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The main task of a project manager is to achieve goals utilizing optimal resources within the deadline. The smooth and optimized project management process helps to reduce costs, adapt to changes, and avoid scope creep and overspending (Wu, 2020). Interior design is with other construction tasks and processes. Thus, designers should closely collaborate with their clients and contractors during planning and implementation stages. The main task of process optimization is to increase efficiency, reduce costs and elapsed time (Wu, 2020). There is no ideal project framework to follow in such a complex environment, and it is challenging to optimize one process without damaging another. This essay discusses the main stages of interior design project management and present methods for scheduling and bidding optimization.
Design Process and Scheduling
The interior design process starts with the preliminary studies of the property and the creative process of concept design. During this stage, designers develop ideas, early 3D models, and various design styles to meet the client’s needs stated in the brief. Next, the design development stage requires layout options and material schemes, which should be discussed with the client (Mohan, 2017). Finally, designers detail the design and exact measurements by drawing plans (electrical, plumbing) if the property owner is happy. In this stage, it is crucial to get approval from the regulatory body for building or renovation.
The conceptual design stage is followed by the technical part, which aims to deliver a comprehensive construction pack for the build. Before starting tender, designers are obliged to identify electrical, sanitary, and joinery requirements together with specifications and finishes schedules (Mohan, 2017). The scheduling stage indicates activities, deadlines for their completion, and resources necessary for these activities. The interior design project should also be divided into smaller tasks using such simple tools as Gantt charts, calendars, and task lists. This step has the most decisive impact on time management and requires proper control and monitoring.
One of the most critical optimization problems is the construction time-cost issue. Owners and clients usually strive to minimize both duration of the project and its cost while maximizing the quality. Nevertheless, if the client wants to complete the project earlier, the contractor will need additional resources to fulfill designated tasks. The heuristic, metaheuristic, and mathematical methods are currently used to optimize scheduling (Alothaimeen & Arditi, 2019). They consist of project scheduling algorithms, such as the critical path method (CPM), genetic algorithm, and dynamic programming.
Bidding Optimization
The bidding process begins as the design stages are finished. It is a step when cost estimation is done, and contractors have a chance to submit their quotes. A contractor with the best value should be awarded the bid by the owner or construction manager. In this case, the lower price is not always the better option. The most important factors are past subcontractor’s experience and performance in similar projects. According to Maqsoom et al. (2019), managers should consider the financial stability, technical capacity (planning, quality assurance, and equipment holding), and contractors’ past performance during bid evaluation and contractor selection. The bidding stage determines and influences the further project management stages, including budgeting and even the final quality of the project.
For that reason, new technologies are often applied in bidding to optimize it by avoiding manual calculation of quantities requirement. The standard calculation method may result in errors within the bidding documents, especially the bill of quantities (Wei, 2017). For instance, the Building Information Modeling (BIM) software can be used for automatic calculation based on a detailed analysis of the proposed design that considers each building component. With the help of this work platform, designers can incorporate interior design models into the one shared information model. In general, BIM and other project management tools improve scheduling, cost efficiency, and even contract documentation (Wei, 2017). It is vital to maintain project visibility by applying special tools and systems to share documents among key stakeholders and project teams.
Budget Estimation, Contract Admin, and Project Completion
The next project stage is the budget estimation that considers prices and quantity of furniture, finishes, and fixtures needed for the implementation stage. At this step, sourcing of suppliers should also be completed to ensure the delivery of materials of the necessary quality (Wu, 2020). In other words, this stage mobilizes required resources preparing contractors to follow the design plans and schedules. A Gantt chart or PM tools are needed to monitor the timeline for each of the activities. The already mentioned algorithms would also help predict the final cost of the entire project.
The contract administration stage is about the management task to ensure that contractors execute their obligations according to the contract. The project manager plays the intermediary role between the client and contractors, transferring instructions, progress reports and considers claims. In this case, the main issue is the abundance of documents that should be submitted and circulated between stakeholders (Mohan, 2017). In order to optimize this project phase, some documents should be merged. For instance, a list of subcontractors can be merged with a bidding document. In addition, the contractor’s affidavit of payments of debts and claims and affidavit of the release of liens may be included in one document.
The phase between project acceptance and substantial completion may be one of the hardest ones for project managers. Designers have to inspect the site to determine if additional work is needed to remove defects and finalize the completion stage. Consultants make a deficiency list containing problems that contractors should address. Sometimes poorly prepared design documents due to frequent changes become the primary source of defects instead of poor implementation.
To conclude, project management plays an essential role in construction and interior design in achieving project goals. Every stage of the project management process should be well-defined and detailed to avoid design document deficiencies that result in a mismatch between client/owners’ needs and the final product. Methods that have the potential to optimize the entire process enclose such PM tools as BIM, CMP, and dynamic programming.
References
Alothaimeen, I., & Arditi, D. (2019). Overview of multi-objective optimization approaches in construction project management. In N. Vakhania & F. Werner (Eds.), Multicriteria optimization –Pareto-Optimality and Threshold-Optimality (pp. 47-77). Intech Open.
Maqsoom, A., Bajwa, S., Zahoor, H., Thaheem, M. J., & Dawood, M. (2019). Optimizing contractor’s selection and bid evaluation process in construction industry: Client’s perspective. Revista de la Construcción, 18(3), 445-458. Web.
Mohan, S. (2017). The four stages of an interior design project. Interiors Addict. Web.
Wei, L. (2017). Application of BIM technology in construction bidding. 1st International Global on Renewable Energy and Development, Singapore.
Wu, T. (2020). Optimizing project management. Auerbach Publications.
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