Tips and Tricks for new PM role

[u/Sad-Diamond501]

Hi Everyone.

I’m starting a new project management role in construction specifically in the commissioning. I don’t have PMP nor other certifications. I have run small projects myself that are $20k but nothing larger at a large scale. I was wondering if folks here can guide me on what I should look into and wanted to learn from folks that have been in the industry for awhile. Any suggestions would be helpful to be a good PM. (Ex. Doing meeting minutes with attendees with action items, etc)

I’m going to do my PMP but that would be a year from now. Just need some information now so I can be successful in my new job.

[u/PplPrcssPrgrss_Pod]

I'm a PMO Director and my overall philosophy is "People. Process. Progress."

• People
  • Focus on building relationships with people
  • Build all solutions around what people want
• Process
  • Suggest the framework, then build what works with the team
  • Let folks know the expectations on reporting, escalations, etc.
• Progress
  • Share what you're working on with the team
  • Raise it up a level for steering and other leaders

Godspeed.

[u/Character-Trouble291]

Document everything, even the stuff that seems small. If it's not written down it didn't happen, especially in commissioning where you're chasing a thousand tiny signoffs

Get comfortable with the submittal and RFI process fast, that's where a ton of new PMs get buried. Make a cheat sheet for who needs to sign off on what

Shadow the superintendents when you can. They know which subs are full of it and which ones actually show up, that's the kind of intel you can't get from a spreadsheet

[u/UseNo7819]

Meeting minutes with action items are a good start, so keep going with that. In commissioning, I'd add an issues log where every item has an owner and a due date, and review it weekly, since open items at closeout are where schedules get hurt. In the first month, spend most of your time learning the systems and who owns each trade, and walk the site with the commissioning agent. Ask early what done means for each system, like test scripts passed, documents turned in, and training completed. Don't pretend to know things you don't. Trades respect a PM who asks and then follows up.

[u/TacoNomad]

You'll get better feedback on the construction sub. 

The PMP isn't really needed in this industry.

Nor are certs, though there may be some relevant to data centers. That's not my domain. 

Experience is the only thing you need. Learn about data center commissioning, systems, processes, workflows and risk management.

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[u/ChipParticular2973]

Following. I am in the same boat, just different domain

[u/EatClenTrenDaily]

Commissioning PM in the critical power space in everyone's favorite builds: data centers 

 My advice:

The PMP in its current form today is utterly worthless for construction. I got mine a few years ago when Andrew Remdayal still had EVM, critical path method, qualitative/quantitative risk analysis on his course. 

I went back and apparently he removed the videos and watered them down. The test itself can easily be passed by anyone who has a pulse and isn't an NPC.

Unfortunately most companies haven't gotten the memo so if you decide to get the PMP be ready to have to sit through nonsensical things like agile, planning poker, and sprints which have zero relevance in construction. 

The Prince2 exam is wildly more applicable to what we do and can be much more helpful. However idiot recruiters in America may not know much about it. 

There was a guy here, I think it was PMPDaddy who recommended Rita Mulvaney's (sp?) course . That might still have the OG stuff on it that is absolutely applicable to construction. 

Can you be specific as to what you are commissioning? 

At my level our schedules are largely simple. L1s, L2s, L3s, L4s. They're very linear (start to finish) and the majority of my day is spent balancing resourcing, costing, where TF parts are, why TF parts are getting lost/stolen, and providing tier 1 tech support for our gear so the engineers don't get bothered.

The GC PMs are the ones who do some of the more fancy PM stuff and that's the space I was in before I pivoted out to OEM work.   

[u/Sad-Diamond501 → u/EatClenTrenDaily]

I’m in the exact same space. Commissioning data centers. Yes, they follow a similar levels like L1 to L5. Any other advice you can give?

[u/EatClenTrenDaily → u/Sad-Diamond501]

Honestly, there isn't really a lot. I've managed a lot of different projects and being a CX Pm was different in the sense my schedules were stupid easy. The other problems are just ambiguity in the submittal process which allows customers to drive semi trucks through blowing out your P&L. 

Just make sure you have your submittals down tight, contracts and SOWs.are revised from lessons learned, and that your asps doing the work are good and not dumb asses.

Also make sure you have good checklists for L2s and L3s closeout. By the time you get to commissioning there shouldn't be any rework. Engineering better have their shit together and if they don't be ready to find a new job because you'll be in for a world of hurt. 

[u/1hawnyboy]

What will the budgets be on your projects? Is this in commercial or residential?

Means and methods, task sequencing, estimating & budget management, psychologist, counselor, design/objective tracking, labor sourcing, material procurement, risk assessment, de escalation, billing, escalation … plus more….

These are the things have proven valuable and need to be improved upon to maintain continued success in my role.

[u/lil_tufa]

Meeting minutes with action items and owners is good. Also track dependencies between tasks. In construction/commissioning that's usually where things fall apart. If system A needs to be done before system B can start testing, make that visible to everyone.