In construction, teams are – almost always – limited. Tight budgets, short deadlines, and the old mission of doing more with less are part of the routine.

Now, when the number of projects increases, the situation becomes even more complicated: complexity grows, and engineers’ time starts to be divided between management and travel to the job sites.

However, these visits, despite being important, end up consuming valuable hours that could be used more strategically.

The good news is that there are ways to make this management more efficient, even in the face of these challenges. Read on the blog to understand how. 

What is Project Management in Construction and why is it essential?

Project management in construction involves several phases of the project: planning, executing, and monitoring the job site. 

The result? When there is good organization, companies can maintain control over resources, deadlines, costs, and quality.

Now, when several projects need to be managed simultaneously, it is necessary to pay even more attention, because the difficulties that arise are many. 

Without giving them due attention, there is a risk of having delays in the projects, budget overruns, etc. 

Challenges in managing multiple projects at the same time

There are several, but here are the main problems faced by project managers: 

1. Prioritizing projects and resources: 

When there are several projects underway, it's easy to lose focus and allocate resources ineffectively. 

The lack of clarity about which projects need more attention can lead to delays and harm the final quality.

2. Deadline tracking: 

With more than one project in execution, keeping track of each phase and ensuring that all schedules are met is a complex task, especially without suitable tools.

3. Efficient communication: 

Managing teams spread across different projects requires clear and constant communication.

The absence of a centralized platform, such as Construct IN software, can lead to misunderstandings and delays in deliveries.

This is because you might end up talking to one person on WhatsApp, sending images through Drive, creating reports in Docs, and so on.

The use of so many platforms can lead to information loss, which ends up hindering rather than improving your project management.

4. Budget control: 

With multiple projects, there is a greater risk of exceeding the budget, especially when costs are not monitored in a unified manner.

• Also read: Project control spreadsheet: why is Construct IN the solution?

Strategies to optimize management with a limited team

Overcoming these challenges requires the implementation of practices that make the team’s daily life easier. Some strategies are: 

1. Use of software: 

There are several available in the market. Construct IN software is not aimed at project management but works on essential points within this universe: it helps monitor the physical progress of the projects, facilitates the organization of job sites, and provides greater visibility on what is happening in the field. All of this in a centralized and accessible way.

There are several resources available: 

• Images and 360-degree videos;

• Comparison between job site photos and the BIM linked to the floor plan;

• Inspection checklists;

• AI resources for face blurring, checking helmet use on site, indicating changes in the project from one photo to another, and much more. 

See more details in the video: 

2. Prioritization and definition of responsibilities: 

In practice, there is no single methodology for managing multiple projects simultaneously. Each project has its context, complexity, and priorities—and that is precisely why each needs to be treated individually.

Defining what is most urgent at each job site, who is responsible for each phase, and ensuring clarity in communication are fundamental actions to maintain execution at the right pace and avoid rework.

In this regard, an important feature of Construct IN is the notes. They do not function as a task manager but help record pending issues directly in the images captured from the project.

With notes, it is possible to indicate what needs to be resolved, add observations, mark who is responsible, and keep a history of everything happening in the field—facilitating monitoring and decision-making. 

Understand more in the video: 

3. Automation of processes and reports: 

Automating processes and generating reports easily provides a clearer and more updated view of the execution of each project—saving time and reducing the need for manual and repetitive tasks.

In the case of Construct IN software, reports are generated per project, helping to closely monitor what is happening at each job site.

With just a few clicks, you can turn visual records into organized and objective reports—facilitating communication with teams, management, and clients, as well as providing more transparency in project management. 

Some types of reports that can be generated: 

• Non-conformance report: to highlight issues that are out of standard in your project;

• Checklist report: for monitoring phases and task lists;

• Occupational safety report: to highlight safety risks for your employees;

• Daily Project Report (DPR): to present key information about the project's progress;

• Photographic report: use images to show the progress of the job site.

Manage more than one project in one place

With Construct IN software, you can put all projects on a single platform, without wasting time with WhatsApp, Drive, or Docs. Organize, control, and deliver faster.