Reshaping approaches to manage construction projects for the needs of smart built environments

Abstract

The relevance of systems thinking as a competence of significance for project managers has been pointed out particularly in publications by project management associations such as IPMA and APM. Particularly it is complex projects where systems thinking can have an important role. Those disclose the need for holistic systems approaches where viable project systems can be designed. As a project planning solution, the resultant project system represents an overall structure to be used when the project logic is communicated and various project stakeholders are engaged. The project system can capture the principles of significance and associated processes for explaining the key elements of targeted project performance. As a project management solution, the project system can help to understand the behavior of project in question. The explained systems approach has gained rather limited presence in research addressing construction project management. This paper shall present main results of a research effort, which included development of a solution, termed as integrative project system, for designing actual project systems for collaborative construction projects, which are seen as important vehicles for reaching smart built environments. Here collaborative construction projects are understood as endeavors where key partners are closely operating together with shared risks and opportunities for reaching highest possible performance and benefit. For this type of construction projects, the actual practices and processes are rather poorly understood, often leading to disappointments. The resultant solution explains the structure of project system for collaborative construction projects (principles, key elements and their structuring). It can be used as starting point for designing needed project systems. The gained results are based on an action research that was carried out in co-operation with representatives from public and private sectors.