The best way to avoid any problem is to get ahead of it — not to anticipate it, but rather identify it. Such foresight can be a remarkable asset when your organization is dealing with considerable construction projects. As any business can attest to, the management of any construction project, be it a straightforward building project for a small clinic or a massive commercial development on reclaimed land, can be open to possible disputes that lead to claims and, most likely, litigation.

Both parties involved in the project will be affected. The client may well be exposed to liabilities and suffer project delays while the contractor could experience profit loss. To steer clear of such costly delays to any project, most businesses will need to obtain a claims analysis service from an expert in the industry.

This type of analysis might best serve a project when it is undertaken in the form of periodic reviews, which can identify factors that might delay a project, allowing for immediate resolutions to be formulated. Performing a sound analysis to determine the client or contractor’s exposure to potential liabilities may be averted, or at the very least, create well thought-out strategies to address them.

In the event of a claim being lodged, the claims analyses expert will need to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. This requires looking through a factual record, which means implementing an efficient fact-finding process in order to secure evidence — from getting documentary records by doing an electronic search of significant email correspondences to obtaining first-hand knowledge by visiting the jobsite.

It should be realistic to assume that with the scale of certain construction and even engineering projects, the relevant documents may just take up an entire room or two. A claims analyst would save a lot of time and energy by focusing on documents that have been identified by the project staff and those that have been referred to in other documents, as these might just turn out to be critical evidence that have been overlooked.  

Aside from factual record, analysing the claim will also entail knowledge and comprehension of governing laws, the contract language and obligations, and relevant local trade practices.

Disputes. Accidents. Negligence. Certain situations can prove to be very problematic for both parties involved in any project. And the resulting impacts can put the project on hold and cause financial losses for both sides. While there are problems that prove to be unavoidable, the expertise and resources of a claims analyst can help businesses conquer or cope with the effects of submitted claims. 

In order to thrive in today’s economic climate, businesses should continuously deliver great products and services for their customers. Often, developing unique ideas entails a deviation from the normal operations, which requires not only the use of creativity and innovation, but also a concentrated and disciplined effort.

By its nature, a project is different from batch or mass production such that it has a specific timeframe of completion and the end result is unique from the usual output of an organization. As such, it is sometimes best to enlist the aid of international project management consultants to ensure efficiency, manage costs and ensure that deadlines are met.

When should you enlist the aid of an independent project management consultant?

A consultant is often called in when the organization has no expertise or experience in a particular area. Some organizations resort to a consultant when their initial attempt has floundered. Consultants are also called in as an objective third party to help resolve disagreements within the organization. In order to reap the benefits of consultancy, an organization must be clear about what its goals are and what the consultant should do for it. While it is crucial to prevent dependency on a consultant, the organization should encourage the consultant to actively participate in providing and implementing recommendations.

 How can an organization pick the best consultant?

The search for a reliable, expert consultant begins with a request for proposal which will outline the needs of the organization. After getting written proposals from interested firms and individual consultants, the organization can then proceed to bidding. At this stage, it is crucial to examine all proposals thoroughly. Once a shortlist has been made, the business organization can proceed to interview the best candidates as well as check for their references. Although it is tempting to opt for a consultant based on the fees they ask for, organizations should instead focus on what the consultant brings to the table. This includes experience and expertise, listening skills and the ability to adapt to your organization and its specific needs.

Once a candidate has been picked, the organization can draft a contract. This contract should clearly outline the deliverables expected from the consultant as well as the date when the project is expected to be completed. The contract should also detail the payment schedule, milestones or checkpoints by which the progress of the project will be evaluated, and the person in your organization who is authorized to approve expenditures or work output.

In today’s globalized economy that is still recovering from widespread challenges and setbacks, it pays to be smart and conservative when it comes to business expenditures. Every contract, project, campaign or venture should be designed, planned and executed meticulously to make sure there will be a significant return on investment in the long run. Proposed changes as well as existing processes should be reviewed thoroughly to see which works and which may actually be detrimental to the company’s growth and profit potential. In a time when everything’s changing at a fast rate, you should be able to have a strategy that lets you manage, if not eliminate, risks effectively.

Business leaders navigating the increasingly risky business environment today know that investing in the services of reliable, experienced and highly competent project management consultants is one key action plan that will enable them to make sure each endeavor will meet its target objectives or even exceed expectations, if possible. Project managers are like the conductor in a symphony: the direction, vision and standards they implement will ensure every player performs well individually, and in harmony with others as well.

A good project manager sees himself or herself as more of a problem solver; after all, projects are conceived to essentially address a problem or fulfill a need. A construction company is contracted because there is a problem of poor infrastructure; suppliers are called to bid because the client can’t meet increasing demands; a security agency’s services are hired as backup for a potentially huge public event. The project management team’s goal is to define the core problem, design the solutions and the system to implement it. All other tasks such as managing people or setting timetables are informed by the core framework that was identified.

Project management teams with relevant experience in global businesses also understand that managing resources is an integral part of their job. Effective cost planning in project management plans ensures the project will not exceed the capacity of the labor force and the existing resources. In fact, some clients measure the success of the project primarily through product quality and effective cost management, which is actually a practical and realistic metric in any industry or environment.

The right project management team can make or break a venture. Investing in seasoned professionals with local expertise and a track record of excellence can save and enhance identity and the reputation of the companies seeking visibility and reach in today’s highly competitive business environment.

PIPMC has been appointed to be the Project Management Consultant of The Millennium Golf Resort at Al Ain, Abu Dhabi. The city’s upcoming hotel will have incredible luxury of living in the lap of over 220 rooms and suites and 60 chalets (1 room, 2 rooms, and 3 bedrooms). This hotel will cater to refine the taste with a panoramic view of the scintillating resort against the backdrop of the magical Jebel Hafeet and the reality of pristine tranquility.

PIPMC was awarded to be the Project Management Consultant for the construction of Bateen Marina Development. The project will be having a built-up area of 54,000 square meters, consisting a 5-star hotel with 265 rooms, 35 villas compound, a marina club and ancillary facilities. It will also have 210 basement parking spaces and 46 surface parking spaces.

The Arabian MEP invited PIPMC to be given an appreciation for its outstanding support in Dubai 2020 Expo bid. The PIPMC was asked to present a talk regarding Dubai’s winning bid to host the Expo 2020 with a vision of â€œExpo2020 Dubai bringing life, Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.”

The convention was held in Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center on March 17 to 19, 2014. This exhibition was supported and approved by Ministry of Works, Kingdom of Bahrain and patronized by the Works Minister. 

Last November 28, 2012, PIPMC was given an appreciation for its generous commitment and support to the success of Abu Dhabi University Career Fair 2012.