Makeup for a Construction Team

Building construction and design often entail and involve a number of people and in many instances thousands of professionals. The composition and structure of the team do change depending on a number of factors and situations. While some may last the entire duration of the project lifetime, some of the team members may only have a small stint or brief involvement with the team (Zhang & Fan 2013). Others may be involved in only bringing in technical knowledge, supplying specialized items, or involvement in a given phase. However, specialists such as lead consultants, project managers, or clients often last many years during the life of the project design and construction.

Structure

It is important for a project team to be structured efficiently from the onset of a project with the team members put together cautiously to ensure that the project is set on a success pedal. However, defining the project team is critical as it enables flexibility and increases the chances of success from the early stages in defining the entire team (Mok, Shen, & Yang 2015). The structure of the team may often change through the entire period of the project but one thing that remains clear is a lean team that is aimed at accomplishing the goals of the project team. The structure below shows a traditional project structure and include a number of members such as the project sponsor, champions, user panels, suppliers, and design team among others. Other may include architects, specialist designers, structural engineers, and cost consultant.

Source: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/File:Project_organisation.JPGA typical project team is thus made up of several professionals chosen by the client to undertake specific tasks on a project that includes coordinating and advising the entire project design, contract administrations, inspection, advice on the specific set up, and preparations of tender documents, and information. Of particular interest, and according to Harris and McCaffer (2013), the members who may comprise the above team include structural engineers, service engineers, architects, and cost consultants. At the same time, the client may decide to allocate other duties to professionals such as lead consultants, lead designers or more designers to coordinate with the rest of the team. Design coordinator may also be appointed to integrate and coordinate designs as prepared by the specialist's contractors and information heads. At the early stages of the project life, the client may choose to work with client advisers to offer professional advice from the initial stages (Leong & Elleithy 2013). Project managers may also be brought in to represent the client and take up the day to day works in the management of the team.

Besides the above structure, other consultants who may be brought in or required include archeologists, civil engineers, access consultants, consultant engineers, contract administrator, client representative, interior designer, transport engineer, and planning consultant. Others may include landscape architect, facilities manager, surveyor, master planner, lighting designer, and fire engineer. To ensure that the consultants work efficiently, they ought to take up collaborative practices in the early periods of the project, practices that are entailed in the appointment documents. Consultants appointed in the project need to undertake duties and responsibilities assigned. In which the clients consultants take up the duty as sub-consultants similar to the relationship that will put together the contractor, client, and sub-contractor (Borkovskaya 2014). Other effective methods of working include partnering commonly referred to as procurement routes, co-location, and problem resolution processes in addition to management procedures. All the teams often and many a time adopt a collaborative practice that is geared at the best of design and construction project. However, not all the team members work together as they may get involved in unrelated and complex procedures. To avoid a disastrous collaborative practice, a project-wide process is adopted by the team members to structure the entire project towards success. Additionally, according to Wanek, Smith, and Kennedy (2015), an integrated project team system is adopted by the team members to ensure successful delivery of the project. The diagram below shows an integrated project team that includes contractors, suppliers, designers, and facility managers.

Source: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Project_team_for_building_design_and_constructionProject Stakeholders, Roles, and Responsibilities

Although concerns may differ from region to region, related stakeholders are involve engaged in a project construction exercise. The relationship of stakeholders in a project team entails different roles and how their entities work together in line with the needs of the client and the industry in general (Eilers et al., 2016). They include contractors, clients, unions, and the government. For the sake of the contractor, different professional makes up the staff under the contractor. They include plant operators, plasterer, plant mechanic, thatcher, painter, electrician, structural engineers, site foreman, facilities manager, and plant technician. Others may include estimator, construction technician, town planner, supplier, investors, communities, and civil engineers.

