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IDENTIFICATION AND PRIORITIZATION OF COMPETENCIES OF A PROJECT MANAGER IN THE MECHANICAL CONTRACTING INDUSTRY
Raymond
J. Perreault, Jr.
School
of Technology
Central Connecticut State University
New
Britian, Connecticut
|
A research study was conducted with Connecticut mechanical contractors to identify the most important competencies of a project manager in their industry. A modified Delphi technique was used. A panel of experts was selected from a survey of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Connecticut. The competencies were divided into design, management and technology categories. The author extracted the design and management competencies from those developed by the Construction Management Association of America and the technology competencies were extracted from several textbooks. A three-round Delphi was conducted which resulted in the identification of the competencies of a project manager in the mechanical contracting industry in descending order of importance. The results of this study can be used as a guide for curriculum development in baccalaureate construction programs as well as a guide for the development of training seminars for practitioners in the mechanical contracting business. |
Introduction
Construction
education, like the construction industry, is very diverse. This is reflected in
the varying orientations of the construction education programs across the
country. The major orientations consist of design, management and technology.
Some construction programs emphasize the design and technology elements which is
characteristic of ABET accredited engineering technology programs whereas other
programs incorporate design, technology and management elements which is
characteristic of ACCE accredited programs and NAIT accredited programs
emphasize the management and technology elements. Each accrediting agency has
established standards which delineate the programmatic requirements in design,
technology and management.
All
three accrediting agencies generally require or recommend the inclusion of
mechanical courses in their respective accreditation standards which I agree is
essential, however, the problem is that the content of mechanical courses is not
systematically developed consistent with the programmatic goals established by
the accrediting agency. In other words, the proportioning of the course content
in terms of design, management and technology knowledge is arbitrary. In fact,
the background of the instructor and the selected text dictate course content.
This situation is further aggravated by the fact that mechanical courses are
often taught by adjunct faculty or by faculty from supporting disciplines such
as mechanical engineering technology.
The
purpose of this study was:
to
identify and prioritize the competencies of the project manager in the
mechanical contracting industry.
to
identify the course content consistent with the programmatic requirements
established by accrediting agencies.
Methodology
The
Delphi research method was selected as the research means. A Delphi consists of
a panel of experts achieving a consensus on a specific problem. The problem in
this case was to identify and prioritize the competencies of the project manager
in the mechanical contracting industry. The selection of the panel of experts
consisted of the following steps:
owners
of mechanical contracting businesses (N=39) in Connecticut each provided the
names of five individuals they considered to be experts in the mechanical
contracting business. A composite list of thirty-two nominees was generated
as a result of the first step.
ten
nominees received 50% or more of the votes, thus they constituted the
membership of the panel of experts.
two
of the ten nominees were unable to participate thus reducing the panel of
experts to eight.
The
Delphi research process was modified in that the panelists were not involved in
the development of the draft list of competencies. The list was generated by the
author. The composite list consisted of three categories; design, management and
technology. The design and management competencies were selected from the
composite list generated by nine task forces of the Construction Management
Association of America. The technology competencies were selected from textbooks
authored by: Stein and Reynolds (1992), Merritt (1979) and Lewis (1986). The
author generated a composite list of 175 items, which substituted for the first
round in a typical Delphi study, and was sent to the panel of experts for their
review. They made corrections, editorial changes, as well as additions to the
composite list and returned it to the author which resulted in the
identification of 206 items and concluded the first round of the Delphi. In
round two, the panel of experts were asked to rate the items on a 1 to 5 scale
as indicated in table 1.
TABLE 1
Rating
Criteria for Panelists
1 = least importance
2 = low importance
3 = medium importance
4 = high importance
5 = most importance
An
item mean analysis was calculated as a result of panelists responses to round
two. In the final round, the panelists were asked to reconsider those items they
rated which deviated two or more points from the item mean. An item mean
analysis was calculated again. Appendix A lists the competencies in descending
order of importance.
