To manage a project is no easy feat. Naturally, this task falls to the project manager, who may at times feel as if the burden is theirs alone. This is why we at PPQS, your trusted quantity surveyor company, offer project management assistance to help in the processes of initiating, executing and controlling projects in order to ensure their success. Any project can benefit from additional support, especially when that support, in many cases, can increase the likelihood of the project’s success. In just a few minutes of reading, find out how PPQS quantity surveyor can assist you in the matters of scope, time, quality and budget throughout your project and beyond.
What are the benefits of receiving project assistance from a trusted quantity surveyor company?
It is a widely known fact that a common reason for project delays or failure is a scarcity of time and resources. One of the most important human resources in any project is of course, the project manager, who more frequently than not, is tasked with more than they can manage. A project manager should ideally be 100% available for all project-related responsibilities. However, many project managers are lumped with administrative tasks which take up too much time during the day, leaving them overworked and unable to stick to schedule.
A project manager assistant on the team can drastically reduce the workload of the project manager, allowing them to pay extra attention to the most important aspects of the project. Even if project team members are in place, there are few realities in which they will not have their own separate work tasks that will take their attention away from the running of the project, even if only in brief moments. Many project managers are unaware of how much time they can save, and stress that can be reduced, through enlisting the help of a professional project assistant.
Many companies are unsure as to whether seek internal or external project assistance. The former refers to a project assistant that is recruited from internal ranks, and the latter from an external provider – who will be present for the duration of the project. Both options have their own benefits. Hiring an internal project assistant means that they will already be familiar with all company processes as well as the team members involved in the project.
Hiring an external project assistant from quantity surveyor companies means enlisting the help of an individual who is unencumbered to the project team, and will take their leave after the project has been completed. This assistant will be completely available for the project and will likely have had tailored training to their role. They will know exactly how to support the project manager in the endeavour and will likely have had significant experience in similar roles.
Should you wish to enlist the support of professional project assistance, such as that offered by quantity surveyor companies such as PPQS, they will fall into the “external” support category – bringing with them years of experience and complete availability for the duration of the project. The external project assistant will be able to focus completely on their duties, independent of whatever else may be going on with the company.
Tasks of a project assistant provided by your trusted quantity surveyor company
The project assistant may have a wide plethora of tasks delegated to them by the project manager. The following are some of the most common responsibilities faced by the project assistant:
The bridge between the project manager and the team
In many circumstances, the project assistant becomes the bridge between the manager and the rest of the project team – acting as a means of filtering problems from below that would usually be placed on the busy shoulders of the project manager. The project assistant commonly takes care of the retrieval of project documents as well as the brunt of the filing. However, despite these duties, a project assistant certainly differs from the traditional “secretary” in terms of professional skills, experience and qualifications.
Demanding duties
Being a project assistant is demanding work, to say the least. This is why quantity surveyor companies such as us at PPQS only task the most qualified and experienced individuals with providing project management assistance services. There is a long list of skills and qualities that make up an excellent project assistant, such as the following:
- Having thorough theoretical knowledge as well as practical experience to do with standard project management techniques
- Knowledge of how to safely handle project planning tools such as MS Project
- Knowing how to securely use Microsoft Office for the purpose of creating reports and templates
- Flexibility in regards to working hours
- Self-discipline
- Responsibility
- Decision-making abilities
- Good communication skills, over email, in person or via telephone
- Excellent organisational skills
- Understanding of numbers
- The ability to work under pressure or through crises
When you make use of project management assistance services through us at PPQS, your trusted quantity surveyor company, you can rest easy with the knowledge that those providing the service fit the above descriptions to the last detail.
Collaboration with the project manager
During the project’s duration, the project manager and assistant will have regular meetings. This is to ensure that there is complete understanding between the two. During the course of these meetings, the project assistant should receive all necessary background information that is needed for them to act independently in relation to the project. This prevents the need for constant back-and-forth questioning. Naturally, all important topics regarding decision making will need to be addressed with the project lead.
