Project Management for Architects
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating”
Productive work always demands results. Every creation manifests itself
in the society to respond and interact with it. Architecture as a Profession
has a profound responsibility that goes beyond mere provision of shelter and
broadly covers infrastructure, recreation, education, hospitality and even the
corporate world.
The entire process from ‘Concept to Completion’ is a responsible job,
involving various tasks such as planning, technical detailing, specification of
materials, identifying a time frame, procurement and allocation of all
resources, finances etc.
All the activities covered above are under the scope of ‘Management’. An
Architect plays the key role, just as a Captain of a Ship navigates, has to
coordinate with all stakeholders and agencies involved in the act of project
completion.
Architecture is a robust combination of creativity and technical
application. A single project is an outcome of various agencies such as
consultants, vendors and several others, often Project managers are specially
hired to facilitate coordination between various stakeholders.
In small projects, an architect acts as a major lead to coordinate,
however in large projects, with higher complexity a professionally trained
‘project manager’ can facilitate timely completion within the desired budget.
The same role can be played by an Architect, if one possesses the attributes of
a team leader and certain managerial skills.
What is the role of a Project Manager?
The basic role of a project manager is to ensure completion of a
project, within specified parameters, and to the satisfaction of all
stakeholders. The 5 M’s of project management are – Money, Machines, Materials,
Manpower & Marketing. To control these 5 M’s, one requires specialization,
for which a course in Project management/ Construction Project Management can
be taken up.
The parameters of a project usually, are the following:
- Time
- Cost
- Quality
The stakeholders that a project manager needs to coordinate, liaise, and
negotiate with, are usually the following:
- Client
- Regulatory agencies
- Material vendor
- Labour contractor
- End user
- Financier
- People impacted by the project – Society, neighbourhood, etc.
- Environment
Source:http://findnerd.com/list/view/Generate-More-Revenue-Using-Better-Project-Management--Planning/36175/
How can architects become Project Managers?
There are two paths to becoming a project manager, after completion of a
basic graduation in architecture:
●
International accreditation from
Project Management Institute (PMI), USA – this has two stages. The first stage
is Certified Associate Project Manager (CAPM) and the second is Project Management
Professional (PMP)
How can project management increase employability and why do architects
make excellent project managers?
●
Architects have a comprehensive
understanding of the design process, and can incorporate many of the project
management parameters into the design itself. This works better than a
completely insular approach between design and project management.
●
Since architects have continuous
deliberations and discussions with the client, the regulatory agencies, and
other stakeholders, they have an innate sense of how differing needs can be
balanced.
●
Architects are trained to visualise
and forecast, and can pre-empt many of the obstacles and challenges before they
occur.
●
Architects understand critical
design junctures, and critical dependencies, which helps them plan well for
time and budget constraints.
Eligibility Requirements for Admission to Architecture in India
HSC in Science Stream, with 50% Aggregate and 50% Aggregate
in PCM.
Qualifying Entrance Exam: NATA or JEE-Paper II
(For any details contact us)
Website: www.tsapmumbai.in
E-mail: tsap@thakureducation.org
Contact: 022-67308001/02
Whatsapp: +91-9833665446
Though we are all Project Managers in our personal lives, our professional lives can also be enriched by leveraging our basic creativity and rigorous training as architects, to elevate our careers to a more fulfilling and rewarding plane. In the process, not just do we become Project Managers, but also become even more accomplished Architects.
After all, skills to manage budgets and time, and to keep everyone
important to our project happy, are skills that each one of us can use!
Ar. Kapildev Jaiswal (Asst. Professor, TSAP)
Ar. Atul Phoujdar (Asst. Professor, TSAP)
Ar. Sumeet Singh (Asst. Professor TSAP)
Very Informative, Architects Definitely make up better Project Managers and Project Managers are best positioned to give shape and reality to most complex Architecture... The current trend of large scale urban housing and infrastructural projects due to unprecedented urbanization is creating a niche area and demand for specialists in Project Management.
ReplyDeleteInformative & to the point.Kudos.
ReplyDelete