Findings
The
frequency, percentage and grand mean for the design, management and technology
categories are indicated in table 2.
TABLE 2
Summarized
Relative Frequency, Percentage and Grand Mean of The Categories.
|
CATEGORY |
# |
% |
X |
|
|
|
Design |
16 |
8 |
3.6 |
|
|
Management |
124 |
60 |
3.9 |
|
|
Technology |
66 |
32 |
3.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
In
general terms, as indicated in table 2, management competencies were considered
the most important followed by design and technology competencies. Management
accounted for the majority of the number of competencies (60%) followed by
technology (32%) and design (8%). Given the grand mean in table 2, one could
argue that a project manager in the mechanical contracting business should focus
primarily on the management competencies. Although, design was considered more
important than technology, the sheer number of technology competencies outnumber
design by a 4 to I margin, therefore, one could argue that technology
competencies should be the secondary focus of the project manager. The fact that
the panelists were instructed by the author to limit the competencies to those
associated with a typical stipulated sum type of contract may account for the
limited number of design competencies. Clearly, a project manager involved in a
design/build or construction management type of contract would require a greater
number of design related competencies than in a stipulated sum type of contract.
The
data presented in table 3 reinforces the fact that management competencies
should be the primary focus given that 52 of the 63 items with a mean of 4.0 or
greater were associated with management. Design (6) and technology (5) were
fairly equal in terms of the number items at this level of importance, however,
this trend changes significantly when you examine the next level. Within the
item mean range of 3.0 to 3.9, management items number 64 followed by 47 items
in technology and design with 7 items. At this level, management competencies
continue to dominate, however, technology competencies overtake design by a
large margin. Further analysis, as shown in table 3, provides additional support
for the fact that the primary focus should be management followed by technology
and lastly design.
|
|
The
data presented in table 4 addresses the levels of learning in the cognitive
domain. The aware items deal with the lowest level such as knowledge and
memorization. The understand items are one level above awareness and are
associated with comprehension of subject matter. The capable items are one level
above understand and are associated with the application of the
knowledge/subject matter. Of the 206 items, 63 (30.5%) were associated with
capability and 115 items (56%) were associated with understanding the subject
matter and 28 items (13.5%) were associated with awareness.
|
|
Discussion
This
study was based on a stipulated sum type of contract which is typical in the
mechanical contracting business. Consequently, the design competencies only
represented 8% of all the items and thus warrant little discussion. On the other
hand, management items deserve significant attention given that they constituted
60% of the items (N=124).
Of
the 124 management competencies, 42% of the items (N=52) were rated 4.0 or
greater and 52% (N=64) were rated between 3.0 and 3.9. With regard to the 66
technology items, only 8% (N=5) were rated 4.0 or greater and 71% (N-47) were
rated between 3.0 and 3.9. These numbers clearly indicate that the management
competencies are the most significant.
Interesting
patterns surface when the orientations (design, management, technology) and the
cognitive levels (capable, understand, aware) are combined. Management
capabilities represent nearly half of the highest rated management competencies
whereas technology capabilities consist of only three items, specifically the
capability of interpreting HVAC, plumbing and fire safety drawings.
Management
understandings represent nearly half of the highest rated management items and
two-thirds of the management items rated between 3.0 and 3.9. Technology
understandings above 4.0 or greater are limited to two items, namely the
benefits of prefabrication and HVAC systems. Nearly 70% of the technology
understandings are rated between 3.0 to 3.9.
Management
awareness accounts for over 70% of the 28 aware items and most of these items
were rated below 3.5 and therefore, don't warrant much consideration. To
summarize, the competencies which deserve the greatest attention are the
management capabilities, management understandings and technology
understandings.
The
competencies with a 3.5 rating or greater have been grouped into the following
topical areas; communications, claims, cost control, schedule control, general
management, document control, contracts, design and technology. Specific
competencies associated with the communication topic area include; verbal
communication, written communication, negotiation, communication with job site
personnel, communication of responsibility/authority to team members, and
communication with labor leaders.
