed quickly; within two weeks time at the next meeting, as a means of

quickly acting and adjusting the new actitive.

Organizing - The time available and amount of work that needs to be completed, plays an

important role in the organizing phase, as this will help the contractor to decide the role of

organizing which will be the most beneficial effort of the project. After the meetings the

contractor would assemble his team of trades-men and organize the work that needed to be done

based on the schedule produced at the bi-weekly meetings. E.g The west side of the building

needs to be constructed, the contractor starts by procuring all the necessary materials needed to

complete this phase of the project. Materials such as: concrete blocks, fine aggregates, cement,

steel, timble etc. As stated above the time available impacts the methods of how work is

organized between the trads-men, e.g for the construction of the west-side of the building to be

completed there will be a need for formworks. To decide whether to fabricate the formwork

29
needed or to procure ready made formwork; the contractor would compare the available time

with the option that would take the longest amount of time, in this case it would be the

fabrication of formwork. Based on the comparison in time taken and time available a decision

will be made whether fabrication will be done on-site, whether he procure ready had formwork

or even a mixture of both processes.

Staffing - Staffing was decided based on the amount of work-flow that is needed to be

completed. This determines the demand and the amount of labour-force required to be on site. If

there is an abundance amount of work that is needed to be completed. The specified amount of

workers will be hired, while on the other hand; if there is a small amount of work needed to be

done; some workers will be laid off.

Leading / Directing - Leading and Directing was done mostly in-office, in meetings with the

contractor and his head trades-men. After the by-week meetings the contractor would hold in-

office meetings with himself and his head trades-men to distribute and inform them as to what he

needs to be done within the two weeks before the next meeting is held with the team of the

project.

Controlling and Monitoring - In terms of controlling and monitoring. This seemed mostly on-site

leading and directing, the contractor would visit the site occasionally to inspect the work done as

means of controlling; comparing the plans / requirements with the produced work, ensuring that

all labourers were doing the work that needed to be done. In instances where the produced work

wasn’t meeting the plans / requirements, the contractor would communicate with his head trades-

men informing them that the produced work wasn’t meeting the plans / requirements; these head

treads-men would then speak to the labourers. Checks that were done by the contractor again

30
ensuring that the work produced was within the plans and requirements. Checks such as:

formworks, steel reinforcements were fabricated, were done to ensure standards were meat.

Motivation - There wasn’t an abundance of motivations on site as the contractor didn’t

implement any. Motivation came in the form of an incentive on pay cheques on holidays, this

included non-wage compensations such as overtime and fingers payments.

The relationship between P.M.B.O.K with Controlling and Closing

The Project Management Body of Knowledge (P.M.B.O.K) is unique to project

management, as it provides the core fundamentals necessary for the completion of any project.

The PMBOK is a collection of processes and knowledge areas that are accepted world-wide as

best practices for the Project Management profession.

The Monitoring / Controlling as well as the Closing are two for the 5 basic Process

Groups that the P.M.B.O.K provides along with ten (10) Knowledge Areas. The Monitoring /

Controlling process plays a crucial role in most of the Knowledge Areas, as it is required to be

implemented in nine (9) of the (10) Knowledge Areas to successfully complete any project.

Now, let’s expound more and see how these two important Process Groups impacted the

process and completion of The National Bakery Company, located at 9 and 11 Balmoral AVE.

Kingston 10. To Understand the impact that the Monitoring / Controlling and Closing Possess

Groups had on the duration of this project; we first must understand how these Process Groups

stated above affect the Ten Knowledge Areas.

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Project Integration Management

This knowledge area is concerned with identifying and defining the work of the project

and then combining and integrating with the appropriate processes. The knowledge area is

impacted by all Five process groups. The Controlling / Monitoring aspects of this Knowledge

Area suggested that the monitoring / controlling of the project work and performing integrated

change control is important.

As it related to the Monitoring and Controlling of the Nation Bakery Project, In the early

states of construction there was a lot of monitoring done by the Contractor and the Fore-man on

site. The client's representative visited the site to make checks to the site occasionally. In any

effort to maintain the necessary standards; whenever any major structural-works was done the

Engineer was present on site to monitor and control the work being done also in an effort to

mitigate the amount of potential risk that may occur in the furter, due to improper structural

work, e,g Whenever that foundations is being casted; the Engineer will visit the site to make

checks such as: the reinforcements, spacings between the reinforcements and the wall of the

foundation; all this information geather was then compared with the requirements and standard.

The Engineer controlled the work done by comparing the plan / requirements necessary, to the

work being done to achieve the necessary standards.

