The overall organization of the Operations Manual has been designed to make its information as usable as possible to the greatest number of construction professionals at every level of company and project administration. In general, it may appear that the apparent number of differences in the way that construction and construction management companies operate may work against the idea that a standardized approach can be applied to most operations. The encouraging truth, however, lies in the fact that the real functions performed by every one of these companies are actually very similar.
Large companies will necessarily have specialized staffs with limited ranges of responsibilities. Those who purchase, for example, only purchase. Estimators only estimate, and so on. Small and midsized companies will necessarily combine any number of specialized activities in the same individual or individuals. Those who estimate and bid a project, for example, are likely to be heavily involved with purchasing. In some companies, those same individuals may then go on to become the project manager. Individuals with primary superintendent responsibilities may also be called upon to purchase, estimate, and even assist with other administrative functions. Human Resource administration may be centralized, or each private manager may have the authority to hire his or her own staff. The project manager on one project may simultaneously be an estimator for another project.
What all this simply means is that within our own company and within all those companies with which we deal, the specific combinations of functions and job assignments may vary greatly—and even change day to day. The individual functions and assignments themselves to be carried out each day, however, are remarkably consistent company to company and project to project. Every project needs the same things to be done relatively dependably. It’s not a matter of “what,” but a matter of “how much”—matters of degree—for a particular project, given its size, type, complexity, and dollar value. The issues and operating ideals affecting construction and its management are therefore really very similar for nearly all of us.
The construction contract on a $1 million project will be nearly identical to that on a $20 million one. The plans and technical specifications will be different, and the general conditions might have twice the detail, but the language, procedures, relationships, rights, responsibilities, and decision theories are virtually the same. Every project has a project manager, superintendent, estimator, and project engineering function or component—whether or not the particular people involved in these functions realize that this is what they’re doing. The specific mix of responsibilities might have more to do with particular individuals’ disposition, talent, and experience than any formal organization chart or job description. Every project has an owner, a design responsibility, a contract sum, the time of completion, and a construction force ranging from a single company to a virtual army of separate subcontractors and suppliers.
And so, as it turns out, the functions that must be performed are really very much the same for both the $1 million project and the $20 million project. The larger project (and larger organization) may need more elaborate (translate: “voluminous”) file management, documentation, and record retrieval systems, but operational ideals of these physically larger systems remain virtually the same as those for the smaller, even manual (yes, manual) information control systems that are still very effective in this computer age.
This Operations Manual is intended to be used by all managers, executives, and professionals throughout the company. Employees should thoroughly familiarize themselves with the entire manual in order to secure a firm understanding of the power of effective administration and of the relationship of each function within the overall organizational structure. The Operations Manual should be referred to each time any question as to appropriate procedure arises and to confirm one’s understanding of the synergy of one activity with all others.
Discussions, procedures, letters, and forms have been designed to accommodate the most effective approach to the respective issue. Each of these items has been carefully coordinated with all related company activities, the obligations of the constructor with respect to the particular project agreements, and the need to exhibit minute-to-minute control over all project information, both within the organization and without. At any given moment, at least some of this synergy and coordination may not be immediately apparent. It is therefore important that information generated and procedures for distribution of the resulting work product be followed as described. If for any reason your experience begins to suggest an alternative approach, reread Section 1.7 on Quality and proceed with your own company administrative procedures to have the Operations Manual requirements officially changed. Be sure to implement the official procedure to have those changes communicated to all those within the company who will potentially be affected by them. Do not operate as an independent maverick. Even if you have the company’s best interest at heart, uncoordinated (and uncommunicated) actions and responses will almost guarantee misfires, miscommunication, and mistakes.
Post your comment on this topic.