Specific
competencies associated with the claims topic area include; issue resolution
process, dispute avoidance procedures and anticipation claims.
Specific
competencies associated with the cost control topic area include; direct and
indirect costs of changes, develop schedule of values for payment, purchasing
techniques, develop construction budget, project progress in terms of money,
cash flow schedule, cost monitoring, conversion of quantity survey to cost
estimating, specifying cost updating requirements and conceptual estimating.
Specific
competencies associated with the schedule control topic area include; manpower
loading, construction Sequencing, cash flow needs, project progress in terms of
time, preplanning, impact of changes on time, anticipation of time extensions,
cost loaded schedule, evaluate and mitigate schedule claims, bar charts, CPM
schedules, project milestones, level of schedule detail, activity duration and
cost, schedule development and schedule reports.
Specific
competencies associated with the general management topic area include;
productivity analysis, total quality management, recognize potential risks,
manager's responsibility to all parties, span of authority, hazardous materials
management, project commissioning procedures, safety coordination, OSHA rules,
manpower reports, team building concepts, risk management, marketing services,
jobsite safety program and team organizational chart.
Specific
competencies associated with the document control topic area include;
documentation requirements, con tract requirements, requirements of various
documents, interpretation of HVAC, plumbing and fire safety drawings,
specification requirements, project procedures manual, daily reports, change
order controls, substantial completion, guarantees and warranties, punch list
requirements, preparation of meeting minutes, and flow process of submittals.
Specific
competencies associated with the contracts topic area include; basic contracting
strategies, resolving conflicts in contractual responsibilities, contract
conditions, responsibilities of the parties, alternate contracting strategies,
operational training requirements of contract and basic forms of agreement.
Specific
competencies associated with the design topic area include; operating costs of
alternate systems and components, recommend systems and components, cost impact
of design changes, design features that lead to claims, sources of design
errors, owner's need for value engineering and reading material testing reports.
Specific
competencies associated with the technology topic area include; benefits of
prefabrication, deficiencies in construction quality, optimize site utilization,
materials, equipment and controls of HVAC, plumbing and fire safety systems,
elements of warm sir heating, hot water heating, steam boiler heating, hydronic
heating, refrigerated cooling, central station air conditioning, heat pump, dual
duct high velocity, chilled water, ventilation, variable air volume, sanitary
waste, air duct controls and laboratory systems, basic building materials and
systems, codes for life safety, plumbing and mechanical.
The
results of this study can be used as a guide for curriculum development in
baccalaureate construction programs as well as a guide for the development of
training seminars for practitioners in the mechanical contracting business.
Recommendations
A
similar type of study should be conducted relative to the electrical contracting
industry.
A
similar type of study assuming design/build or construction management type of
contract should be conducted.
References
Construction
Management Association of America (1993). Unpublished Composite List of
Construction Management Competencies, Reston; Virginia.
Lewis,
J., (1986). Support Systems for Buildings, Prentice Hall; Englewood Cliffs, New
Jersey.
Merritt,
F., (1979). Building Engineering and Systems Design. Van Nosh-and Reinhold, Co.,
New York, New York.
Stein,
B. and Reynolds, J., (1992). Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings.
John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, New York.
APPENDIX
"A"
RANK
X
CATEGORY
1-5
5.0
D
Aware of design changes and detail and their impact on cost.
1-5
5.0
M
Understand the importance of manpower loading strategy.
1-5
5.0
M
Capable of writing effectively.
1-5
5.0
M
Capable of verbally communicating effectively.
1-5
5.0
M
Capable of negotiating effectively.
6-10
4.9
M
Capable of specifying, developing and implementing an effective
schedule of values for prompt and equitable payment requests evaluation.
6-10
4.9
M
Capable of determining direct and indirect costs of changes.
