by Jeffrey C Kadlowec, Registered Architect

According to [1] there are six independent variables that affect the outcome of a project. The personnel factor involves the people employed on the project. The administrators factor is about the persons responsible for manage the work. The technical factor includes the both the quality of that work and the applied sciences behind it. The organizational culture factor is defined by [2] as the values, expectations and practices of a project team. The project management factor is explained by [3] as the process by which that team is lead to completes work goals within set constraints. Material and infrastructure factor addresses the various products used in construction and the physical systems required to put those elements into place. Although [1] used statistical analysis of these factors and how they affect dependent variables of quality, budget, schedule, and stakeholder satisfaction; this paper is focused on understanding those actual variables and exploring possible ways of improving construction process.

Progress is being made in construction economics which involves value management and value engineering [4]. Value management is a philosophy focused on improving and maintaining a balance between the needs and wants of the stakeholders and the resources—materials and labor—required to meet them [5]. The table presented by [6] lists the following job phases and related techniques: Information phase => Functional analysis, Creative phase => brainstorming, Analytical phase => Evaluation, Development phase => Report writing, and Presentation Phase => Oral presentation. Value engineering—a more commonly heard term—is the systematic approach to increase the value of a project by analyzing each step of the process [7]. As stated by [8], value engineering is not about cutting costs, reducing scope, a loss in quality, or forcing a redesign. Value engineering is defined by the U.S. General Services Administration as, “an organized effort directed at analyzing designed building features, systems, equipment, and material selections for the purpose of achieving essential functions at the lowest life cycle cost consistent with required performance, quality, reliability, and safety.”

Although architects, engineers, and contractors view construction projects differently, each has a vested interest and crucial role to play during its lifecycle. The AIA Document D200 – Project Checklist breaks down projects into eight phases: pre-design, site analysis, schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding or negotiation, construction contract administration, and post-construction services. The Construction Specifications Institute provides a list of similar phases: planning/pre-design, design, bidding/contract negotiation, construction, and post-construction. Most of the problems that arise can be remedied through collaborative efforts, many could be avoided with a better understanding of the other’s duties, and a few could be eliminated completely using a non-adversarial approach.

The table provided by [4] compares impact of ten design variables with plan shape and building complexity having the greatest impact on project cost. Charts from [4] illustrate how design decision can positively and negatively affect the project, while also providing a look at the factors influencing those decisions. The number of floors is dependent upon code requirements, land costs and soil types. The positive benefits of finishing on time, at cost and with quality are inherently expected. The negative consequences of lost confidence, material waste or project abandonment are all undesirable, especially the latter. This the reason why knowledge, research, and control over design variables is essential to the success of a construction project.

References

[1] Mallikharjuna, Venkata & Ivatury, Venkata Mallikharjuna Kishan & Lemma, Tekalign. (2020). Critical Variables Influencing Project Performance in Real Estate Building Construction Sectors in Ethiopia, East Africa.
[2] Wong, Kellie. (2020) Organizational culture. Definition, importance, and development.
[3] Phillips, Joseph (2004). PMP Project Management Professional Study Guide. p. 354. ISBN 0072230622.
[4] Sahid, Nur & Ainomugisha, Safiki & Solikin, Mochamad. (2017). Building Design Variables Usage as a Tool of Value Engineering During Designing. MATEC Web of Conferences. 103. 03019. 10.1051/matecconf/201710303019.
[5] (2022). Value Management is a Secret for all Leader’s Success. learntransformation.com/value-management/.
[6] Annamalai, Muthuckannal & Ganapathy, Chitra. (2021). Value Management in Construction Projects. 8. 2394-0697.
[7] BigRentz. (2020). What is Value Engineering in Construction? projectcostsolutions.com/how-value-engineering-is-used-in-construction-projects/.