For the large, knowledgeable construction client, the ability of the UK construction industry, and in particular, the ability of the consultant project manager to deliver capital building projects in accordance with defined objectives specified in relation to time, cost and quality, is viewed with increasing uncertainty. Evidence suggests that the client frequently acquires an asset that is compromised in terms of its ability to contribute to their core business function. Clearly, the procurement of a new capital building asset represents only a relatively small proportion of the total life cycle of the asset, however, the ability of that asset to fully and successfully realise the core business activities over its complete life cycle can be significantly influenced by the success or failure of that procurement process. Since consultant project managers are apparently unable to appropriately discharge the project management function so as to successfully deliver capital building assets, there is a case against employing consultant project managers to control the delivery process. Rather, clients may be better advised to engage facilities managers, who retain responsibility for the operation and management of the asset post- delivery, to control the procurement process in such a way that the delivered asset will be optimised in relation to its ability to deliver the core business objectives of the client organisation over its complete life cycle. However, it should be noted that the executive project management function was originally conceived to address the very same issues as those presently demanded by the contemporary construction client. The implications of this for facilities management in attempting to successfully discharge the executive management of the delivery of capital building projects are twofold: First, the facility management discipline must embrace the body of project management knowledge which has been successfully applied in industries other than construction; Second, the facility management discipline must be successful in securing the lead role in the design and construction process in order that an executive project management function can be discharged effectively. It is this second area, where in the past the consultant project management discipline was unsuccessful due to prevailing prejudices within the UK construction industry, that is of primary importance to the facility management discipline if it is to succeed in successfully delivering projects that fully satisfy the needs of experienced clients.

This item is no longer available.