Year: 2014

On becoming an effective project manager

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Are you good at getting things done? Then a career as a project manager/leader is waiting for you. But, what does it take to be a great project manager?

may_14_bWhatever our work is, it might involve dealing primarily with one of the three items: things, data, and people. Someone who is interested to work with things becomes a mechanic or engineer. if a person likes to deal with data, he or she may excel in accountancy or cost estimator. And, the person who is interested working with people may turn out to be a great sales person.

Irrespective of what we deal with, we get things done. But the question is: are we getting it done, sitting and doing everything ourselves or by delegating the work to people. a manager is someone who gets things done by delegating jobs to people.

Then who is a project manager? This question takes us to the definition of project. a project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to achieve a unique result: a product, service or some other value. It is temporary because it has a start date and end date.

Routine or repetitive work where deadlines are not crucial is production work or operations. Book keeping is a good example for operations, while designing a new product, can be considered as a project.

Managing such a project entails things like defining the project in terms of goals, requirements; writing down tasks; scheduling; arriving at hr and cost estimates, and so on. A project manager is someone who is responsible for all these things.

Project management probably about dealing with data (predominantly, that is) – as he or she sets out to achieve a quantifiable goal or measurable object, under a deadline, and cost. Project management is a growth industry. The discipline of project management can be the important competence that improves performance of an organization. Hence, the demand for project managers and leaders is on the rise.

Project management is taught in many universities, colleges, and of course, at CADD centre, we provide a number of courses on PPM using Primavera, MS Project, and also Asta Powerproject software tools. In addition to learning traditional concepts and comprehensive software tools, one is expected to be familiar with, to go by surveys done in the recent years, some of the following aspects of project management:

Agile management:

Agile as an English word refers to the ability “to move quickly and easily” (example: “as agile as a monkey”; “an agile mind”). at the heart of agile management is, the agile manifesto and 12 agile principles.

Agile development is based on an iterative, incremental method, and the entire approach to structuring work and reporting progress is completely different. Its highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of value.

Extreme management:

Extreme project management differs from traditional project management mainly in its open, elastic and undeterministic approach. But it is not entirely new. The methodology gets its name because it takes good old “best practices” to extreme levels.

The main focus of XPM is on the human side of project management (e.g. managing the stakeholders of the project), rather than on intricate scheduling techniques and heavy formalism.

Note: while the traditional “water fall” method of project management can prove to be adequate for simple projects, agile and extreme management concepts are suitable for managing especially uncertain and complex projects.

PMI’s Portfolio Management Professional (PFMP)sm

If you’re a portfolio manager looking to demonstrate a proven ability to manage and align a portfolio of projects and programs to realize organizational strategy and objectives; increase your visibility and value with your organization; and separate yourself in the eyes of employers, the PFMP credential, offered by project management institute, is right for you.

PFMPsm credential recognizes the advanced experience and skill of portfolio managers. The PFMPsm demonstrates your proven ability in the coordinated management of one or more portfolios to achieve organizational objectives.

PFMPsm credential holders are responsible for the execution of the portfolio management process, communication around portfolio progress, and recommendations for action. Where project and program managers are responsible for “doing work right,” this is an ideal credential if you are responsible for ensuring your organization is “doing the right work.”

Emergent leadership:

There’s a never-ending quest to find the right leadership model for projects. Many organizations have long-abandoned the old command and control model. They, instead, go for more collaborative – if not let go – approaches. Many project managers find emergent leadership as a perfect fit.

Because, emergent leadership accommodates both “command” and “let go”. anyone in the team can step in when there is something to contribute (“command”), and step out when there is nothing to contribute (“let go”). Both a philosophy and a set of leadership practices, emergent leadership is about democratized leadership based on participatory approach.

Benchmarking/key performance indicators:

Every organization wants to know how its pm practice compares with others in the same industry. Just calling yourself “world class” doesn’t make you so unless you’ve got some data to back it up. Benchmarking is now placed into the forefront for many organizations, as it provides them with an opportunity to see just how really “good” they are.

Study Your Way to be a Scrum Master

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Scrum is an agile approach for developing innovative products and services. With an agile approach, you begin by creating a product backlog – a prioritized list of the features and other capabilities needed to develop a successful product. Guided by the product backlog, you always work on the most important or highest priority items first. When you run out of resources (such as time), any work that did not get completed will naturally be of lower priority than the completed work (because you would have worked first on high priority work only!)

A key principle of scrum is its recognition that during a project the customers can change their minds about what they want and need (often called requirements churn), and that unpredicted challenges cannot be easily addressed in a traditional predictive or planned manner. As such, scrum adopts an empirical approach—accepting that the problem cannot be fully understood or defined, focusing instead on maximizing the team’s ability to deliver quickly and respond to emerging requirements.

