Project management guidance

Talking points
Les Pickford summarises two forthcoming guidance documents from the Project Management Professional
Group Appointing a project manager and Managing communications

Appointing a project manager (Lead Author Thurstan Ollerearnshaw)

Generally, with construction clients, there is much confusion over
the precise scope of the PM role and the extent of their liability. This
guidance note will help clarify these matters.
It will provide practical advice to PMs in relation to building works
contracts in England and Wales in particular on medium-large
projects and within the provisions of standard forms such as JCT,
NEC, GC Works and FIDIC. However, the guidance may also apply to
other countries and where non-standard forms of contract are used.
It acknowledges that the term project manager is used widely in
building projects and at many levels of the supply chain but it deals
specifically with the PM appointed by the client to occupy a lead role
in the development process with the responsibility for delivering a
successful project.
The definition of project manager, and their roles and
responsibilities, is also covered, as is the importance of technical
competence, business acumen, leadership and communication
skills, motivational/soft skills and risk management expertise.
It summarises the main points that a client and PM should
consider during the appointment process from recording the
appointment and PM qualities, to evaluating proposals for PM

services and methods of payment. The importance of the written

appointment of a PM is discussed, as is the scope of services and
how these should be agreed with a client, even where the client has
a standard scope of services, to ensure clarity. This is especially so
where the PM needs to co-ordinate with other roles on the project.
And while PMs in the UK are unlikely to also have a design
responsibility (a check with PI insurers is recommended if this is
so) they will probably need to make sure that other appointments,
such as architects and services engineers, are in place and
co-ordinated with each. This is important to support the
contract administrator.
The guidance note includes appendices covering:
the common standard forms of appointment (and which have
scopes of services for the PM)
typical quality criteria for assessing consultant project
management proposals (and related weightings). This will also
discuss the weighting of price and quality to derive a measure of
value for money
a comparison of the development stages in use (e.g. RIBA, CIOB,
CIC, RICS and OGC documents).

Managing communications (Lead Author Tim Fry)

Good communication will differentiate leaders from managers and
a successful project from a failure. This information paper will discuss
best practice whether messages are given or received, are formal
or informal, are verbal or non-verbal in two parts.
Hard skills
These skills revolve around the application of process and
management tools and have three main elements. This part of the
document will also include a case study to demonstrate some of
these principles.
Stakeholder management this will cover who needs to be
communicated with and what they need to know. It is driven by
use of the RACI matrix (Responsible Accountable Consulted
Informed) as a way of channelling information by focusing on the
involvement of different people. A comprehensive guidance note is
planned on this topic for 2013.
Communication strategy this will cover the messages to be
communicated, how often they are sent and the format they
are given in, and will take into account the variety of methods
and technologies available. This section will also discuss the

importance of the so what? test to ensure that messages are

targeted and specific for the recipient.
Communications plan this will cover how a plan forms the basis
and structure of all communications and how it should be a live
document that will flex and adapt to changing needs throughout
the life of a project. It will cover the type of information being
communicated, its objective, its frequency and the methods used.
Soft skills
These should be used to engender the right atmosphere where
openness and honesty will allow the sharing of information and,
ultimately, allow the PM to make the right decisions based on the
information provided. These skills allow the PM to be an influencer,
facilitator, enabler and, sometimes, a mentor.
The section of the paper will cover subjects such as: awareness,
empathy, understanding, commitment and project identity/brand. It
will also discuss how communication is a two-way process and the
importance of participants to both talk and listen. It will provide clear
best practice guidance based on experience gained from projects
and programmes from different industries.

Les Pickford is Editor of the Construction Journal

lpickford@rics.org
For more details about the above
documents, email beg@rics.org

For all published guidance and descriptions

of document types, visit www.rics.org/
standards

Related competencies include: SP002

November-December 2012

Construction Journal

21