Improving project management practices in architecture & design offices

Abstract

This paper describes a study on improving project management (PM) practices in architecture & design offices, conducted through semi-structured interviews and focus group with professionals from seven different offices. Taking into account the best PM practices described in literature and the most used practices and problems identified in this particular organizational context, a set of key PM practices are proposed. The results show that there are common practices already used by the architecture & design offices, such as: project charter, kickoff meeting, budgeting document and progress meetings. The problems found are mainly related to communication, collecting requirements, schedule control and portfolio management. The set of key PM practices proposed is composed by well-known practices: kick-off meeting, budgeting document, project charter, milestone planning, work packages and deadlines document, communication plan, change request, progress meeting, progress report, meeting minutes, client acceptance form and project closure documentation.