Having regular meetings lessens the need for repeated contact, especially out of working hours, which can be time-consuming and rather frustrating. Being equipped with the necessary knowledge and up-to-speed means that the project assistant can get on with their work and allow the project manager the freedom to focus on the most important aspects of the project.
The core tasks of the project assistant
There are 3 main stages to every project, those being the:
- Project launch
- Project implementation and controlling
- Project closure
The project assistant has a wide variety of tasks to see to at the respective stages of the project. The following is a guide to the project assistant’s tasks in detail throughout the 3 stages of the endeavour.
Project launch
The project assistant’s duties begin with preparation for the project kick-off meeting. A project kick-off meeting is the very first meeting that occurs with the project team and the client (if applicable). During this meeting, common goals and the purpose of the project are established. This is a crucial part of the project process, and forgoing such a meeting would be like failing to plan a vacation before embarking on it.
Next, the project assistant will support the project manager in the preparation of some or all of the following project plans:
The time schedule:
A plan that ensures everyone involved in the project knows what they are supposed to be doing, and when.
The work package description:
A work package description can be likened to a building block of the work breakdown structure that makes it possible for the project management team to define and recognise the necessary steps for the completion of the project. When work is broken down into work packages, multiple teams or individuals are able to work simultaneously on different aspects of the project.
The project structure plan
The project communication plan:
an agreement between stakeholders and collaborators that indicates what, when and how relevant information will be shared at key intervals during the process of the project. This includes information such as status updates, meeting details and task-related questions.
The project milestone plan:
a tool frequently used in project management that allows people to mark specific points during across a project’s timeline. These points may indicate anchors, such as the starting or ending dates of a project, or the need for budget checks.
The project function diagram
Environmental analysis:
The process which exams both the external and internal components that have an influence on the performance of a project. The internal components refer to the weaknesses or strengths of the project, whereas the external components have to do with the threats and opportunities that are found outside of the project.
The project assistant will also be involved in the creation of standardized templates of all kinds, including status reports and role descriptions. They will also ensure the working ability of the project team during this leg of the project journey.
Project implementation and controlling
This is understandably the busiest part of the project process for the project assistant. Some of the tasks involved in this part of the process include:
- The creation of in-depth project status reports
- The preparation of project status presentations for the team, project manager, client, overseeing committee, etc.
- Updating the project plans
- Scheduling project meetings
- Preparing and scheduling meetings and workshops
- Creating and sending meeting minutes
- Filing and administrating of documents
- Taking on the role of “central contact point” for all relevant communication
- Preparing and maintaining the project manual
- Overviewing any absence of project team members during the duration of the project
Project closure
As the project comes to a close, the project assistant is responsible for the following:
Completing project documentation, more commonly electronic but sometimes in hard copy
- Archiving project documents
- Supporting the project manager during the preparation of the final report
- Supporting the project manager in preparing the closing event (if applicable)
- Enlisting project management assistance from your trusted quantity surveyor company
Now that you know more about the role of the project assistant and how they can assist during the project process, you may be interested in hiring the service. We at PPQS, your trusted quantity surveyor company, believe that there is no such thing as too much help when it comes to project management. Enlisting extra help is not a sign of weakness, but rather a wise and professional approach.
Hiring a project management assistant from a quantity surveyor company, equipped with qualifications and a great skillset, can only be a boon to your endeavour – as well as a relief to a stressed project manager. The support of an assistant allows the manager to concentrate on the most essential project work and lead the rest of the team and the project to a success both efficiently and effectively. Should you wish to ensure the success of your project as a whole, as well as keep an experienced eye on the scope, time, quality and budget, acquiring the support of a project assistant from a quantity surveyor company is a great idea.
If you feel you may be in need of professional project management assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us, your local quantity surveyor company, for more information.