How to Deal with Constant Changes of Requirements by Client - Assignment Example

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Name: Course Instructor’s name Institution Date PROJECT MANAGEMENT A project manager is an individual who ensures successful execution, initiation, planning, control, monitoring and closure of a project within the stipulated time. The project manager must have combined skills and ability to ask penetrating questions, resolve conflicts, detect unstated assumptions and have good management skills. A project manager will determine the success of a project depending on how he/she manages it. The PM organizes the employees that he will work with and ensure they have the right skills required, work within a particular time frame and budget. Everything that is bound to happen will have a schedule to follow. The schedule enables the team of employees to know their duties and what will happen on a daily basis and the project manager to deliver the project on time (Haughey, 2015). Project managers face the unknown that is the risk. A project manager has to plan very well to minimize risks that may occur in the process. Risks may involve failure to conclude projects within estimated time and also overstretching the budget. Communication is essential to allow everyone to communicate his ideas and opinions in any project, but the project manager is the final decision maker (Construction chat, 2013). When the project manager is given at least three projects to manage, he has to plan very well to ensure their allocated time equally because their all-important and quality has to be displayed in all of them. I being the project manager will come up with a schedule and set days and time for each project. The project manager will also assemble a team of employees who are experts depending on the project (Haughey, 2015). Meetings will be scheduled to avoid conflicts with any of the projects and organizations involved. The project manager should set days of meeting that suit both the clients and his work. A project manager will encounter many challenges in the project itself. These are the challenges that may hinder the completion of the project started. HOW TO DEAL WITH CONSTANT CHANGES OF REQUIRMENTS BY CLIENT The first may be the constant change of the requirements by the client. The project manager has to have good management skills to handle the situation well. The project manager has first to inform the client all major people that are involved in a construction project: architect, engineer, contracts, subcontracts and material suppliers. The client has to be aware of how the changes will affect many people involved and will have an impact on the cost. Seldom can a construction start and finish without changes (Leary, 2015). The best way to deal with constant changes by clients is first to sign a contract before the whole process begins. These will ensure that both parties will adhere to the rules as fixed by the contract and any changes will be within the contract (Haughey, 2015). The client has to understand constant changes in the construction affect the estimated budget as well as the time that is estimated for the project to be finished. Most contracts allow the owners to make changes, but this may be due to economic constraints maybe due to unforeseen circumstances that may come up. The owner may also realize that the building doesn't meet the expected requirements and decide to change (Leary, 2015). The project manager can also deal with the situation by ensuring that all those involved show the client the possible outcomes. If it's the budget, the project manager can look for equipment's that meet the budget of the client and not to overstretch it. The client has to be aware that many changes continuously can increase the budget, and it will be a loss to him as he will incur more cost as compared to the previous one planned (Leary, 2015). The client has to make up his mind, and that's why the project manager will assist him with the most skilled employees he has at his disposal to avoid such when the actual construction begins. Owners can be allowed to make changes when there is a shortage of materials that had been planned for or due to scarcity of material there is extreme hiking of particular materials planned for. In such situations, the project manager can understand. The project manager helps the client avoid omissions in the requirements he gives before the actual initiation of the project and avoid wrong assumptions. It's crucial for the client to be clear and precise about what he wants from the beginning (Leary, 2015). TACKLING SLOW COMMUNICATION AND HOW TO AVOID IT The other challenge is when communication is too slow and is hampering schedule especially decision-making. The client has to understand that for a project to be concluded by a particular time it requires a mutual effort between the project manager and the client. This because all decisions and the way forward have to be approved by the client for decision-making. This help minimizes the failures that could be initiated in the absence of the client without him giving the green light (Clear, 2011). The project manager as Clear, (2011) suggests should avoid the issue of slow communication, he can work ahead of the client since he has complete knowledge and the best way to forge ahead. The project manager has full knowledge about construction and their some privileged decisions he can make own his own. He can increase the response rate by turning the answer into "yes and No". He will start moving ahead with the plans he has and seek verification later from the client. The advantage of this framework is that the client will not think of what is going to happen but rather a response and provide a solution where needed (Leary, 2015). In cases where the client is not impressed with the work that is happening by just saying no, he will get back to you before you initiate the project thus ensuring a fast response rate between the two. These require the project manager to be a critical thinker and engage his team to ensure their no mistakes in the process, and if they happen they can be rectified easily or very minimal not to harm the whole project (Ewer, 2014). It is an easier way of response considering will be handling three projects at the same time, and they have to meet the clients standards. Effective communication is paramount where everyone can express his ideas before the project manager can make a final decision. (Clear, 2011) HOW TO ENSURE THE CLIENT DOES NOT COMPLAIN WITH YOUR PROPOSAL AND IS SATISFIED The other challenge according to Ewer (2014) is that the client can keep