Global Project Control and Management Systems

Project Controls and Management Systems (PCMS) includes the people, processes and tools for the planning and execution of all phases of capital projects including, but not limited to, Estimating, Cost Control, Planning, Scheduling, Change Management, Progressing, and Forecasting. PCMS has received scant research in the last two decades and there is a popular impression that the principles of PCMS have changed due to many influences, including globalization and information technology. To update PCMS knowledge, the Construction Industry Institute (CII) chartered a research team of project controls experts. The research team reviewed modern PCMS practices, identified areas that need improvement, and provided recommendations and guidance for improving PCMS.

The research team concluded that the principles of PCMS functions that were established in the 1960s and 1970s are still valid today. However, the environment in which modern day construction projects operate has changed dramatically and PCMS needs to adapt accordingly. The drivers of the changing environment are captured in 13 trends:

1. Sophistication of information technology
2. Project complexity
3. Speed of project execution
4. Recognition of changes
5. Changing owner organization direct involvement
6. Globalization
7. Outsourcing
8. Graying of PCMS
9. Contractor specialization
10. Increase in regulatory oversight
11. Distribution of project risks among and within organizations
12. Virtual performers on project teams
13. Labor and materials availability and price elasticity
     

The research team provided recommendations regarding how to adapt PCMS to the modern project environment, as well as how to improve interface management, forecasting, and PCMS learning and development. These recommendations are presented in four separate Implementation Resources as well as a Research Report. This document summarizes the principal findings and provides an introduction to the Implementation Resources.