FAQ1 – Engineering & Management

Excerpts from the online interview – questionnaire raised by the Facilities Management College (FMC) – BS in Business Administration Major in Operations Management students in Metro Manila, Ph. on October 2011

FMC BSBA- Operation Management

Questions:

   

1. What is civil engineering and how do you define it?
2.  As a civil engineer what are the characteristic to attract your proposal for your project?
3.  What are the particular problem you encounter as an architect or an engineer specialized? and how you solve it?
4.  What are the factors that you consider in making the project?
5.  How do you define space planning?
6.  How does the autoCAD and software Primavera help?
7. General concept or advice that you can give?
8. Planning formal procedure?
9. Creation of documents?
10. Activities? Strategies?
    

1. What is civil engineering and how do you define it?

Civil Engineering is a branch of engineering discipline which deals with the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including general works like infra-structures (i,e road, ports, bridges, parks, dam) and vertical Structures (Building & High-rise Tower). The professional who practices Civil Engineering is called “Civil Engineer”.

2. As a civil engineer what are the characteristic to attract your proposal for your project?

In this highly competitive world, tendering a proposal for project has to come in two packages, the Technical offer and financial offer to warrant the success of the project.

• Technical Offer should constitute the field of specialty in Civil Engineering works, Professional Profile with works experiences, accreditation and Licenses , standard Quality Assurance, Liability Statement, Methodology, Programme of works, list of qualified key human resources, base reference material sourcing, specifications and conditions of contract.

• Financial Offer that encompasses a Priced Bill of Quantities, Bank statement of accounts, credit line, security bond and terms of payment.

3. What are the particular problem you encounter as an architect specialized? and how you solve it?

Architectural Problem comes on different stages & various fashions:

1. Design Stage: Problems such In-sufficient information i.e survey data, client’s budget, and delayed approval time are common.

2.  Implementation Stage or Post Contract Management: Bad Weather condition,  permits, owner’s change orders, delayed payments, labor unrest, inflation and Inferior quality of workmanship and unavailability of materials.

In order to formulate solutions and remedial measures, the architect has to identify the problem and what causes the problem. Internal technical workshop meeting with key personnel has to be called upon and address the issues. Establish the facts, distribute plans of action and delegate responsibilities to subordinates to demand optional proposals.

Submit an impact analysis with detailed statement and particulars to include current and previous notices. Consultation meeting with client, its representatives and concerned parties has to be set-up to discuss mitigating procedure on how to lessen the effect of the problem to the project. Request the client opinion and approval of proposal with concurrent schedule associated on cost variation and extension of time claims.

Documentation of incoming correspondence and submittal or approvals, and reply to issues is significant to protect the architect or engineer legally. “The Loss lies where it falls.” an algorithm which is useful in any contractual dispute resolution.

4. What are the factors that you consider in making the project?

The important factors in making the project which has to be considered in initiating the project (design), planning, implementing, monitoring until the close-out process are signified by letters A, B, C, D, E, F & P and defined as follows:

• A       –        Accessibility
• B       –        Beauty
• C       –        Comfort ability
• D       –        Durability
• E       –        Economy
• F       –        Functionality
• P       –        Privacy

5. How do you define space planning?

Prior to the implementation of ISO standardization, Planning is associated with Design. However, today’s Design is linked to the Technical field of specialty while Planning is classified as a management control process.

Space Planning refers to an architectural or interior design terminology represented by layout plans, sectional details and elevation drawings for departmental work group spaces providing the best opportunity for efficient work flow, communication and supervision. Layout designs may provide partitioning of work groups, an environment suitable for the business needs of the organization.

The designer has to take into account several factors, including:

• Ventilation and Air-conditioning
• Lighting and power supply
• Tables, Chairs and equipment arrangement
• Voice and data cabling
• Fire Protection, Fire Alarm & Fire Escape
• Noise/acoustics
• Toilets & Break Room with drinking facility
• Storage Space and workshops
• Reception, Waiting Space and Meeting facility
• Security Access Control system
• Specification Writing

6. How does the autoCAD and Primavera software help?

autoCAD is a computer aided design software for standard used in the production of design drawings and architectural rendering. While, Primavera software is widely used to develop Planning programmes and handling of analysis reports for projects. These autoCAD and Primavera systems are high performance, smart and accurate software that are to be operated by CAD designer and planners respectively.

