Construction Project Management (CPM): One-Day Workshop

In-person or virtual classroom format; up to 30 attendees

Target Audience

State DOT and local agency engineers; construction superintendents; inspectors; public works staff; owners’ representatives and contracting officers; architects; design professionals involved in construction.

Delivery Details

• Duration: 1 day

• Includes: Lecture, case studies, group exercises, and discussion

• Objective: Equip participants with practical tools, methods, and strategies for effectively managing construction projects.

Materials Provided

• Slide deck (PDF) with embedded templates, resources, and references

• Sample Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Critical Path Method (CPM) templates

• Example budget-tracking and Earned Value Management (EVM) spreadsheet

• Case studies

• Reference list

Workshop Draft Agenda

Administration

• Registration and classroom preparation

• Welcome and introduction

• Participant expectations

• Overview of workshop objectives and structure

• Brief “Construction War Stories” icebreaker (share a memorable project challenge)

Session 1: Fundamentals of Construction Project Management

• Project life cycle phases (Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Control, Closeout)

• Key roles and responsibilities: owner, project manager, superintendent, design team, subcontractors, suppliers, regulatory agencies

• The triple constraint: balancing scope, schedule, and cost

• Overview of construction PM frameworks

• Common pitfalls: poor scope definition, communication breakdowns, unrealistic schedules

Session 2: Project Planning and Scheduling

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Scheduling techniques: Gantt charts, Critical Path Method (CPM), Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)

• Logic relationships

• Milestones and sequencing

• Schedule compression techniques: fast-tracking

• Software overview

Session 3: Cost Estimating and Budget Control

• Types of estimates: conceptual, preliminary, detailed

• Estimating methods: unit cost, parametric, bottom-up, analogous

• Contingency planning

• Earned Value Management (EVM)

Session 4: Quality, Safety, and Risk Management

• Quality assurance vs. quality control

• OSHA compliance: safety plan essentials and hazard identification

• Risk management process: identification; qualitative and quantitative assessment; mitigation strategies; contingency planning

• High-impact risks: weather delays, labor shortages, material lead times, design errors

Session 5: Contract Administration and Stakeholder Communication

• Contract types: lump sum, unit price, cost plus, design-build, CM at risk

• Change orders: documentation, approval workflows, pricing methods

• Claims management: dispute resolution techniques; avoiding litigation

• Stakeholder communication: meeting cadences (weekly updates, progress reports); RACI charts for accountability

Session 6: Project Closeout and Lessons Learned

• Closeout deliverables: punch lists, as-builts, O&M manuals

• Final inspections and turnover procedures

• Warranty period management

• Lessons learned: capturing insights to improve future projects

4:45 PM to 5:00 PM: Wrap-up and Q&A

Students who complete this non-credit course will receive 6 PDHs (Professional Development Hours) issued by the Maryland Board for Professional Engineers.

Note: CEU is a general term for continuing education units. The continuing education units this course offers are not issued by the University of Maryland.