6-10
4.9
M
Capable of maximizing labor relations.
6-10
4.9
M
Understand the project manager's primary responsibilities to their
employer, client, subcontractors, vendors and consultants.
6-10
4.9
M
Understand the project manager's span of authority relative to their
client, subcontractors, vendors and consultants.
11-24
4.8
D
Understand features of project design most likely to give rise to
disputes or claims.
11-24
4.8
M
Capable of identifying and resolving conflicts, duplication or
omission in contractual responsibilities.
11-24
4.8
M
Aware of construction sequence and operations.
11-24
4.8
M
Understand the responsibilities of the parties to the contract.
11-24
4.8
M
Capable of developing a project/construction budget utilizing
available resources and techniques.
11-24
4.8
M
Understand the relationship between project progress in terms of time
and money.
11-24
4.8
M
Capable of developing and implementing an effective change order
control and evaluation system.
11-24
4.8
M
Understand the importance of preplanning.
11-24
4.8
M
Aware of documentation requirements for all aspects of the project.
11-24
4.8
M
Capable of reading and understanding the contract documents.
11-24
4.8
M
Capable of maintaining communications with jobsite personnel.
11-24
4.8
M
Understand the importance of motivation and leadership.
11-24
4.8
M
Capable of maximizing interpersonal relations.
11-24
4.8
T
Understand the benefits of prefabrication.
25-27
4.6
M
Understand impact of change orders on schedule, cost and job
coordination.
25-27
4.6
M
Understand how to anticipate potential claims or time extensions
25-27
4.6
M
Understand features of project construction most likely to rise to
disputes
or claims.
28-29
4.5
M
Capable of quantifying the risk or benefit of alternate contracting
strategies.
28-29
4.5
M
Capable of developing a cash flow schedule, compatible with project
progress,
utilizing available resources.
30-39
4.4
M
Capable of communicating responsibility/authority to team in a
clear/concise
way (i.e. Responsibility Matrix).
30-39
4.4
M
Capable of specifying, developing and implementing an integrated cost
loaded
schedule for prompt and equitable payment requests evaluation.
30-39
4.4
M
Understand how to analyze and measure productivity.
30-39
4.4
M
Understand the requirement for shop drawings, coordination drawings,
change
orders, field orders, request for information (RFI), etc.
30-39
4.4
M
Understand dispute avoidance procedures.
30-39
4.4
M
Understand contract provisions, general conditions and special conditions
and
their interact and precedence.
30-39
4.4
M
Capable of recognizing and communicating the deficiencies in construction
quality.
30-39
4.4
T
Capable of interpreting HVAC drawings.
30-39
4.4
T
Capable of interpreting plumbing drawings.
30-39
4.4
T
Capable of interpreting fire safety drawings.
40-45
4.3
M
Capable of identifying alternate or prescriptive sequences to optimize
site
utilization.
40-45
4.3
M
Understand basic contracting strategies. (Single Prime, Lump Sum, Cost
Plus,
Guaranteed Maximum, etc.).
40-45
4.3
M
Understand purchasing techniques and its control.
40-45
4.3
M
Understand issue resolution process.
40-45
4.3
M
Capable of using the schedule to evaluate and mitigate potential claims.
40-45
4.3
M
Understand the specification requirements of the contract, including
inspections required during manufacture and at delivery.
46-57
4.
D
Aware of alternate systems, methods, components and materials of equal
performance and respective cost.
46-57
4.
D
Understand sources of design errors and omissions and construction
deficiencies which may result.
46-57
4.1
M
Understand contents of a company's Project Procedures Manual.
46-57
4.1
M
Aware of cash flow needs and cash availability vis-a-vis project progress
schedule.
46-57
4.1
M
Understand various methods of cost monitoring.
46-57
4.1
M
Capable of specifying, developing and implementing an effective procedure
for
controlling, analyzing and evaluating cost of potential claims.
