GENERAL ARTICLES

 

Development of a project management methodology for the consulting engineering industry

 

 

J.T. Labuschagne; H. Steyn

Graduate School of Management Technology, University of Pretoria, South Africa. herman.steyn@up.ac.za

 

 

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ABSTRACT

This paper describes the characteristics of a project management methodology that is currently used in the consulting engineering industry in South Africa. Based on currently-used methodologies in other industries, and on a Delphi survey conducted in several consulting engineering companies, guidelines for a project management methodology for the consulting engineering industry are proposed. Respondents of the survey were in full agreement on typical project life cycle phases. They were also in agreement that a lack of project management knowledge and maturity prevents the successful implementation of such a methodology in a company. Lastly, the respondents agree that, by applying a project management methodology in the South African consulting engineering industry, more consistent results regarding time, cost, and quality could be achieved.

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OPSOMMING

Hierdie artikel beskryf die karakteristieke van 'n projekbestuurmetodologie wat tans gebruik word deur die raadgewende ingenieursbedryf in Suid-Afrika. Gebaseer op metodologieë wat tans in ander bedrywe gebruik word, en op n Delphi ondersoek in verskeie raadgewende ingenieursmaatskappye, word riglyne voorgestel vir die raadgewende ingenieursbedryf. Respondente het eenstemmigheid oor tipiese fases in die projeklewensiklus. Hulle het ook saamgestem dat n gebrek aan projekbestuurkennis en -volwassenheid die suksesvolle implementering van so n metodologie voorkom. Ten slotte het die respondente saamgestem dat, deur die toepassing van n projekbestuurmetodologie in die Suid-Afrikaanse raadgewende ingenieursbedryf, meer konsekwente resultate ten opsigte van tyd, koste, en gehalte behaal kan word.

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1 The author was enrolled for an MEng (Project Management) Degree at the Graduate School of Management Technology, University of Pretoria.