Assembling the project team - Simply Put!

Introduction

In the Marstan Guide Introduction to Project Management, we said that assembling the Project Team is the third of seven stages of a capital project.

During the inception stage of a project you will need a small team to look at a wide range of options (See the Marstan Guide Project Inception - Simply Put!)

In the next phase, Feasibility and Cost Planning, you may need a small (sometimes, slightly different team) to look in more detail at a shortlist of options (See the Marstan Guide Feasibility and cost planning - Simply Put!)

The purpose of this stage is to put together the whole team required to proceed to detailed design.

The main purposes of assembling the Project Team

Assembling the Project Team is a very short stage of the Project but is very important and has a profound impact on the success of later stages of the project.

The main questions to be asked are:

1. What types of expert advice do I need to carry out this specific project in a way that will deliver the outcome that I want, to the quality that I require, within the budget constraints and to the required timetable?
2. What specific firms or people can provide this advice?
3. How can we fit them together as a team?
4. What working methods are required for this project?
5. What reporting mechanisms are required?

The main components of this stage

There are five main components of this stage of the project.

1. Team building and procurement.
2. Contract selection and procurement.
3. Planning and programming.
4. Budget and cost control system.
5. Project controls and reporting

1. Team building and procurement

This process is started by the Client and a Project Manager. They take account of the work required and determine what team they require, which will typically comprise of some people from the Client’s organisation together with professional advisers, building contractors and suppliers.

Often this will start with a management structure, which is then populated by people. Any gaps are the subject of a recruitment process (for people to be employed by the Client) or a procurement process (for external firms).

Procurement of external firms requires preparing an initial list of firms, followed by a process of pre-qualification, detailed bids, bid evaluation, final interviews and selection.

2. Contract selection and procurement

A capital project can be procured in a number of ways. At one end of the spectrum, there is a cost-reimbursement contract where a Contractor receives some form of fee and has all of his expenditure reimbursed (for labour and materials). At the other end of the spectrum is a design and build contract. In between there are other arrangements such as conventional tendering or construction management. Each of these methods of procurement has a range of forms of control which may be applied.

A decision on the procurement route may be required early because some (such as design and build) fundamentally change the structure of the Project Team.

It is advisable for the Project Manager and Client to consult other members of the Project Team to ensure that the most appropriate route is selected.

3. Planning and programming

One of the first tasks of the full Project Team is to verify or develop the programme further, on the basis of their expert knowledge.

4. Budget and cost control systems

Another early task of the full Project Team is to examine the cost plan and to give it a detailed appraisal on the basis of their expert knowledge.

5. Project controls and reporting

Before getting too far into the detailed design, it is important that the “ground rules” for the project are set. The following questions should be considered:

1. Who reports to whom?
2. What are the levels of authority on the project?
3. What approvals are required?
4. What progress information is required, who should provide it and who should receive it?
5. What meeting schedules will aid the progress of the project and who should attend them?

It is worth bringing all of this information together in a single source (often on-line). Such a document is called a variety of names including Management Control Plan, Project Handbook and Project Execution Plan.

The “deliverables” of this stage

At the end of this stage you should have the following:

1. A full Project Team
2. A management structure
3. An agreed programme
4. An agreed budget and cost plan
5. A Project Execution Plan