MSc Project Management for Construction Glossary

The complete glossary for Project Management for Construction

There’s a lot of technical lingo thrown around in the construction industry – if you’re new to the business, don’t worry. We’ve broken down some key terminology and software you’ll need to know when getting started in learning project management for construction.

ArchiCAD – This tool is an architectural BIM software used by architects to design buildings from the beginning conceptual phase all the way through to construction.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) – BIM refers to the process behind creating and managing information for a given construction project. One of the main outputs of the BIM process is the Building Information Model, which is a digital description of every aspect of the build. This is edited over to time and analysed by key players in the build in order to optimise their actions.

Contract law – Contract law refers to the legal obligations surrounding a contract entered into agreement by two or more parties. It’ll establish how those parties can resolve their disputes and regulate their various contractual responsibilities.

Revit – Revit is a particular software used for BIM processes, in which users can design and work collaboratively on building projects.

Liability – If a person is liable for something, it means they’re legally responsible. Design liability frequently crops up in construction law, and refers to who is legally responsible for all or parts of a construction project’s design should something go wrong.

Multi-disciplinary project team – In terms of construction, a multi-disciplinary project team is one comprised of a number of different groups or organisations with varying specialties and disciplines. This can include projects containing architects, quality surveyors, planners, specialist trade contractors and so on.

Project lifecycle – The term “project lifecycle” refers to a set of stages involved in completing a project from start to finish. It’s sometimes broken into four stages, including initiation, planning, execution and closure.

Project management process – The project management process is an established management discipline implemented to plan and control an aspect of a project over its lifecycle.

Strategic management – Strategic management is exactly what is sounds like; carrying out a management process strategically. This process usually involves setting goals, evaluating strategies and employing them across a given organisation to reach those goals.

The University of Portsmouth’s MSc Project Management for Construction will help you confidently tackle the technical, commercial, organisational, financial and legal issues that crop up in a project’s lifecycle. Find out more about this part-time, online course