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Evolution of Project Management in Construction

Project management has been used since ancient times, as evidenced by massive ancient structures. The Transcontinental Railroad is considered the first modern project to use project management techniques. Henry Gantt developed planning charts to help monitor projects, while Frederic Taylor authored a book on improving project management tactics to increase worker efficiency. Computers now play a key role in project management, allowing for greater efficiency, detail, and connectivity across all stages of a project.

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Kriselle Samiley
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232 views6 pages

Evolution of Project Management in Construction

Project management has been used since ancient times, as evidenced by massive ancient structures. The Transcontinental Railroad is considered the first modern project to use project management techniques. Henry Gantt developed planning charts to help monitor projects, while Frederic Taylor authored a book on improving project management tactics to increase worker efficiency. Computers now play a key role in project management, allowing for greater efficiency, detail, and connectivity across all stages of a project.

Uploaded by

Kriselle Samiley
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Construction

Management
“History of Project Management”

1
After the 19th Century

1900 to 1950: The Birth of Modern


Project Management and Henry Gantt.
As the 19th century progressed, business leaders began to face
the challenges of labor laws and regulations from the federal
government.

Henry Gantt, who played a crucial role in the history of project


management, is considered the founding father of modern
project management. He developed planning and control
techniques to help business leaders succeed and comply with
these new regulations.

One example is the creation of the famous Gantt Chart to


ensure monitoring and control of the project schedule. This
basic bar chart shows the phases of a project from inception to
completion.

1911: Frederic Taylor


In 1911 Frederic Taylor published a book, “The Principles of
Scientific Management,” which was based on his experience in

2
the steel industry. The goal of the book was to give unskilled
workers the opportunity to work on new, complex projects by
learning skills rapidly through simplicity.

In addition, he identified how many workers would routinely


work below capacity through soldiering to ensure future job
security. He also identified the need to create incentive-based
wage systems and take advantage of time-saving techniques.
Many of the principles in Taylor's book align with the success
drivers mentioned in this eBook and are still used by companies
today.

1950 to 1980s: PERT and CPM


After WWII, project managers began to follow two
mathematical ways of conducting and managing projects.

Program Evaluation Review Technique, or PERT, analyzes


individual tasks by asserting a minimum amount of time for
completion.

The Critical Path Method, or CPM, factors in a project's


activities, how long the activities will take to complete, and the
relationship between the activities and their end points.
However, CPM quickly became riddled with confusion.

1980 to 2000: Computers and Project


Management
The rise of the computer played a major role in the history of
project management. Computers brought connectivity and
communication to the forefront of project management in the
1980s.

As technology grew into the 1990s, the Internet became widely


available through dial-up means. Some project management

3
entities created systems for project management purposes, but
it was not until the late 19th century when the newfound era of
computers and project management truly began.

2000 to Present: Rise of Automation and


Maturity of Efficiency
As computer-controlled options and complex algorithms were
developed, project managers began to complete more work in
less time with fewer errors than ever before.

The growth of the Internet led to web-based project


management applications being developed. Today, web-based
project management applications can be seen on mobile devices,
individual computers, and wide-scale ERP systems.

Although the efficient processes of project management have


only been tapped for 150 years, project management has been
around since the dawn of mankind. From amazing feats of
engineering and construction in ancient times to the complex
projects we see today, the history of project management is
vast, extensive, and ever-growing.

There are many factors that must work cohesively to achieve


successful results in project management. You can read more
about some of the key elements of project managmeent
success in this eBook.

Timeline Facts to Remember


 Project management has been around since ancient times.
 The Transcontinental Railroad was the first true project
management undertaking in modern times.
 The Industrial Revolution and associated labor changes
drove the need for better project management tactics.
 Henry Gantt used charts to monitor and manage projects.

4
 Frederic Taylor authored a publication on better project
management tactics to improve the efficiency of skilled
laborers. Many successful organizations still use these
tactics today.
 PERT and CPM were two of the first mathematical formulas
for discerning project risk.
 Computers gave project managers new ways to compute
risks and manage projects.
 The Internet gave birth to mass communication and
efficiency across all projects and in greater detail to the
devices of today.

