The Art & Science of Ensuring Effective Commitments in Construction Projects

Tony is an expert in project management and lean construction concepts. He holds certifications in both fields and was among the first few to gain PMI-CP™ certification, which covers both lean and project management concepts in depth. Additionally, the writer practices management consulting in the construction industry and helps organizations in the Middle East and India to improve their operational excellence.

  Communications Management   Construction  

Construction projects often experience delays and cost overruns, which can be attributed to various factors such as waiting for approvals, materials, manpower and payments. These delays usually occur because someone else is not fulfilling their commitments (such as making timely payments, providing necessary approvals, or supplying materials on time).

Construction is like a network of commitments, and its inefficiencies can lead to a network of delays—which can be hard to manage. As per various studies performed by PMI, ineffective communication is the cause of 33% of project failures; and 50% of projects experience significant communication-related impacts due to time, cost and scope.

Picture courtesy: Built Environment Communication Pro course (PMI)

Construction professionals are often hesitant to make promises because they are aware of the challenges in fulfilling them. At times, they make commitments just for the sake of it. It is common for construction sites to plan their daily work only in the morning to avoid confusion in reallocating resources. Plans made in the previous days are subject to change due to new instructions, unavailability of materials, and the number of workers who turn up for the job. It's not an exaggeration to say that more than 50% of the work on construction projects is unplanned.

Sometimes, the type of work is known but …

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