Development of a project management methodology for the consulting engineering industry

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. Hierdie artikel beskryf die karakteristieke van ʼn projekbestuurmetodologie wat tans gebruik word deur die raadgewende ingenieursbedryf in Suid-Afrika. Gebaseer op metodologieë wat tans in ander bedrywe gebruik word, en op ʼn 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 ʼn gebrek aan projekbestuurkennis en -volwassenheid die suksesvolle implementering van so ʼn metodologie voorkom. Ten slotte het die respondente saamgestem dat, deur die toepassing van ʼn projekbestuurmetodologie in die Suid-Afrikaanse raadgewende ingenieursbedryf, meer konsekwente resultate ten opsigte van tyd, koste, en gehalte behaal kan word.