Contractors

Contractors make up the project managers. Their central role is to direct the planning and final authorization of the teams work. Often the contractor has its own staff that makes up the skilled personnel who are involved in the overall building. Besides supervising, contractors budget, regulate, and ensure that all entailed in the building meets the overall objectives of the code of requirements. For example, the contractor will ensure that the team meets its objectives. At the same time, the contractor will ensure that the architect designs the house in accordance with the client's needs. The architect at the same time will ensure that the resources provided such as plot is utilized effectively to avoid waste and meet the client's overall needs. At the same time, the contractor will ensure that the builder designs the entire building in accordance with the client's style and preference (Eilers et al., 2016). The builder and architect play a critical role in the entire project from its initial stages to the end with maximum utilization of the resources provided. As part of the contractors team, the two play an important role in ensuring that they meet the laid down targets.

The contractor chief responsibility and duty are to put together all necessary personnel and resources in accordance with the needs of the client. The personnel and professional under the contractor will and may include the plumber, project designer, civil engineer, town planner, and site foreman among others. The contractor will be mandated with the sole responsibility to oversee the successful completion of the project in accordance with the preferences and tastes of the client.

Client

Within the project team is the client, the actual owner of the project. The client may range from a family to an individual, or commercial estate builders, to the government, private entity, and or homeowners. The client may be one engaged in putting up a mall, home, condo, office tower, private residence, commercial buildings, or real estate. Often the client gives directions of the content, style, feel, look, budget, timeline, and resources during for the entire project. The client funds the project and may later sell the project out or rent it (Johnson et al., 2013). At the same time, the client may be putting up his or her own private residence.

The client's chief responsibility and duty are to avail all the necessary resources, money, and requirements that will be needed all through the development of the constructions. At the same time, the client has the chief duty to provide all the guidelines, style, and logistics the project team will need to spearhead the construction successfully to the end.

Government

The federal and state government provides permits and gives the go-ahead for new development. In accordance with the set standards, the government has the mandate to permit the development of a project or provide alternatives and guidelines to the project development (Dejus & Antucheviciene 2013). For example, the state and federal government set the safety measures, codes, and regulations that guide the development of a project.

The government's chief responsibility and duty are to ensure that all the stakeholders adhere to the legislation that guides construction and project development. As the custodians of the law, the government has in place all the guidelines and policies that shape the construction industry. In order to safeguard the interest of all the players, the government has the central mandate to ensure that all is in accordance with the law and guidelines that shape the construction industry.

Unions

Often and many a time, unions play a critical role in the construction of projects. At the same time, sub-contractor and contractors make up as members of a union. The sub-contractors and contractors work hand in hand and in accordance with the processes and policies of the union. At the same time, during the development and organization of the project, unions play a critical role in providing consultation and technical services that are instrumental in the completion of the project at all levels (Wanek, Smith, & Kennedy 2015). Clear understanding and collaboration between the unions and other stakeholders within the project team are critical in the success of the project especially when it comes to understanding the role of each stakeholder and their place in the project development.

The unions chief responsibility is to offer logistical support and guidelines on how best to achieve the set project. At the same time, the union is mandated with putting the interest of the workers in perspective to ensure that all rules and regulations are adhered to in terms of the relationship between the different stakeholders involved in the project development.

Suppliers

With increased awareness of the use of sustainable materials and sustainable buildings, it is gradually becoming clear that material suppliers play a critical role in the overall project development. The contractor has to make an assessment of the building materials necessary for putting up the sustainable building. The contractor and other stakeholders will have to forge a special relationship to plan for the suitable materials the client may desire and those best suitable for the locality. For instance, putting up a home in a cold area may call upon the supplier to recommend materials with enhanced insulations such as porotherm bricks best suitable for internal walls (Harris & McCaffer 2013). Therefore to choose the best materials, the client together with the contractor will have to forge a special relationship and come up with the best type of material suitable for the region and the clients taste/preference.

The supplier core duty is to supply all the needs of the client in conjunction with the contractor. In most cases, the client or contractor provides the supplier with a list of all the items needed for the development of the project. The supplier's main duty is to supply the building materials and in some cases if need be provide logistical support and guidelines on how best to oversee the completion of the project (Wanek, Smith, & Kennedy 2015). A close relationship between the contractor and client is critical to the success of the project in line with the overall objective of the project development.

Importance of Information Management and H...