Mention the title Project Manager in a room full of architects and a number will probably turn their heads in, well, not disgust, but certainly a sense of disapproval. In the construction industry, there is no love lost between architects and project managers. Granted, many project managers are architects in their own right. As a matter of fact, some function in both roles.
So what is this eternal tiff between the two parties all about?
Let us first define the roles. Who is a project manager? If you are in the construction industry, you already know that a project can be complex, with multiple timelines and requiring that consultants, contractors and suppliers work together to plan and execute. Project managers play a vital role in coordinating all of these activities, working with both clients and contractors to develop plans, set schedules and timelines, and complete projects according to time and budget expectations.
The architect on the other hand is the mind behind a design that is both artistic and functional. Ordinarily, it is the architect who is the first point of contact for a client. The architect listens to the needs of the client, interprets them and helps the client actualize them.
But if you ask any architect, you will hear that a project manager is an overzealous slave driver who develops unrealistic targets and expectations in a project, then tries to bulldoze the entire project team to get the job done. They are accused of having unrealistic timelines based on failure to grasp the complexities of a building project and the importance of appreciating the roles and challenges of each member of the project team. All they want is delivery. The project must be handed over to the client within the time frame that the project manager promised the client.
Architects feel that many project managers also fail to appreciate the many years the former spend pursuing their course in college (as long as seven years in some cases). They have a hard time playing second fiddle to project managers. But even more importantly, architects are of the opinion that project managers lack the depth of knowledge and understanding required to handle a project. According to Architect Peter Raisbeck, they do not appreciate that “even the smallest renovation can involve juggling a complex scenario of client brief, planning and building regulations, site conditions, sustainability issues, construction detailing and logistics, contractor and subcontractor capabilities and of course design itself. This is a much wider range of design and construction knowledge than many project managers are either trained in or know about.”
He adds: “Architects are trained to lead projects from start to finish, on time and on budget. If they don’t get this right, they can be sued. They are uniquely placed to understand cost pressures in construction supply chains. Project managers often only have an overview of these things.”
Some architects are even blunter, defining a project manager as someone who has a demotivating effect on the team (by persistently asking ‘when it will be done’) as opposed to an architect who wants to know how it should be done.
This of course may sound quite harsh to project managers who argue that without their involvement, projects could overshoot budgets and stretch beyond acceptable duration, to the chagrin of clients. They see themselves as the custodians of the project, the eyes of the client. They also believe they are the quality controllers.
However, it does seem that when the project manager is an architect, things seems to go a bit more smoothly on the site. This is because architects, through their training, are already well versed with communication, negotiation, decision-making, creativity and risk mitigation, all of which are critical skills on any project.