7. General concept or advice that you can give?

Anybody can be a Designer or Planner that may not necessarily be an engineer depending upon its level of responsibility and viability as per the project requirement, as long as you know the fundamental parameters of data and functions to run the systems.

‘A good manager may not know everything but at least knows where to find the knowledge she/he needs’. Being computer literate, the MS office computer program is the minimum requirement to land a promising office job. If you wish to proceed on design and planning ability there are much user friendly software to begin with, such as Google Sketch-up and the MS Project software.

8. Planning formal procedure?

Planning is a management process, deals with defining goals or purpose for future operational performance. It is a procedure of thinking about the list in logical order of activities, task or scope of work required to create a measurable target schedule by using time and resources. The primary planning package tool is called “Programme of Works”, consisting of illustrative drawings, method statements with safety & risk assessment, document register, and resource loaded computer system programme where histograms, charts, reports and progress flow curves can be generated.

The management software such as Primavera 6.x and MS project are widely used in planning. The professional which operate the system is known as a “Planner”. The Planner is responsible for developing a Baseline or Master Programme, monitor & update progress, and prepares portfolio analysis reports to be distributed to all concerned levels of the organization. These reports are vital in evaluating the project status, key performance indicator, identifying particulars on minutes of meetings, establishing action plans or mitigation procedures, and delivers transparency options in advance for management decision that will give more power to control over the future.

The programme that is used for updating progress is called “Current Programme” and it is a copy of the Target Programme which could be the Baseline at its initial stage. A “Recovery Programme” may be required to be developed due to unforeseen delay events by using the current updates and make necessary adjustment in the schedule to finish on the original completion date. When the remaining tasks are found impractical to finish on time, then a “Revised Programme” is to be developed for an extended period.

Extension of Time determination is a practice of executing an impact analysis substantiated by document that causes the delay event including detailed statements, notices and assertion. The specialist which performs an Extension of Time claim is called a “Forensic Planner”.  The Claim document is a management instrument that can be used for amicable settlement with contractual parties, and further to dispute resolution that sometimes lead to arbitration proceedings.

“Things might go worst no matter how it is carefully planned but at least there were plans on how to carry-out those things”. 

Resources:

Resources are required to be identified, each types, quantity and assignment or utilization to different task on scheduled time in order to create a realistic planning programme and successfully deliver its operation or project on time.

4-m Resources categories

1. Manpower   –        Human resources, Labor, key & supporting staff including sub-contractor & third party specialist
2. Machinery   –        Equipment, tools, drawings, computers…
3. Materials     –        Specified & approved materials including suppliers
4. Money          –        Financial budget requirement or expected monetary value in contract.

Beginners Basic Steps in Planning:

• 1        List-Down the activities and requirements of your project.
• 2        Create a gantt-chart by adding calibrated intervals of planning units (ie. Days, weeks, months, years, hours) beside the list and draw each corresponding activity bars in logical sequence taking consideration on the possible spans of time to complete each activity.
• 3.       Tabulate the weighted percentage  of each activity derive from physical level of effort, time-wise value or the cost-wise value of activities proportional to the over-all value of the project which is 100 %.
• 4        Determine the current progress by establishing the data-date vertical on the time of update. Calculate the current planned percentage and superimpose the calculated actual percentage of the work done on activities that is going-on or completed within the period. The summation of Actual percentage of activities signifies the total progress of the project and  the algebraic difference between Actual versus Planned total percentage represent the variance or slippage which could be (-) negative for delay in schedule and (+) positive for ahead schedule.
• 5        This exercise can be transformed into the Management software for planning such as Primavera for quick handling of reports as resources of activities can be loaded accordingly as well the establishment of logical relationship loop lines. The histograms, curves and tabulated analysis can be generated automatically. As a planner you can determine what causes the problem particularly delays or slow progress, and recommends catch-up procedures to alleviate the status of your project.

9. Creation of documents?

Create the Documents

• 1        Inventory of existing documents & list of deliverables prior to your first meeting with the top management. Create a document register.