Conclusion:
Project Management was a major part of construction. There was not a
specific time when it started but with the ancient structures we can say
that there was management in all the structures. It may have took them
a long time before completing all of it, because of the tools and
manpower that they had but atleast they were able to finish them.
Another conclusion was that if ever there was never project
management the construction of structures would get longer, a lot more
expensive and would need more manpower.

Summary:
Project Manage has been used since the ancient time given the
structures like The Great Pyramids, The Great Wall of China, etc. It was
believed that the first TRUE project that used this method was the
Transcontinental Railroad when the modern era was starting. Because
we need to change our labor and tactics on building structure it was
better to have this kind of method that would give ease to everything.

5
Henry Gantt used charts to monitor everything. Frederic Taylor was the
author of a book that gave better project management tactics to
improve the efficiency of these laborers. Now, in the modern era,
computers have become a essential tool in making it more efficient and
greater in detail.

Common questions

Powered by AI

The evolution of project management in the 19th and 20th centuries was driven by several historical factors, including the Industrial Revolution, which necessitated improved project management tactics to address labor changes. The emergence of labor laws and regulations in the late 19th century also required new management techniques to ensure compliance. The development of mathematical models like PERT and CPM further advanced project management discipline by allowing better risk analysis .

The Transcontinental Railroad is considered a milestone in modern project management because it was one of the first large-scale projects that required coordinated planning, resource allocation, and execution in a structured manner. It demonstrated the necessity of project management principles to address the complexities of large infrastructure projects, setting the stage for future advancements in the field .

The Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) and the Critical Path Method (CPM) differ primarily in their approach to handling project tasks. PERT is more analytical, focusing on evaluating individual tasks by defining the minimum completion time, which is suitable for high-variability projects. In contrast, CPM accounts for interrelationships among project activities, duration, and their end points, providing a structured timeline. However, CPM often faced confusion due to its complexity .

Henry Gantt's development of the Gantt Chart and Frederic Taylor's scientific management principles have had lasting impacts on modern organizations by providing frameworks for planning, monitoring, and optimizing resources. These tools allowed organizations to improve efficiency, reduce project timelines, and manage resources more effectively, principles that continue to underpin modern project management methodologies .

From the 1980s, computers significantly transformed project management by enhancing connectivity and communication. This transformation advanced further in the 1990s with the Internet's advent, leading to the development of web-based project management applications. These applications are now accessible via mobile devices, computers, and ERP systems, allowing more efficient and detailed project execution .

Ancient structures such as the Great Pyramids and the Great Wall of China demonstrate early forms of project management, as such massive projects required systematic planning, resource allocation, and coordination of labor over extended periods. Despite lacking modern tools and technologies, these structures reflect an implicit understanding of project management principles necessary to complete such extensive undertakings .

With the rise of automation and efficiency-focused strategies, project management experienced significant transformations. Computer-controlled options and complex algorithms allowed project managers to perform tasks with greater speed and accuracy, reducing errors. Meanwhile, the growth of the Internet facilitated the development of web-based applications, further enhancing efficiency and communication across projects .

Frederic Taylor's book 'The Principles of Scientific Management' aimed to give unskilled workers the opportunity to undertake complex projects by simplifying processes. His work identified issues like 'soldiering' and recommended incentive-based wage systems and time-saving techniques. Many of these principles align with current successful project management drivers and are still used today, reflecting Taylor's lasting influence on project management practices .

Henry Gantt is considered the founding father of modern project management due to his development of planning and control techniques, particularly the Gantt Chart, which is a basic bar chart that illustrates the phases of a project from inception to completion. This tool was pivotal in helping business leaders comply with new labor laws and regulations, ensuring effective project schedule monitoring and control .

Since 2000, technological advancements such as the development of computer-controlled options and algorithms enhanced project management efficiency by enabling faster task completion with minimal errors. Additionally, the expansion of the Internet and mobile technology facilitated global communication and collaboration, allowing for real-time updates, better risk management, and streamlined workflows, contributing to more efficient project delivery .

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