CLP Quick Study
Exterior production operations and horticulture module: Project management and logistics
Project management is often viewed as something that only the big guys need to worry about. It is true that many small landscape contractors can, and do, manage all their projects using their experience and gut instinct as a guide. For very small projects done one at a time, this method may be sufficient and successful. However, as the projects get bigger, more complicated, and start to overlap, a more effective means of managing them is required. Combine this situation with the reality that time and resources are getting tighter while competitors are getting more competitive and it is easy to see how proper planning, implementation and follow-up of projects becomes critical to success.
There are generally considered to be five processes in project management. Paralleling those laid out in the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of Knowledge, they are:
Initiating. For landscape contractors, the initiating process is really the agreement by a client for whom the work is being done.
Planning. The planning process is where the scope of the project is laid out, tasks needing to be done are identified and sequenced, budgets and schedules are drawn up, and agreements from stakeholders are obtained. For a landscape professional, much of this work is done while drawing up the estimate for the job.
Executing. The executing stage is where the resources are applied, leadership is provided, special talent is obtained (e.g., subtrades) and the stakeholders are kept up-to-date.
Controlling. These key controlling processes include monitoring progress, taking corrective action if things deviate from the plan, rescheduling or adding resources, if necessary and generally dealing with the problems that come up.
Closing.The closing process is the finishing of the project — getting the last tasks completed, learning from the experience and getting acceptance of completion from the stakeholders (especially the client).
Having looked at the main types of processes involved in project management, we can now look at some general guidelines or rules, which should be followed.
1. You must have consensus on the expected results.
2. You should build the best team you can.
3. You must have a comprehensive and viable plan that is kept up-to-date.
4. You must be accurate in the resources you will need to complete the project.
5. Your scheduling must be realistic.
6. You must remember that your people count because they do the work.
7. You must keep everyone involved informed of what is happening.
8. You are the leader.
As your experience and knowledge grow, you will be able to identify the important elements of the projects you carry out. Identifying them is one thing; keeping them in order and timing their completion is another. To help keep everything on track, one should practice putting them on paper. One of the most commonly used charts for this purpose is the Gantt Chart (also called a project timeline).
A Gantt chart shows the main tasks down the left side and a list of dates across the top. A line on the Gantt chart shows the date each task starts and ends on the basis of its duration. Many tasks cannot be started until another one is completed, and this must be taken into consideration. Likewise there are tasks that can be done at the same time as others are being done. This assumes you know how long each task will take (but this will have been determined during the estimation process).
On very large or complex projects that may have a number of tasks occurring at the same time, a critical path must be determined. This is the sequence of tasks that forms the longest duration of the project. If any of the tasks on this critical path are delayed, then the whole project is delayed, although tasks not on the path generally can be handled in a more flexible manner.
All the information presented previously is used to put together a plan and a schedule to get a project done efficiently and effectively. However, like all good plans, even the best planned ones seldom proceed without problems arising. When a problem does arise, it will be the project manager’s responsibility to react and correct the situation with as little negative impact as possible. Hence, the need for controlling processes as mentioned above.