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Several organizations around the globe are accepting scrum as a primary project management framework for their projects, especially when they operate in a dynamic business environment. Growing popularity and acceptability of scrum has created a great demand for scrum-certified professionals in the job market. Grab the opportunity and join this growing community.

Scrum developer certified is an entry level certification for scrum team members and those who interact with any scrum team. The objective of this certification is to ensure that scrum team members know enough about scrum to effectively contribute to a scrum project.

Though there is no mandatory prerequisite for most of the Scrumstudy certifications, it is always better to understand the hierarchy structure. The diagram below shows what the preferred as well as optional certification to move to a next level is:

MEP Engineering:

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What Brings Buildings and Structures to Life

apr_14_aaCivil engineering is considered one of the oldest engineering disciplines, encompasses many specialties. The major specialties are structural, water resources, construction, environmental, transportation, and geotechnical engineering. However, MEP engineering has also emerged as a specialty in the building design field.

Also known as building services engineering, MEP Engineering involves mechanical, electrical and plumbing services of a construction project. MEP engineering, essentially, focuses on the internal environment and environmental impact of a building. It essentially brings buildings and structures to life.

The mechanical engineering activities, taken out as part of MEP engineering, are broadly about design of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, and rain gutter systems. The electrical engineering would involve designing a building’s power distribution, telecommunication, fire alarm, signalization, lightning protection and control systems, as well as lighting systems. And the plumbing part is concerned with the designing of systems of pipes, tanks, fittings, and other apparatus required for the water supply, heating, and sanitation in a building. Plumbing design often includes design specifications for simple active fire protection systems, but for more complicated projects, fire protection engineers are often separately retained.

One who knows about Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) works in the construction industry can be qualified as a MEP Engineer. Usually a Electrical or Mechanical Engineer can manage MEP assignments.

Some of the widely known MEP services include:

  • Energy supply – gas, electricity and renewable sources
  • Heating and ventilating
  • Water, drainage and plumbing
  • Fire detection
  • Lighting design
  • Ventilation and refrigeration
  • Harnessing solar, wind and biomass energy
  • Air conditioning and refrigeration
  • Power distribution
  • Electricity generating plant
  • Lightning protection
  • Controls/building management systems

MEP engineers also provide services including site investigations, value engineering, feasibility studies, indoor environmental analysis, system analysis and troubleshooting, building controls automation, due diligence reports, construction phase services, operation & maintenance consulting, and green & energy consulting.

MEP engineers have to be good at MEP software products in order to create MEP drafting, MEP design, MEP drawings and MEP detailing. MEP design is critical for design decision-making, accurate documentation, performance and cost-estimating, construction planning, managing and operating the resulting facility.

MEP engineers use specialized CAD software programs to assist in their system design and analysis. CAD for MEP engineering offers many benefits, including easier and more exhaustive visualization of proposed solutions, the ability to create virtual models for analysis and calculations, and the ease of use in spatial planning.

Revit MEP software:

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An Overview

apr_14_bAutodesk Revit is Building information modeling (BIM) software for architects, structural engineers, MEP engineers, designers and contractors. It allows users to design a building and structure and its components in 3D, annotate the model with 2D drafting elements and access building information from the building models database. Revit is 4D BIM capable with tools to plan and track various stages in the building’s lifecycle, from concept to construction and later demolition. The latest released version is Revit Architecture / Structure / MEP 2014.

Revit is specifically built for Building Information Modeling (BIM) and has comprehensive features that make it an idea solution for the entire building team. You can use Revit to design, build, and maintain higher-quality, more energy-efficient buildings.

Revit MEP is the design and construction documentation solution for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering. Revit MEP allows engineers to see their designs before they’re built, allowing them to accurately create MEP systems for today’s complex architectural designs. All changes are automatically coordinated everywhere in a project.

It lets engineers to seamlessly collaborate

with architects using Revit Architecture software in an intuitive design environment. Engineers can minimize coordination errors with architects and structural engineers using the Revit platform and building information modeling (BIM) workflows. They can provide better decision making and building performance analysis support for the engineer.

Revit supports more accurate and efficient building systems design projects from concept through construction. Engineers can design building systems more accurately using coordinated, consistent information inherent in the intelligent Revit MEP model and analyse for efficiency with integrated analysis earlier in the process.

 

Engineers can keep documentation coordinated and consistent with parametric change management technology and deliver 3D models and documentation to support the building lifecycle.

Following are some of the key features of Revit MEP and their applications:

Point Cloud support – to capture existing conditions and visualize point clouds.

