Agile project management is a well-known term associated with the management of software projects. But what about large construction projects? Is it important or possible for construction projects to be agile?
Agile project management appears to overturn traditional project management, which consists of a fixed scope of work. Agile project management recognizes the changing customer requirements, and, therefore, frequent scope modifications in software projects. Many times your software project customer does not really know what they want until you present them a deliverable for review. So it is absolutely imperative for software projects to be agile. But what about large construction projects? Is change the norm in large construction projects? And, if so, how can the project manager achieve an agile or flexible construction project schedule?
Agile Project Management
This article briefly discusses agility in construction with agile project management.
In construction project scheduling the scope does not alter nearly as much as it does for software projects. Why then is flexibility an important characteristic of construction project management? It has been stated “no project plan will survive the first encounter with the bulk of reality.” Just as in war where the battle plan must adjust to “the first encounter with the enemy’s main strength” the construction project plan must modify according to its encounter with reality. Thus, the project manager must accept and prepare for the inevitability of change.
So construction plans require flexibility, but too much agility may lead to scope creep. Scope creep is when requirements are gradually added as the project progresses. This is like moving the goal posts when you are on the one yard line. In scope creep the end product appears like nothing compared to the original specifications. So scope creep is not good for scheduling, but a certain amount of schedule adjustment and scope clarification is a healthy part of successful project management.
Yes, change is the norm in large construction projects. Unplanned and unexpected events occur, e.g. your excavation crew may discover a large boulder while digging a trench. And the schedule must adjust, accordingly when confronted with this reality. Also, the project team may have a better idea or more focused picture of the true project scope once implementation has begun.
So large complex construction projects must be flexible, but to a lesser frequency than software projects. The end-objective of construction projects is clearer than that of software projects. Still change occurs and the project delivery processes must handle schedule revision as a normal event in the life of the project. But how do project managers achieve flexibility in a way that does not lead to scope creep?
Project managers need clear objectives. Most project managers understand they need to deliver the requested scope on time and on budget. But their objectives go no further. Project managers need a clear definition of purpose and associated priorities. These objectives need to be fixed in orbit like a distant star. The project plan may and should change, accordingly, but the project purpose should remain fixed like a distant star in the night sky.
Summary
Agility is an important attribute of large construction projects. And this flexibility on large construction projects is achievable through clarification of the project purpose. So a clear purpose is very important. The schedule should be flexible and react well to reality, according to its fixed purpose and priorities.
So project managers and team members react flexibly and efficiently to unplanned events when the project objectives are clear and understood. Project managers need to both acknowledge change as part of the process and identify the real purpose of the project. So a schedule that has purpose is a schedule that is flexible, and better able to handle confrontations with reality.
For more schedule flexibility and purpose consider reading “Advanced Scheduling Handbook for Project Managers” by Jeremie Averous and Thierry Linares.