46-57
4.1
M
Aware of the various types of bar graphs and CPM schedules.
46-57
4.1
M
Capable of identifying project milestones.
46-57
4.1
M
Aware of documentation requirements for all aspects of the project.
46-57
4.1
M
Understand how contract drawings, specifications, general and special
provisions, codes, submittals changes, and applicable regulations
integrate
into quality management.
46-57
4.1
M
Capable of identifying/recognizing potentials risks.
46-57
4.1
M
Understand the context and distribution of daily reports.
58-63
4.0
D
Aware of operating costs of alternate systems and components.
58-63
4.0
D
Capable of recommending acceptable systems and components without
disrupting the design concept and schedule. ,
58-63
4.0
M
Capable of utilizing available resources to develop, coordinate and
implement
a cost management system.
58-63
4.0
M
Aware of the definition of substantial completion, beneficial occupancy,
etc.
58-63
4.0
M
Understand the role of labor and safety participation.
58-63
4.0
T
Understand the materials, equipment and controls of HVAC systems.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand the purpose of a company's Project Procedures Manual.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand applications of quantity survey to cost estimating.
64-82
3.9
M
Capable of specifying appropriate cost monitoring and compliance systems
including methods and frequency of updating methods of cost tracking
and report.
64-82
3.9
M
Capable of interpreting partially developed plans, programs and systems
in
terms of ultimate cost.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand the cost/benefits of manually prepared and computer generated
schedules.
64-82
3.9
M
Capable of determining appropriate level of detad for each type of
schedule and
project phase.
64-82
3.9
M
Capable of establishing activity durations and cost.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand common scheduling terms (float, frugnet, activity, loop,
precedence, time scaled network, etc.)
64-82
3.9
M
Aware of hazardous materials and the rules, regulations and procedures
needed
to deal with them.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand the importance of the operational and maintenance requirements
of
the various building components.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand guarantee, warranty, punch1ist requirements.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand project commissioning procedures.
64-82
3.9
M
Capable of preparing minutes of meetings and reports of same.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand safety coordination between contractors.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand OSHA rules and regulations as they apply to construction.
64-82
3.9
M
Understand manpower reports.
64-82
3.9
T
Understand the concepts of energy conservation.
64-82
3.9
T
Understand the materials, equipment, fixtures and controls of plumbing
systems.
64-82
3.9
T
Understand the materials, equipment and controls of fire protection
systems.
83-101
3.8
D
Aware of owner's needs for value engineering analysis.
83-101
3.8
M
Capable of defining the flow process for all submittals.
83-101
3.8
M
Understand the contract requirements for operational training.
83-101
3.8
M
Understand team building concepts (partnering).
83-101
3.8
M
Capable of maintaining communications with labor leaders.
83-101
3.8
M
Understand and be capable of using principles and techniques of risk
management (assign/manage/avoid/insure).
83-101
3.8
M
Capable of marketing services effectively.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a warm air heating system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a hot water heating system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a steam boiler system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a hydronic heating system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a refrigerated cooling system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a central-station air conditioning system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a heat pump system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of an incremental heating and cooling system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a dual-duct, high-velocity system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a chilled water system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a ventilation system.
83-101
3.8
T
Understand the elements of a variable air volume system.
102-105
3.6
D
Capable of reading material testing reports and assess their impact on
the
project.
102-105
3.6
M
Understand basic content required of contract conditions.
102-105
3.6
M
Understand basic building materials, systems and construction techniques.
102-105
3.6
M
Understand the basic forms of agreement.
106-117
3.5
M
Understand how each schedule type is prepared and utilized, including the
steps
in developing a schedule.
106-117
3.5
M
Understand the basic scheduling reports, how activities are selected and
sorted
in reports, and how reports are utilized.
106-117
3.5
M
Understand schedule impact of common terms, such as suspension work,
concurrent delays, compensable and non-compensable delays.