Model building systems – to use mechanical, electrical and plumbing design tools.

System design tool enhancements – to add details to ducts and pipes such as insulation and lining, and use sloped piping tools.

Modeling enhancements – to create duct and pipe placeholders and later convert to detailed objects. Add parallel pipe and conduit runs.

Panel Schedules – to display panel schedule totals in current or load values.

Construction documents – to automatically generate plans, sections, elevations and details.

Revit Server – to maintain integrated Revit models on a single server, and access from local servers.

Other key highlights of Revit MEP are: It supports sustainable designs by performing building performance analysis using integrated tools as well as partner applications.

And with parametric change technology, any change that engineers make is automatically coordinated everywhere in their project including model views, drawing sheets, schedules, sections, and plans.

Designed for an intuitive, straightforward design process, Revit MEP mirrors the real world of engineering. It works holistically, treating information in terms of the entire building, linking mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems with the building model.

Engineers can get design feedback instantly from the building information model when working within a Revit based architectural and engineering (A&E) workflow, and realize the benefit of data-driven design to easily keep track of a project’s scope, schedule, and budget.

BIM: The Information Backbone of Every Building Design

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apr_14_aBuilding Information Modeling (BIM) is a process involving the generation and management of digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of places. BIMs are files (often but not always) that can be exchanged or networked to support decision-making about a place.

Current BIM software is used by individuals, businesses and government agencies who plan, design, construct, operate and maintain diverse physical infrastructures, from water, wastewater, electricity, gas, refuse and communication utilities to roads, bridges and ports, from houses, apartments, schools and shops to offices, factories, warehouses and prisons, etc.

The concept of BIM has existed since the 1970s. However, the term “Building Information Model” first appeared in an article in 1992. However, it was not popular until Autodesk released a white paper titled “Building Information Modeling”.

 The Definition

According to the National Building Information Model Standard Project Committee, BIM can be defined as: “a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. A BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle; defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition.”

Traditional building design was largely reliant upon two-dimensional drawings (plans, elevations, sections, etc.). Building information modeling extends this beyond 3D, augmenting the three primary spatial dimensions (width, height and depth) with time as the fourth dimension (4D) and cost as the fifth (5D), etc. BIM therefore covers more than just geometry. It also covers spatial relationships, light analysis, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components (for example, manufacturers’ details).

BIM involves representing a design as combinations of “objects” – vague and undefined, generic or product-specific, solid shapes or void-space oriented (like the shape of a room), that carry their geometry, relations and attributes.

For the professionals involved in a project, BIM enables a virtual information model to be handed from the design team (architects, surveyors, civil, structural and building services engineers, etc.) to the main contractor and subcontractors and then on to the owner/operator; each professional adds discipline-specific data to the single shared model.

This reduces information losses that traditionally occurred when a new team takes ‘ownership’ of the project, and provides more extensive information to owners of complex structures.

Future Outlook

BIM is a relatively new technology in an industry typically slow to adopt change. Yet many early adopters are confident that BIM will grow to play an even more crucial role in building documentation.

Proponents claim that BIM offers:

Improved visualization

Improved productivity due to easy retrieval of information

Increased coordination of construction documents

Embedding and linking of vital information such as vendors for specific materials, location of details and quantities required for estimation and tendering

Increased speed of delivery

Reduced costs

BIM also contains most of the data needed for building energy performance analysis. The building properties in BIM can be used to automatically create the input file for building energy simulation and save a significant amount of time and effort. Moreover, automation of this process reduce errors and mismatches in the building energy simulation process. Hence, one can be rest assured that BIM is well on its way to become a mainstream idea in engineering. CADD Centre’s National Design Competition 2014 Attracts Participation of 25,000 Engineering Students

CADD Centre’s National Design Competition 2014, attracted the participation of about 25,000 engineering and polytechnic students across the country. The month-long event, involving four different rounds, was kick-started on February 2, 2014 and culminated with a grand final on March 3, 2014. The competition was meant for second, third and final year students of engineering colleges and polytechnics. Exclusive themes were given for students representing various engineering streams. The winners of civil & architecture stream (Building Design) were: Mr Aditya Singh Parihar of Indore, and the winner of the mechanical stream (Product Design) was Mr. Dhananjay Premraj Patil of Mumbai.

The winners were presented with the Best Designer Award and a cash prize of Rs 1lakh each. The runners-up of the competition were: Mr. R. Biju of Marthandam (Building Design) and Mr. Devesh Jangir of Jaipur (Product Design). The runners-up received a trophy and certificates, along with the cash award of Rs 30,000 each. All the participants of the final round were awarded a Consolation Certificate and cash prize of Rs 10,000.