[Saice] Handling Projects in a Consulting Engineer's Practice Course

Mon Sep 21 12:07:33 SAST 2009

 Handling Projects in a Consulting Engineer's Practice

Course Verification Number SAICEproj08/00404/11  Valid until December
2011

Date: 12-13 October 2009

Venue: Bellvista Lodge & Conference Centre, Bellville

Presenter: Wolf Weidemann PrEng

(This training course originally was developed by the presenter, a
Consulting Engineer, at the request of the then

Continuing Education Committee of the South African Association of
Consulting Engineers).

It is regarded as a Core Course, i.e. essential for the younger
practitioner.

BACKGROUND

This two-day course is aimed at the core activity of a consulting
engineer's practice, viz. the way he executes the Client's commission,
right from the pre-appointment submission or tender, the appointment
itself, through the various stages of pre- and final design, tender
documentation, project administration etc., past hand-over to aftercare.
Key elements of Finance and Law are also covered. It thus is intended to
upgrade the knowledge and skills of Project Leaders and those about to
become involved in this process. Directors/Partners who attended the
course found that it inspired them to tighten up their own procedures so
as to be able to impart their knowledge and experience to their people
in a more structured way. Firms who invited Clients to gain an insight
into the world of Consulting Engineering, reported that this improved
understanding and brought about other highly beneficial results.

The course is also a useful precursor to any Consulting Engineering
Quality Management seminar, as it describes fully the process whose
quality has to be assured.

The name "Handling Projects" differentiates this course from the usual
general "project management" type. It is run as a "workshop" over two
full days. No more than 18 delegates are accepted. This ensures adequate
in-depth discussion and gives every delegate maximum opportunity to ask
directly relevant questions and to get practical answers. 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

*         To uncover the structure and processes underlying the flow of
a project through the practice;

*         To develop methods, procedures and check lists to guide this
flow systematically;

*         To make the delegates aware of the many variations in handling
a project and of the associated risks;

*         To impart the fundamentals of the required knowledge and of
the various techniques and skills, especially communication skills and
the important interpersonal aspects;

*         To enhance the skills and insight of the participants to the
level where they are able to decide when to call on the director/partner
for assistance so as not to expose the firm to unnecessary risks, or
when they may proceed with confidence without "delegating upwards";

*         To identify sources of project management tools and of further
information for later additional self-study.

The whole programme is designed to be extremely participative and
practical. Each participant is given his copy of the extensive Workbook
which l serves as a valuable summary and reference source.

Although the course is intended in the first instance for the Project
Manager/Leader, experience has shown it to benefit greatly other senior
staff and even Directors/Partners as well. One of the biggest challenges
here is to ensure quality of individual professional service to the
clients, whilst yet assuring overall cohesion as a business. Once
professional staff have been made aware of the various aspects,
processes and skills required to handle projects systematically and
effectively, it is much easier to get an integrated approach and full
co-operation. As a result:

*         the firm's risk exposure will decrease;

*         the firm's cash-flow and profitability will improve;

*         the firm's quality (both real and perceived) will improve;
and

*         a sense of common purpose will permeate the participant group.

COURSE ENDORSEMENT

To date nearly 1000 participants have completed the course successfully.
With three exceptions, all of them have assessed the course very
positively and have stated in writing that they would recommend it to
others. The course has been validated by SAICE as serving the objectives
of ECSA's Continuing Professional Development Policy. It attracts 2 ECSA
Credits. 

The course also qualifies for partial re-imbursement of costs from the
Skills Development Fund.

WHAT PARTICIPANTS WILL ACHIEVE

Day 1

*         Understand the firm's organisational structure and the correct
position of the Project Leader in it, also the Client's position as far
as the project is concerned, and the required paradigm shift.

*         Understand the role and value of the Project Sponsor, the
mutual support engendered, and the 3-level theory of project marketing
and interaction.

*         Know the fundamentals of Project Management, with special
emphasis on Quality Management; the three dimensions of the project
target, the obligatory respect for community and environment; the
importance of achieving Client Satisfaction and the role of Standards
and Specifications, and which to apply.

*         Know a method of setting priorities for problem solving, and
understand the processes of problem solving and decision making.

*         Able to draw up a time-based Project Network, with details of
Critical Path Analysis, resource levelling, forward loading; getting
time information from role players while avoiding accumulation of safety
factors, and the reasons to avoid statistical methods.

*         Have knowledge of and insight into other planning methods
(PERT, CPM, GANTT), their application and relative ease of understanding
by the non-specialist client; grasp the correct use of the S-curve;
recognise the tremendous financial leverage of the Consulting Engineer's
input; know the critical elements of Project Control.

*         Understand fundamentals of General Management with
cornerstones of Planning, Leading, Organising and Controlling; be aware
of methods of motivation, the leadership demands on the Consulting
Engineer and the value of engaging the Client as a partner. 

*         Insight into and knowledge of the many ways of, and demands
and occasions for, interpersonal and communication skills with clients,
team members and other people in the firm, other professionals involved
with the project, contractors, the media:

*        Meetings - how to arrange them, behave in and chair them; how
to deal with non-functional behaviour; the process of negotiations;
handling conflict and aggression;

*        How to listen and how to speak;

*        Handling complaints and when to seek assistance from the
Project Sponsor;

*        The why's and how's of written communications: 
Structure and format for Letters, Submissions, Proposals, Tenders,
various kinds of Reports;

*        Have a useful insight into the South African Law on
Intellectual Property Rights;

*        Know composition of Press Releases, appreciate value of Public
Relations Consultants.

Day 2

*         Can follow the flow of a project through the practice step by
step, understand the structure and processes underlying it; know the
methods, procedures and check lists to guide this flow systematically:

*        Appreciate the importance and complexities of dealing with all
facets of the Appointment, including Risk Management, and of the choice
and application of various Team Structures and Contracts;

*        Define the Project Objective;

*        Assemble a Project Team; 

*        Plan the Internal Project: Co-ordination, Work & Cost Breakdown
Structures, Project Control

*        Know Internal Budgeting and Control;

*        Know the duties of the Project Leader during the Design Phases;

*        Know Tender Documentation: its Structure, Issue and Receipt;

*        Know requirements for the Adjudication of Tenders and
Recommendation of Tenderers;

*        Know the processes of Appointment of the Contractor and Site
Handover;

*        Know main aspects of Contract Administration: Being impartial
yet helpful, the Construction Phase Monitoring Team, OHS, NEMA and ECT
Acts, Variation Orders, Contract Price Adjustments, Escalation, Extended
Site, Certification, Monthly Reports, Accounts, Penalties,
Non-Performance;

*        Understand processes of Commissioning and Hand-Over;

*        Can deal with the complexities of the Defects Liability Period;

*        Can write Close-out Report and appreciate the importance of
Revisits.

*         Know what to do if things go very wrong;

*         Understand the Basics of Finance and Law.

Enquiries:  Ms Dawn Hermanus, Education & Training, SAICE. T 011-805
5947/8; E dhermanus at saice.org.za

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