• 2         Create the “Ownership Matrix” like existing, organizational charts and company directories prior to your first meeting with the top manager.

• 3         Meet with the top manager and review your “Inventory” and “Ownership Matrix.” Note changes if any and solicit their approval of your intention.

• 4         Meet with each department head after you’ve made all of the top manager’s changes to your “Inventory” and “Ownership Matrix. Initiate discussions on each department head’s role and the process steps including deliverables. Take detailed minutes of meeting stating subject particulars, actions and remarks.

• 5         Update all list of deliverables as information from each department head after department head meeting

• 6         Meet with the appropriate supervisors, Leading Hands and others involved in the process to clarify what is really going on in that step of the process. Take again a detailed Minutes of Meeting.

• 7         Complete your first draft of all of your documents that fully complete based on all of the information that you’ve obtained to date. & distribute to respective department heads and sub-ordinates for their review, changes & comments.

• 8         Initiate a second round of individual meetings with the same department heads and subordinates to review all of the changes & comments.

• 9         Complete all of the red-line revisions. Submit this final draft to the respective department heads and subordinates for their final review. Submit the entire final draft concurrently to the top manager for the top manager’s review.

• 10       Make the final revisions and submit these revised documents back to the initiator for final approval. There may be numerous back and forth revisions prior to final approval. However, your documentation isn’t considered approved until the top manager has reviewed and approved it.

Reminder:

• Meetings can be disturbing as you are interrupting someone’s work period. Be efficient to keep the meetings focused on the specific issues by preparing the pertinent materials available, such as the Agenda, “Process Flow Chart” or other documents.

10. Activities and Strategy?

Activities:

In Planning, the Activities are in the lowest level of the Work-Breakdown-Structure. These are these are the simplest form of detail objectives that constitute certain scope of work needed to complete the Project. An activity is classified into the following types:

• TASK                   –        an activity to be scheduled on specific time periods and its resources can be assigned when it is needed within the period and accomplish a common value of work.

• Individual             –        an activity that consist of resources that may not work simultaneously as they don’t have equal amount of production to complete.

• Meeting                 –        an activity that requires all types of resources to work simultaneously from beginning as a team and finish the work together.

• Hammock & WBS-        is to monitor the elapse duration from start to finish of a group of activities. Its resource duration expires only when the last activity in a group finishes.

• Start Milestone     –        represent a point of time and indicates the start of an activity in a series of activities

• Finish Milestone   –        represent a point of time and indicates the finish of an activity in a series of activities

Strategy:

Strategic planning is fundamental to creating and running a business. Just like a game plan that sets specific goals and objectives but capable of being changed in response to shifting market dynamics, you need to know what you’re up against so you can plan your market and competitive strategy. Here are the basic steps to strategic planning.

• 1          Set your long-term goals. Where do you want the company to be in five years? These include such key objectives as product line up, growth objectives, sales and revenue goals, profit targets, and human resource plans, Think along the vision of, “We want to be the number one provider of Motorcycles in the country.”

• 2            Conduct a market and competitive analysis. You need to understand your target market’s dynamics, which includes demographics and the characteristics of your target and potential costumers (how, when and where do they buy the product or service you offer). You also need to understand your competitors, gathering information on the marketing: pricing, product, promotion and placement (distribution).

• 3          Assess your company current financial status detail in terms of capital & revenue ratio.

• 4          Analyze the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This enables you to transparently evaluate your firm’s strengths and weaknesses, and based on the available market data.

• 5          Compare where you are now and five years out. How big is the gap between the two? Determine what steps need to be taken to enable you to cross this gap over the next five years given what you’ve evaluated in your analysis. If the gap is too big, review and possibly reset your strategic plan.

• 6          Map out your strategic plan in writing & chart, initially in monthly basis for the first year, then quarterly and finally annually in the later years. Meet regularly to review actual vs. planned. Share with the management team and all your employees, and assign tasks at all levels so everybody is working towards the plan.

• 7          Be flexible. The market changes constantly, with new competition coming in, prices shifting, global economics impacting things. Your strategic plan should be periodically reviewed at least once a year or as maybe necessary to update your strategy as new information becomes available.

For more info, visit @ erosets and erosets forums

Notes on facebook