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 Picture of spacing of in the Roof

There were needs for changes in planning and controlling, these changes were necessary

due to improper planning. In one incessant during the excavation of the Biodigester at fifteen feet

(15ft) in loose soil. Based on observation, sufficient planning wasn’t executed. It was evident

that no excavation support calculation was done are that no accommodations were made for the

excavation of the biodigester this was proven based on: the location of this bio-digester was of

inconvenience as trafficking of people and resources were put on hold during the excavation; this

caused an secondary entrance to be constructed, the method of excavation and the equipment that

was provided; the backhoe wasn’t able to reach the required depth, a ramp had to be built in the

biodigester to give the backhoe access to reach the required depth; unfavored weather presented

itself and due to the absence of trench support for the wall of the resulting in the erosion of the

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soil that was present in the walls of the biodigester. In an effort to control this the contractor

hired a new supervisor to check the work being produced as well as to introduce experience to

increase productivity helping the project to move faster.

Picture of Boi-digester wall Formwork

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Picture of Bio-digester reinforcement

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Picture of Water Sewer Plan Show the Bio - Digester location Highlight in Red and and entrance

to the site Highlight in Green

Project Scope Management

The project scope is concerned with the amount of work needed to complete the project.

Clarifying boundaries helps to identify what is included in the scope of the project and what is

not. The project scope management within PMBOK revolves around the requirements of the

details measured from the end results, this creates a project scope. Monitoring / Controlling the

scope of the project is significant as it helps to manage and maintain what is included in the

project; in other words what is needed to be done. This helps to prevent overworking or

underworking. To successfully Monitor / control the scope of the project PMBOK suggests that

the proposed scope must be validated and controlled to include what is necessary to successfully

complete the project.

Relating this to the Nation Bakery Project, there wasn’t any large change in the scope of

the project, only some slight variation: during the grading of the site, a new plot of land was

purchased to house the accommodation for the labourers and a soak-aways was moved from its

original location. The project ultimately reached its scope goals but wasn’t very controlled as it

relates to time. The estimated time for the project was six (6) months but finished off schedule by

five (5) months, the project took eleven (11) months to complete. A W.B.S of the project wasn’t

constructed or used. The W.B.S was an informal one that was given to the head-tradesmen

verbally by the contractor.

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Picture of Soakaways

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Project Time Management

This Knowledge Area mostly involves the estimation of activity resources and activity

duration to successfully create a working schedule. The Knowledge area is also including the

estimating of task schedules and determination of projects completion date. Monitoring /

controlling the timeframe for the project is crucial to any project as it is the key factor in the

creation of a schedule; the monitoring / controlling the estimated schedule is important as it

determines what all the work put in planning will be useful or not.

Activities weren’t defined in the early stages of the project. However, as time went on the

project stages weren't being completed in time, the activities that were not being completed

within the specified scheduled time were then defined and addressed. As it relates to the

estimation of resources needed as well as the duration of activities, this was done at the bi-week

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meetings with the members of the project team. This did benefit the project in a small way; in

cases where it was observed that the contractor needed curtain tasks to be done within a certain

amount of time.

Project Cost Management

The estimating of the resources required and the project budget; these are all the key-

goals of this Knowledge Area. When referring to resources, it is not just about the people

invested in the project, but the assets involved such as: Materials, equipment, facilities, and

contracts, these play important roles providing the necessary resources and services needed to

properly complete the project. The monitoring and controlling the of; cost, resources and

services is crucial as it determines the budget and if the estimated cost was accurate.

As it relates to the National Bakery project the Monitoring of cost, resources and

services; the project went over budget due to improper planning and execution of the project

stages, this caused most of the work to be redo which increased that amount of time spent to

complete the project. As it relates to the estimation of cost of materials, equipment, facilities and

contracts needed; how this estimation was done bi-weekly meetings by the Project-Manager.

Afterwards, this need will then be provided to the contractor who will then procure the services.

In terms of the estimation of the necessary facilities needed; restrooms, site office and an

accommodation unit were provided.

Project Quality Management

The controlling of the quality of the project management and creating the project’s main

goals to a standard where the quality of the work produced is acceptable are the two main areas

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that this Knowledge area focuses on. PMBOK suggests that in order to properly Monitor and

Control the quality of the project’s work produced, it is necessary to conduct a Quality

Assurance check; this is a comparison of the required quality to the “control” measured quality

to ensure that the appropriate quality standards and operational definitions are used. The

PMBOK advises that a Quality Control check be implemented to control the results of the

project's outcome.