saying he is not happy with what is being proposed. When a client comes to you to manage their projects, it means they believe in your management skills, and it also means you can deliver. The project manager needs to supplement that trust. To overcome such situations, the project manager has to work with the goals and aims of the client in the construction process. The project manager will work with the client desired outcome to ensure they agree on a desired outcome that is achievable and will lead to success (Square, 2013). The project manager should make sure that that his goals or project will fit in the strategic vision of each of his three clients. A good project manager will create a shared vision between his client and him to ensure they are aiming in the same direction. Collaborated efforts between a client and project manager provide higher chances of success. The project manager should strive to overcome scope creep that is a project that goes beyond its estimated size (Maria, 2013). These are by failure to observe the budget and allowance to employees that are extreme. The project manager should work to ensure all construction materials are factored in to fit the scope of the budget that was given by the client. Let him understand the desired outcome to know what he is working to achieve and this makes it easier for him. The schedule is very crucial because it guides the steps to be undertaken and what has to be done in what time to meet the objectives. The project manager can agree with the client the expected delivery of the project (Clear, 2011) HOW TO ENSURE THE PROJECT MANAGER HANDLES ALL PROJECTS DIFFERENTLY The other challenge is that the line manager says that you are trying to handle all projects in the same way though each one is entirely different from each other. The project manager will be managing three different projects, and this is a common accusation that will mostly come. The clients have to understand that every project presents its challenges, and they will require different items, schedules, and materials. For example in our case the three client's one might want real estate construction, offices and hotels. They are different, and the materials might be different as well as the templates and design. The project manager will always create time and craft specific models concerning the project at hand. (Clear, 2011) The project manager should also keep changing the schedule to ensure new ideas are accommodated, and requirements of construction are also in place. Planning of projects should also keep changing with time. The project manager should ensure constant communication with the clients to ensure their up to date on what is happening on their projects (Passenheim, 2009). This helps the line manager do away with such allegations because they are collaborating, and shared efforts are being displayed by both thus chances of handling the projects, in the same way, will be minimized. Mutual efforts and working together between them will ensure they monitor the progress and clients will approve the project manager's ideas (Passenheim, 2009) The project manager can also come up with unique construction ideas that can be implemented on the three different projects aiming different goals. It could be in terms of construction and architectural designs as well as the outlook and appearance. (Matta, 2015) HOW TO OVERCOME PROJECT DRELAYS The other challenge is that the project does not start on time. There many challenges that can cause a delay of the construction project. The project manager will be handling three projects, and the tricky part is that he might try and give interest and more importance to one project as compared to the other two. These might cause some delays in the other two projects and stir some complaints from the clients (West, 2015). The project manager should avoid such a situation by giving equal importance to all the three projects. The written schedule should act as a key to this and the skilled employees he has to help him. He should dedicate equal time to the three projects and assign experts to the three projects to help him oversee where he feels overstretched. A project manager should avoid treating one project better than the other to avoid losing clients instead he should display his prowess in efficiently handling the three projects to entice more customers (West, 2015). The other delay could be caused by the approval of the owner and the government involved. If the owner of the construction takes the time to respond, it's difficult for the project manager to progress without his approval. The government might also take the time to approve the architectural designs and documentation process. To avoid such challenges, the client should be fast in response and also forward the documentation process to the government early enough. A mutual effort between them will ensure smooth response takes place, and the project can be concluded in the estimated time. Collaboration is vital to a client and project manager. He should plan for backup materials in case there is a delay in delivering of materials required (McCarthy, 2010). in conclusion a project manager is a very crucial person in any project. He is responsible for initiating, planning, Controlling and delivery of a project. A project manager has to have good management skills to ensure the projects succeed. The success of any project especially construction ones always involves collaboration between the client and project manager. This provides a swift response to what the project manager is doing and can forge ahead with his plans of initiating. He should understand the desired outcome of a client and ensure they have a shared goal of the success of the project. Working within the scope of the budget is very crucial to avoid scope creep that can cause failure of a project. Scope creep can cause a project to fail because the stretch the estimated budget and can paralyze the whole project. Changing the schedule of a project helps avoid allegations of doing a similar project. The project manager should always strive to conclude the project within the stipulated time. He should ensure the materials are in place, and the skills needed are available for the work required with all the estimated allowances for the workers. Having a shared vision between the project manager and client increases the chances of achieving the goals of the project. The project manager should work tirelessly to deliver the three projects as guided by the information above to increase good reputation for the organization. Communication is essential to the success of any project. REFERENCES Read More