Overcome Identity Crisis: Top Tips for AEC Project Managers

AEC Project Management: The PM Identity Crisis

Key Concepts:

• PM Identity Crisis: The difficulty AEC organizations face in identifying and tracking their project managers.
• Dual Roles: AEC professionals often have a primary role (engineer, architect) and a secondary role as a project manager.
• Project-Driven Business: The AEC industry's reliance on successful project delivery for financial success, client satisfaction, and reputation.
• PM Career Progression: Classifying PMs into experience levels (junior, deputy, senior) for development and resource allocation.
• Client Relationship: The PM's role in maintaining client relationships and securing repeat business.

The Problem: Identifying Project Managers in AEC

Many AEC organizations struggle to identify their project managers. If asked for a list of PMs, they often can't provide one quickly. This is because project management is often seen as an "also" role, secondary to the professional's primary function (e.g., engineer, architect). This lack of clear identification hinders investment in PM development, retention, and overall strategic planning.

The Impact of Not Knowing Your PMs

• Inability to Evaluate Performance: Without knowing who the PMs are, organizations can't effectively assess their performance.
• Lack of Support and Development: It's impossible to provide targeted training, coaching, and career path growth if PMs aren't identified.
• Difficulty in Planning for Growth: Inability to accurately assess PM resources makes it difficult to plan for future projects and scale the organization effectively. It's like "trying to scale a building without really knowing which beams are loadbearing."
• Analogy to Baseball Team: Just as a baseball team needs designated pitchers, AEC firms need to recognize and develop their project management specialists. You can't just assume "anyone can manage projects."

Steps to Identify and Classify Project Managers

1. Leverage Existing Software:
   • Explore project management software, time tracking systems, or employee directories that might designate employees as project managers.
   • Generate a list of employees with the "project manager" designation within the software.
2. Collaborate with HR:
   • Work with HR to generate a roster of employees.
   • Search job titles and descriptions for the term "project manager."
   • Be aware that "project manager" might not be the primary title.
3. Implement a Clear Naming Structure:
   • For those who solely manage projects, their title should be "Project Manager."
   • For those with dual roles, use a secondary title reflecting project management (e.g., "Civil Engineer / Project Manager").
   • Include job descriptions for both the primary role and the project management responsibilities.
4. Develop a PM Career Progression:
   • Classify PMs into experience levels: Junior PM, Deputy PM, PM, Senior PM.
   • This allows for better resource allocation, targeted training, and mentoring programs.
   • Example: "We have 100 junior PMs, 50 deputy PMs, 25 PMs, and 5 senior PMs."

Benefits of Identifying and Classifying PMs

1. Targeted Learning and Development:
   • Knowing the number of PMs at each level allows for planning and delivery of appropriate training programs (e.g., foundations courses for junior PMs, advanced courses for senior PMs).
2. Effective Mentoring Programs:
   • Facilitates the creation of mentoring relationships between experienced and less experienced PMs.
3. Strategic Hiring and Resource Planning:
   • Provides insights into future PM needs based on project workload and allows for proactive hiring and development.
   • Helps identify potential retirements and the need for succession planning.

The Importance of Investing in Project Managers

• Driving the Bottom Line: PMs are responsible for the profitability of projects, directly impacting the company's financial success.
• Securing Repeat Business: PMs are often the primary client contact, and their performance directly influences client satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat business. Many AEC organizations rely on repeat work (e.g., 90% or more for some clients).
• Client Experience: The client's experience on a project, largely shaped by the PM, is crucial for securing future projects.

Notable Quotes:

• "Trying to scale a building without really knowing which beams are loadbearing" - Analogy for the difficulty of scaling an AEC firm without knowing its PM resources.

Conclusion

Identifying and investing in project managers is crucial for AEC organizations. By implementing clear identification processes, developing career paths, and providing targeted support, firms can improve project delivery, client satisfaction, and overall financial performance. The PM identity crisis must be addressed to unlock the full potential of project management within the AEC industry.