During the process of executing the (National Bakery Project) there were a lot of checks

done. The checks were carried out by the Contractor on site as a means to control the quality of

work produced. Checks were also done before major works before they started; as stated above

whenever any large structural works (casting of the Roofs and Floors) are to be done the

Engineer would visit the site and conduct checks for such as: the spacing of rebars etc.

After all these checks were done they were all compared with the plans / requirements

that were established at the commencement of these activities, if in cases where the checks didn’t

meet the standard the work would have to be redo and this would impact both the schedule as

well as the budget estimated for the project. In one instance, during the project the client visited

the site and noticed that the walls openings for the doors weren’t leveled; it was checked and it

wasn’t leveled; the client’s exact words were”What if I didn’t see that; what would be the

outcome of this?”

Picture of Wall Opening

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42
Project Communication Management

The communication of stakeholders is pivotal in the success of any project as it helps to

identify stakeholders, plan meetings, shear information, produce reports, etc. It is to be noted that

communication is not only interacting with humans but involves meeting management and

action, risk actions and assessment, project plans, reviews, and walk-throughs. Based on

P.M.B.O.K communications plans are not “dead papers' ', but live documents that should be

updated.

There was a lot of communication invested during The National Bakery Project, as there

were bi-weekly meetings to address the activities arising and those that are just completing.

There was a lot of communication done, even out-side of meetings; phone-calls were made and

emails were sent within the members of the project team. In other words; calls and emails were

sent between: the client and their representative, contractor, architects, engineers etc. All these

communications were planned, emails were sent frequently between the project’s team members,

phones weren’t necessarily planned; whenever something arose calls were made to inform the

member of the project’s team.

There were misunderstandings; the reasons why misunderstanding occurred was due to

the fact that most of the communication that was done wasn’t documented, the reason for this

was that communication was improperly done over the phone. Hence, there was nothing to back

refer to check or access the conditions of some situations; in cases where communications were

documented there weren’t checked, verified or validated. This ultimately caused some issues;

during the closing phase of the project a wall was incorrectly placed, this was noticed by the

Clerks of Works, who then decided that the wall had to be demolished; due to the fact that the

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construction of the wall wasn’t communicated with the Clerks of Works. The Clerks of Works

continued to suggest that based on the time they lasted meat this kind of work was happening for

a while now, and if the project is late then the contractor will be penalized $ 40,000 everyday the

project is late.

Project Risk Management

Based on the PMBOK risk can be both beneficial as well as detrimental. You may be

asking yourself; how can a risk be beneficial? In terms of opportunities; this should be seen as a

risk and therefore should be visualized with uncertainty. However, risks are associated with

negative impacts, resulting in the taking of any actions that eliminate their appearance. As it

relates to Monitoring and controlling the risks associated with any project a Risk identification

should be implemented. This is best done during the planning phase of any project; this provides

an opportunity to eliminate risk and provide more opportunity.

Relating this to the National Bakery Project, there were risks that were for-see and

communicated with the contractor, be advice wasn’t taken into consideration and the

consequences were detrimental as can be seen in the incident with death on site as well as the

biodigester. The use of protective gears for workers weren’t enforced; this resulted in the death

of a worker on the construction site, in the construction of the biodigester, it was communicated

with the contractor that trench supports were needed due to the conditions of the soil again there

were consequences with steel reinforcements were destroyed and the excavation had to redo.

When efforts were made to redo the excavation, replace the steel reinforcements and fabricate

formwork this ultimately led to the project's delay falling behind schedule and increasing the

budget of the project.

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 There weren't any financial opportunities. However, opportunities presented itself in

terms of growth for the unskilled labourer, or in the case of supervisor Landel Smith, where on

site he was exposed to wide variety of construction works, such as: Civil Work - drainage,

Wood-Works - Formwork Fabrication, Electrical Work - Installing electrical fixtures, Steel

Works - Rebrications of both steel works and Metal Fabrications as a section of the building was

steel framed, Concrete Works - Batching and Casting.

There were any risks associated with the project, the project was located in a very close

to a very volatile community there was always a risk that violence occuring on site, while on the

other hand most of the skilled labourers lived out-side of Kingston and St. Andrew area, this had

its own challenges; it was observed that whenever the labourer got paid on Fridays they wouldn’t

return until Monday in the afternoon. This results in no or little work being done on the

weekends as well as half day Monday morning.

Project Procurement Management

Whenever a team is working on the behalf of someone; this someone is known as the

consumer while the supplier is reasonable for the creation of the project’s products. This is

known as a customer / supplier environment. The purchase or acquiring of produces and services

provided by outside of the team managing and controlling the projects has to do with this phase.

All these factors are relating to the Project procurement knowledge area. The monitoring and

controlling of procurement is important as it provides the team with resources that are not in-

reach at that time.