106-117
3.5
M
Understand the specification requirements of the contract, including
inspections required during manufacture and at delivery.
106-117
3.5
M
Understand how to implement and monitor a jobsite safety program.
106-117
3.5
M
Capable of formulating and maintaining a project team organizational
chart.
106-117
3.5
T
Understand the elements of a sanitary waste system.
106-117
3.5
T
Understand the concepts of air duct control, smoke and heat ventilation.
106-117
3.5
T
Understand the elements of Laboratory systems.
106-117
3.5
T
Understand the life safety code.
106-117
3.5
T
Understand the plumbing code.
106-117
3.5
T
Understand the mechanical code.
118-141
3.4
D
Capable of interpreting items of energy conservation studies and assess
their
impact on the cost of the project.
118-141
3.4
D
Understand the contract requirements relative to as-built drawings.
118-141
3.4
M
Understand types of project organization structures.
118-141
3.4
M
Understand legal requirements
118-141
3.4
M
Capable of selecting estimating techniques appropriate to a project and
each of
its phases.
118-141
3.4
M
Capable of developing a quantity survey based cost estimate with
procurement
strategies utilizing available resources.
118-141
3.4
M
Capable of performing a manual schedule calculation, including forward
and
backward pass, determining the critical path for a simple network, and
the
early/late dates and float values for each activity in the network.
118-141
3.4
M
Understand float and its use and legal implications.
118-141
3.4
M
Capable of time impact analysis using as-planned, as-adjusted and
as-built
schedules.
118-141
3.4
M
Understand the project requirements for permanent retention of project
files
and submittals.
118-141
3.4
M
Understand bid and performance guarantees, such as bid and performance
bonds, letter of credit, etc.
118-141
3.4
M
Understand laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to the construction
industry.
118-141
3.4
M Capable
of establishing Correspondence Control System.
118-141
3.4
M Aware
of project management program capabilities.
118-141
3.4
M Aware
of estimating program capabilities.
118-141
3.4
M Aware
of contract administration program capabilities.
118-141
3.4
T
Understand the effects of air motion.
118-141
3.4
T
Understand the elements of an electric resistance heating system.
118-141
3.4
T
Aware of the need to conserve water and resources.
118-141
3.4
T
Understand the elements of a fire protection system.
118-141
3.4
T
Understand the concepts of fire load and compartmentation.
118-141
3.4
T
Understand the elements of clean room systems.
118-141
3.4
T
Understand how to assess facilities for material handling.
118-141
3.4
T
Understand the sprinkler (fire protection) code.
142-153
3.3
M
Capable of identifying factors for conceptual estimating.
142-153
3.3
M
Understand the applications of a cost-loaded schedule.
142-153
3.3
M
Understand the application of resources to a project schedule.
142-153
3.3
M
Understand the roles of sureties and regulatory agencies in the closeout
and
acceptance process.
142-153
3.3
M
Capable of developing Document Control Management System.
142-153
3.3
M
Aware of spreadsheet program capabilities.
142-153
3.3
T
Understand the concepts of heat flow and transfer.
142-153
3.3
T
Aware of energy consumption rates of various HVAC systems.
142-153
3.3
T
Understand the elements of a solar heating system.
142-153
3.3
T
Understand the elements of a water distribution system.
142-153
3.3
T
Understand the concepts of water pressure.
142-153
3.3
T
Understand the concepts of water and power standby.
154-70
3.1
D
Understand the design process and procedures.
154-70
3.1
D
Capable of determining the applicable codes and regulations pertinent to
the
materials being tested.
154-70
3.1
M
Aware of available computer programs for scheduling and their application
on
various types and sizes of projects.
154-70
3.1
M
Aware of the resistance of people to change.
154-70
3.1
M
Understand the difference between quality control and perfection.
154-70
3.1
M
Understand testing procedures and test report documentation.
154-70 3.1 M Understand the risks and responsibilities of joint ventures.
