Project managers within the construction industry possibly have a lack of sufficient and effective management skills. This study aims to find solutions, and to propose a model with guidelines for creating a profile for effective project management, as well as to determine the characteristics and skills needed by a project manager. Basic management principles, tasks, responsibilities and behaviour of the project manager are researched and these results may form the basis for creating of a probable profile for a construction project manager. If a profile can be created based on the research, this profile might be used to prepare the project manager for effective management and the successful completion of projects. Construction project managers can be measured by means of this profile and adapt where necessary to meet the requirements. Gaps that are thus identified can be rectified. This profile can form the basis of model proposing to measure the maturity of the profile for the construction project manager in construction project management companies. Individuals will also be able to evaluate themselves and to adapt where necessary. The research shows regular cooperation between project managers in the construction industry and other stakeholders, and that poor management by the project manager contributes to project failure. Although management guidelines exist, it is evident that project managers do not implement them effectively. This has a possible negative impact on the projects. It is important that the project manager has some characteristics and skills to successfully implement management functions. When a construction project is undertaken, timely identification of tasks and activities, management areas, functions and responsibilities is important in order for the project manager to be knowledgeable about what is expected. The areas of management, the functions and responsibilities of the project manager can be regarded as the task of the project manager, while certain skills and characteristics can assist the project manager to successfully perform the necessary management tasks. The profile for a project manager is compiled by identifying the tasks (management areas, functions and responsibilities) and the aids (skills and characteristics) needed for the successful execution of the task.

There is a need for a human performance modeling tool which not only has the ability to accurately estimate skilled user task time for any interface design, but can be used by modelers with little or no programming knowledge and at a minimal cost. To fulfill this need, this research investigated the accuracy of task time prediction of a modeling tool CogTool - on two versions of an interface design used extensively in the petrochemical industry DeltaV. CogTool uses the KeyStroke Level Model (KLM) to calculate and generate time predictions based on specified operators. The data collected from a previous study (Koffskey, Ikuma, & Harvey, 2013) that investigated how human participants (24 students and 4 operators) performed on these interfaces (in terms of mean speed in seconds) were compared to CogTools numeric time estimate. Three tasks (pump I, pump II and cascade system failures) on each interface for both participant groups were tested on both interfaces (improved and poor), on the general hypothesis that CogTool will make task time predictions for each of the modeled tasks, within a certain range of what actual human participants had demonstrated. The 95% confidence interval (CI) tests of the means were used to determine if the predictions fall within the intervals. The estimated task time from CogTool did not fall within the 95% CI in 9 of 12 cases. Of the 3 that were contained in the acceptable interval, two belonged to the experienced operator group for tasks performed on the improved interface, implying that CogTool was better in predicting the operators performance than the students. A control room monitoring task, by its nature, places great demand on an operators mental capacity. This also includes the fact that operators work on multiple screens and/or consoles, sometimes requiring them to commit information to memory that they have to revisit a screen to check on some vital information. In this regard, it is suggested that the one user mental operator for think time (estimated as 1.2sec), should be revised in CogTool to accommodate the demand on the operator. For this reason, the present CogTool prediction did not meet expectations in estimating control room operator task time, but it however succeeded in showing where the poor interface could be improved by comparing the detailed steps to the improved interface.

Human factors as important sources for increasing efficiency and performance in the construction industry are often cited as contributors to project success. This stems from the limited success of technical management of projects in terms of completing projects in time, within approved cost and to a satisfactory quality. Against this background, the aim of the study was to investigate behavioural project systems management as a way of increasing success and productivity. The objective of the study was to identify and investigate human factors that may reinforce positive behaviours that in turn may improve productivity. The study identified and investigated 64 human factors that influence positive behaviours for improved construction productivity. The result of the study showed that although all 64 human factors are very significant in encouraging positive behaviours, 21 of the factors were found to be extremely significant and are more likely to exert a higher influence towards positive behaviours. The highest ranked human factor was identified as âability and willingness to accept responsibilityâ while the least ranked was identified as âcharisma of leadershipâ. The study also identified and investigated 23 positive construction worker behaviours that may improve productivity. The result of the study further showed that although all these construction worker positive behaviours are very significant in influencing improved construction productivity, twelve of the positive behaviours were found to be extremely significant and are more likely to exert a higher influence on improved productivity. The highest ranked positive behaviour was identified as âcompleting task at hand on scheduleâ while the least ranked positive behaviour was identified as âmaking sacrifices for the well-being of the companyâ. Conclusions drawn from this research are that when the 64 factors are present in a construction environment, they influence the 23 positive behaviours, thus improving construction productivity. In addition, these positive behaviours serve as key behaviour indicators for motivation, commitment, satisfaction and loyalty levels of workers while twelve of these positive behaviours were identified as extremely significant positive behaviours and, serve as key behaviour indicators for motivation, commitment and loyalty levels of workers. From the research, recommendations that construction practitioners should pay attention and resources to such factors as effective communication, good co-worker relationships, staff skill development and good remuneration and fringe benefits are made in order to have a positive influencing on worker behaviour. Human behavioural management should therefore be introduced in project implementation for improving construction productivity.

A number of factors contribute to cost overruns and delays in projects, some within the control of the project team, most of them not. These cost overruns and delays lead to additional costs and loss of productivity on work sites because of time lost. These factors are also not limited to certain regions, but occur in similar projects across the globe. Optimism bias and strategic misrepresentation are identified as the main causes of cost overruns in construction projects, estimates and costs. While the estimation process for this type of project is very complicated, certain techniques have been developed to assess risk and to plan for contingency for these types of problems. This is significant because the cost performance of construction projects is a key success criterion for project sponsors, since construction projects are notorious for running over budget. The concept of cost contingency, estimates, cost overruns, procurement, risk management and value management will be dominant in this study. The aim of this study is to propose a project flow chart model. When followed correctly, this model can reduce the risk of project overrun from the cost plan point of view. The results of the research indicate that the estimator must have the experience and skill to be able to produce accurate estimates. A model is proposed to guide the estimators on what to do before they can start with the estimating process.

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Thesis (M. S.)--Texas A&M University, 2007. / "Major Subject: Construction Management" Title from author supplied metadata (automated record created on Nov. 2, 2007.) Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. S.)--Texas A&M University, 2007. / "Major Subject: Construction Management" Title from author supplied metadata (automated record created on Oct. 13, 2008.) Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references.