The National Bakery project was done in a customer / supplier environment where the

project team mostly the contractor would procure goods and services from a supplier. The

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supplier provided all the materials needed, Labour was procured too in a sense, where the labour

force was provided by the neighboring community, equipment was procured. In an effort to

control the procurement process all materials were procured from the same supplier as well as

equipments, this also done in an act to gain discounts.

Project Stakeholder Management

The knowledge area has to do with the stakeholders that are invented in the project.

These stakeholders play one of the most important roles in the project’s success completion, As

the stakeholders are the customers that will use the product being provided. Monitoring and

Controlling the relationships between stakeholders is easily one of the greatest aspects that

determines the success of a project. Adjusting strategies and plan to fit the needs of stakeholders

is key to a successful project.

During the process of the National Bakery project, there were some adjustments that

needed to be made, to ensure the safety of the stakeholder working on site as well as the public.

As it relates to the safety of the labours protective gears are provided. However, the wearing of

safety gears were enforced after a death; hoarding was constructed to protect the public from

flying and harmful projectiles. A boundary wall had to be adjusted as it wasn’t to the standard of

the Parish Council; the heights needed to be adjusted as well as the angle at which that wall was

placed, due to this the sidewalk had to be redo to be aligned with the new boundary wall. The

Client requested that floor drains are to be constructed in the Cold-room / Meat area.

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 Closing

What is Closing?

The closing process also play an important role as of the ten knowledge areas it is only

suggested that is some be implemented on only two of the ten knowledge areas, which are:

1. Project Integration Management

2. Project Procurement Management

Closing of both the Integration Management and the Project Procurement Management

knowledge areas is important as it acts as transitions to the following nine Knowledge areas. The

closing of both the knowledge areas shows that all the following Process Group has been

executed; leading the way to implementing the project beyond its planning and procurement

phases.

Closing and Controlling relating to Project’s Lifecycle

The lifecycle of any project is built around four (4) phases. Closing and Controlling and

Monitoring impacts all these phases in many ways. However, Closing has the greatest impact on

the one of the phases which is the “In-Use” phase; this is one of the four (4) phases; it basically

has to do with the commissioning (Closing) and maintenance of any project.

Let’s dive in more into the In-Use phase to analyze the impact that monitoring /

controlling and closing has on its process and how this relates to the project in interest (Nation

Bakery).

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Commissioning

The commissioning of any project occurs whenever the project has successfully “closing”

and is moving into the main purpose of use. This includes the “closing-out” and starting-up of

activities, conducting quality checks (Controlling / Monitoring), officially handing over the

project to the client, and in general learnt from the experience.

Maintenance and Repairs

The Maintenance and Repairs; these two important factors occur at the completion of the

project. The factor mostly has to do with the:

· Establishing of a maintenance routine – This helps to control the scope of the maintenance

services; includes what is necessary of what is not.

· Provision for major repairs – Making provisions for major repairs is always important; it is

always good to make sure that the planning is controlled. Promoting to planning within a scope.

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 References

Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d). The Design and Construction

Process.https://www.cmu.edu/cee/projects/PMbook/03_The_Design_And_Constructio

n_Process.html

Brian Cooke & Peter Williams, 2004, Construction Planning, Programming and

Control, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Gilliland, K. (2019). What is Pre- Construction Phase? Retirved from:

https://gillilandcm.com/2019/04/08/what-is-the-pre-construction-phase/

Houston S.M., Bove L.A. (2007) Execution Phase. In: Project Management for Healthcare

Informatics. Health Informatics (formerly Computers in Health Care). Springer, New

York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73683-9_4

Jackson, J. B. (n.d.). Construction Management JumpStart, Second Edition. Wiley Publishing, Inc.

McIntyre, M. (2021). milmc.gnomio.com: Log in to the site. Retrieved 19 March 2021,

from https://milmc.gnomio.com/course/view.php?id=6

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Sears, K. S., Sears, A. G., Clough, H. R. (2008). Construction Project Management: A Practical

Guide to Field Construction Management, Fifth Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Sherif, M & Price, A.. (1999). A FRAMEWORK FOR PRE-PROJECT PLANNING.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281204615_A_FRAMEWORK_FOR_PRE-

PROJECT_PLANNING

Stakeholder Map (n.d). Risk Management in Construction | process of managing risk

https://www.stakeholdermap.com/risk/risk-management-construction.html

TowerEight. (2019). What is Procurement Strategy in Construction? Tower Eight

https://www.towereight.com/what-is-procurement-strategy-

construction/#:~:text=Procurement%20is%20the%20acquisition%20of,build%20from

%20start%20to%20finish.

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