What is a Construction Management Plan?

A construction management plan (CMP) is a key document construction companies and their clients use to outline and guide how they will manage a construction project. It is often a digital document that a manager creates with a word processor that they then print and file in the office.

The CMP contains details and plans describing how teams will manage aspects that are central to the construction project, including:

• Programme schedules
• Resources and materials
• Logistics such as delivery routes 
• Workforce planning
• Processes
• Budgets
• Risks

The Aim of a CMP

The aim of a construction management plan is to act as a roadmap showing how a team will carry out, manage, and complete a construction project from start to finish. Areas that a CMP aims to improve include:

Define Scope and Objectives

The CMP creation process aims to come to a common agreement and understanding with the client of the goals, scope, and deliverables of the project. The CMP clearly documents and communicates these areas to everyone involved in the work. Agreeing on the CMP before starting the project helps to make sure that the proposed process will meet the client’s expectations.  

Coordinate Teams and Stakeholders

A CMP helps to improve coordination. It keeps all workers and stakeholders on the same page. Because the CMP records all of the key planning information, it provides an accurate guide for any questions or concerns that arise throughout the project. It gives guidance for how to maintain good communication. This can help when coordinating with neighbours and other individuals who the build phase may affect. 

Manage Logistics and Supply Chain

One of the challenges of construction projects is working around certain logistics when planning processes such as delivery routes. School drop off times and commuting hours are two examples of logistical issues that may affect a project. Identifying and logging any logistical issues in the CMP helps to avoid delays or frustrations that could threaten the project’s success. 

Overall, the aim of the CMP is to have a solid plan that addresses what the construction project needs to achieve, how to achieve it, and how to address any risks or challenges. This includes meeting regulations, legislation, and health and safety requirements.

Who prepares a CMP?

There are a number of people involved in building a construction management plan — it’s not a solo effort. The project team builds the CMP collaboratively, led by the construction project manager or the construction manager. 

Creating the most effective CMP requires input by the whole project team, including people in the site management and health and safety teams. The client and design team will also be able to contribute to building the CMP. The client typically sets the project scope and objectives, while the design team plans out the design and makes sure it is compliant with all regulations, confirming and documenting this in the CMP. 

Who uses a CMP?

Everybody involved in a construction project uses and benefits from the construction management plan. Key stakeholders that use the CMP include:

+ The client
+ Construction project manager
+ Site managers
+ Project stakeholders
+ Main contractors and subcontractors

Benefits of CMPs

There are a wide variety of benefits that companies unlock by using a CMP, from better organisation to enhanced regulatory compliance. Here are some of the key benefits and how they improve the experience of a construction project:

Challenges Affecting CMPs

While CMPs are clearly beneficial and may sound straightforward so far, that doesn’t mean that they’re easy or fool-proof. There are always challenges in construction projects, and the CMP is no exception. Here are some of the challenges that may arise in the creation or usage of a CMP:

Difficulty Identifying Risks

It’s important to make a note of all the potential risks in a CMP, but this can be challenging and means creators need to think about a wide range of risk areas, such as:

• + Health and safety
• + Finances
• + Operations
• + Sustainability 

Accurately identifying and assessing all risk is complex and time-consuming, but doing so is vital. It’s a process that can delay completing the CMP.

Communication Barriers

While CMPs communicate the project plan in a consistent and clear way, there can still be issues. For example, if English isn’t everybody’s first language there can be communication barriers. Language aside, getting everybody involved in creating the CMP to agree and communicate effectively is difficult. People have different ideas of the best approach, and getting everyone to agree can be difficult if communication styles clash.

How Technology is Changing CMPs

There is already an element of technology used in the creation of CMPs — as mentioned, the person responsible usually creates it on a computer with a word processor. In the future, there is great potential to use more advanced technology to make the process of building a CMP more efficient. Here are some of the technological advancements that will help CMPs to evolve: 

AI, Machine Learning and Automation

Generative AI has potential for enhancing the creation and usage of CMPs - you can use AI to automate some of the design process. Using Machine Learning (ML) can help identify where your company’s CMPs have had to change over time. This could make it possible to use predictive analytics and highlight areas that might become problems, so that a construction team can address them before they arise. 

There is also the potential to use Generative AI chatbots to quickly search for information. Just as you can ask ChatGPT to perform tasks or give you information, you could ask a chatbot to find you information from within your CMP. 

The key to making all of the above possible is data. The more project data and CPMs your company stores, the more potential you can unlock from AI, automation and ML technologies.

Internet of Things Devices

Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the form of sensors can help to create CMPs. IoT sensors collect data on lots of things, such as traffic, noise pollution and more. As more data is becoming available, companies can use it to plan in advance and avoid risk or challenges. They can gain insight into, for example, the risk of creating too much noise pollution in an already noisy area, or the busiest times on the road to avoid deliveries. 

Construction management software

Construction platforms can help with many areas of the construction management plan, for example creating visual aids such as Gantt charts for programme schedules. In-built functionalities like data analytics, document control and financial management can also reduce the manual work of creating a CMP. 

Written by

Reviewed by