TABLE OF CONTENTS In the beginning of this book, we said that much of engineering is performed in projects. In Chapter 23 about the engineering design process, we walked you through a simple example of an engineering project. In Chapter 25 about project delivery systems, we reviewed the major types of civil or construction project structures namely design-award-build, design-build, and turnkey. In Chapter 26 about project procedures and team roles, we discussed procedures for executing an engineering project in a consulting engineering firm. These procedures are distinctive and include the following steps:
Define the owner's project needs
Develop a basic plan that is used for an RFP (request for proposal)
Select a professional service provider
Define in detail the project's objectives, timing, and budgetary constraints
Review possible conceptual alternatives
Designate a project manager and project team members
Develop a detailed project action plan
Implement a system of project controls
Implement the project
Complete the project on time and within budget to the owner's satisfaction
Within each of these steps, there are many skills to be learned, theories to be considered, and tools that may be used. Project management is a very complex subject about which many books have been written. Some engineers and even engineering firms provide only project management services. There is even a Project Management Institute (PMI) that defines itself as follows:
Vital and forward thinking focused on the needs of project management professionals worldwide; that's the Project Management Institute of today. We've long been acknowledged as a pioneer in the field...
