An Estate Surveyor and Valuer ESV Achir John Aondowase, said the Estate Surveyor and Valuer needs to adopt waterfall and hybrid project management methodologies in property development.
ESV. Aondowase made this known in Abuja, yesterday.
He said that Property development is one of the professional services rendered by Estate Surveyors and Valuers .
He said it is very important to have a good understanding of the various methodologies when undertaking property development in project management.
“There are various project methodologies that are used for different types of projects. These include but not limited to Waterfall, Scrum, Hybrid, Kanban, Lean, Six sigma, Prince 2 and DUCAP (Delivering Unified Controlled Agile Project, which is a methodology developed by Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria and tailored to be used in Nigeria)among others”.
He stated that waterfall and Hybrid methodologies
are Project Integration Management, Project scope Management, Project Schedule Management, Project Cost Management, Project Resource Management, Project Quality Management, Project .
Others are Communication Management, Project Risk Management, Project Procurement Management, Project Stakeholder Management.
“These are treated under the 5 process groups which are Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and controlling and Closing process Groups”.
Waterfall Methodology
He said according to the Project Management Institute (PMI), the waterfall methodology of project management is a linear, sequential approach to project management where each phase of the project must be completed before the next one begins.
“It’s characterized by a distinct sequence of phases, typically including requirements, design, implementation, testing, and maintenance. It allows little or no iteration and it is also known as the predictive or traditional approach”.
THE INITIATION PROCESS GROUP: This is the conceptualization of the entire idea for the project. The owner or sponsor brings out the broad ideas in view of the project. The benefits analysis is documented. Here, the Estate Surveyor who doubles as the project Manager is engaged and a project charter is developed.
This Charter gives the project manager the authority to engage resources for this project, make decisions and move forward with project activities. A business case is also prepared, this shows the justification of the project to be undertaken.
He also commences identification and documentation of stakeholders by creating a stakeholders register. He gave an instance, saying that the stakeholders will include but not limited to the sponsor, who is the major stakeholder, the entire building team including the architects, builders , Civil, mechanical and electrical engineers etc. who are part of the internal stakeholders.
“We also have external stakeholders such as the regulatory bodies from the government such as The Department of Development Control in Abuja.
Planning Process Group:
In adapting waterfall methodology, the planning process is very critical as all planning of all knowledge areas mentioned earlier take place here.
This include defining project scope and objectives, developing the project management plan, gathering and documenting requirements, creating a work breakdown structure, estimating resources and durations, developing a project schedule, establishing budgets and cost management plans. “In this process, the drawings are produced and inputs made by the stakeholders, the Bill of Quantities is also produced”.
Execution Process Group :
This signifies, the commencement of work as the building team formally moves to site. It involves implementing project tasks and activities, managing and directing project work, procuring and managing external resources, communicating with stakeholders, managing and reporting on project progress.
“This is where the project plans are executed. Recall that all planning are usually done and the execution is like a waterfall, without changes. Unlike scrum, execution in the predictive, Traditional or waterfall methodology does not accept changes in requirement when execution is ongoing”.
Monitoring and Controlling Process Group
Here, works are checked against plans during execution. The project manager tracks the progress and performance, takes corrective action to get back on track, and conducts quality control and assurance activities. Risks and issues are also identified here. The Estate Surveyor here ensures that the work is executed based on the plans earlier made. His duty as a supervisor is truly tested as he ensures a vivid check on resources, time and other factors.
Closing Losing Group This process signifies the formal completion of the project and transition to the owner or receiving authority. Lessons learned are documented (based on feedbacks and insights) and a formal acceptance is got from the stakeholders on the deliverable, in this situation, the completed property. All contracts and procurement are closed and the project final results are documented. An assessment and evaluation of project success is carried out.
Hybrid Methodology
This combines 2 or more methodologies which are tailored to suite the project.
“In the use of hybrid methodology, the Estate Surveyor who doubles as the project manager may find if challenging using just 1 specific methodology from agile.
He will have to adopt an ‘’an agile state of mind’’ in execution. For the benefit of clarity, we would highlight the 12 principles of agile which are
Customer satisfaction through early and continuous delivery of valuable software,
“Welcoming change in requirements even late in development, Frequent delivery, Cooperation between business people and developers, Motivation, Face to face conversation as the best form of communication, Working products, Promoting sustainable development, Quality assurance through continuous attention to technical excellence and good design, Simplicity, Self-Organizing Teams and Reflection and adjustment.
Based on the 12 principles of Agile, the project Manager will fix his mindset to a way of thinking that emphasizes adaptability, collaboration and continuous improvement.”
The principle here embraces flexibility to mitigate risk, iterative progress and stakeholder satisfaction including investors, contractors and end users.
He said for best practices, the Estate Surveyor will clearly define project vision, scope and objectives. This includes budget and goals, Assemble a team and foster a culture of collaboration by encouraging open communication and team work amongst stakeholders such as architects, engineers, artisans, contractors . Breakdown the project into smaller manageable tasks or sprints, develop a flexible work schedule by allowing for adjustments and changes during the project life cycle while adapting to new requirements, Prioritize stakeholder engagement by having regular meetings with the team to discuss progress, address issues and make adjustments.( Daily stand Ups).
Emphasize quality, sustainability and continuous monitoring/ improvement, Regularly track project progress by using visual tools such as kanban boards and Gantt charts) and identify areas of improvement.
He concluded by saying that both methods are good but with evolving technologies and new innovations coming up regularly.
He said advised that hybrid methodology should be used in less complex developments.
