Project management is a critical skill in the audiovisual (AV) industry. In fact, many AV professionals, in addition to pursuing their Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) certification, also choose to study for their Project Management Professional (PMP) credential from the Project Management Institute (PMI). As AV systems have become more complex, more mission-critical to clients, and more tightly integrated with IT systems, CTS professionals need to understand the basics of shepherding a project from start to finish on budget and on schedule.

A project has five key elements, all of which are driven by the client’s purpose:

•   Scope,   which covers deliverables and activities that must be accomplished

•   Time,   including its estimation and duration

•   Cost,   for human and material resources

•   Quality,   to make sure performance meets expectations

•   Risk,   including threats, opportunities, and response strategies

The person responsible for managing the AV project must understand how to coordinate the activities of company staff with stakeholders from the client side of the project, as well as with other contractors. The project manager must be able to direct project activities, effectively manage resources, and produce the documentation required for the project. But even if you’re not going to be a regular project manager, management principles extend to all AV team members. It is important for you to understand relevant project issues and how to address them.

Managing Project Activities and Resources

Planning and management are important to the success of any project or business endeavor. You may be able to manage a simple project using an informal list of tasks, deadlines, designated staff, and equipment and supplies needed to accomplish the work. However, complex AV system installation projects or live events require a more detailed project breakdown and schedule for coordinating with other vendors performing work at the site. In these cases, the AV team often will use project management software to plan the work program and ensure task coordination.

In the AV industry, those responsible for managing AV installation projects or live events must be able to properly address a wide range of typical project management issues, including the following:

•   Creating a work breakdown structure

•   Creating a logic network for the coordination of resources

•   Managing the project budget

•   Monitoring work at the client site

Let’s look at some of the issues involved with each of these areas.

Creating a Work Breakdown Structure

The first step in scoping the labor required for a project is to create a work breakdown structure (WBS), as shown in Figure 19-1. The objective of a WBS is to ensure that all staff members working on a project understand clearly what the client expects to receive. The functions of the WBS define a product or service and are always expressed as nouns. A WBS does not address who, when, what, or how much.

Figure 19-1   A general work breakdown structure

The WBS breaks down the work into manageable pieces. It relates the elements of work to each other and to the total service or process. Each descending level represents an increasingly detailed definition of a project component.

The WBS facilitates project assignment and provides a basis for estimates. It also defines a baseline for performance measurement and change management.

Creating a Logic Network for Coordinating Resources

Since your company will likely be involved with several projects at once, you will need to coordinate your project’s requirements for staff, tools, equipment, vehicles, and other resources with other projects that have similar needs. In these cases, it is important to create a schedule that allows you to plan how these resources will be used and to identify potential shortages of equipment or staff that could impact the ability of your company to perform all agreed-upon work. You may need to obtain additional workers or equipment to address any resource shortages.

Once you’re created a WBS, you can assign activities and milestones to the project’s deliverables. A deliverable is an oriented grouping of project elements that will ultimately organize and define the total scope of the project. These elements form the basis for a logic network diagram, as shown in Figure 19-2.

Figure 19-2   A logic network diagram

The logic network diagram is a tool that helps sequence, and ultimately schedule, a project’s activities and milestones. It performs the following functions:

•   Lists activities and their sequential relationships

•   Identifies the dependencies and their impacts

•   Introduces activities into the network according to their dependencies, not on the basis of time constraints

•   Identifies successors

•   Identifies predecessors

Identifying Activities and Milestones

The logic network diagram includes the activities and tasks that are required to create the deliverable (see Figure 19-2), as they consume time and resources. The functions of a logic network are expressed as verbs, such as build, test, fabricate, and develop. Each activity should have an associated deliverable.

Milestones are key events in the project, such as the completion of a major deliverable or the occurrence of an important event. They can often be associated with scheduled payments, client approvals, and similar events. Examples include materials delivered, racks programmed, and projectors calibrated. Milestones are typically shown as diamonds (as in Figure 19-2) or triangles in the logic network diagram.

Estimating Effort and Duration

Effort is how much time it will take to complete a task in its entirety. Many firms come up with an effort value through perfect-world estimating, assuming a best-case scenario where all needed resources are in place. This is an optimistic practice that usually increases risk and can lead to underbidding the labor component of an installation.

Mature organizations look at their resource requirements across all of their current projects before establishing timelines. Immature organizations make promises to clients before they have confirmed the availability of their resources. It may take only a few minutes to replace a faulty component, but if a technician must drive across town to get the component or have it delivered from a supplier in a distant location, those few minutes turn into hours.

Duration is how long it will actually take to complete a task (not just the time devoted to the task). It reflects a combination of the following:

•   Effort (number of work periods)

•   Resource availability (other projects, operations, and so on)

•   Number of available resources (more is not always better)

•   Personal/organizational calendars (weekends, holidays, and so on)

Managing the Project Budget

Each project should be based on an agreed-upon contract with the client for work and materials. Price should never equal cost. The fee that the client pays for a project is based on the cost to the company to provide the needed labor, supplies, and equipment, plus a markup that is intended to cover overhead costs (such as taxes, office rental, insurance, and staff benefits) and profit.

The project budget is composed of the labor, supplies, and equipment that the company estimates are necessary to complete the agreed-upon work. Table 19-1 shows an example of an AV project budget estimate.

Table 19-1   A project budget estimate

Assuming the AV team has accurately estimated the need for labor and materials, the role of the project manager is to manage how those resources are expended to ensure that the actual costs for performing the agreed-upon work do not exceed the amount that has been allocated to complete the project.

The project manager should also keep track of the activities of the staff and make sure the agreed-upon work is performed according to the standards defined within the work contract. If the project work is taking more labor and/or materials than estimated, the manager should try to determine the cause and make adjustments to get the project back on track. If any modifications or additions are required because of changes to site conditions or client requests and these changes impact the project budget, the additional work and costs should be explicitly agreed to by both the AV company and the client.

Monitoring Work at the Client Site

The amount of on-site management required for a project varies depending on the scope and complexity of the project. However, an AV project manager should have some common objectives for all projects, including the following:

•   Ensure that the work is performed safely and conforms to relevant regulations and codes.

•   Ensure that the work meets the company standards for quality.

•   Ensure that the work performed conforms to what was agreed on in the work contract.

•   Ensure that the work is completed according to the agreed-upon schedule.

•   Address any problems or concerns that affect the project schedule or quality.

•   Resolve conflicts that may arise as a result of the work activities.

Coordinating Project Activities

The manager of an AV installation project at a client site may be part of a larger construction effort that involves a number of other vendors and contractors. The following are some examples of other project stakeholders the project manager may need to coordinate with (other trade-specific contractors may be involved as well):

•   General contractor

•   Lighting contractor

•   AV integrator

•   Data/telecommunications contractor

•   IT integrator/manager

•   Mechanical contractor

•   Security contractor

•   Electrical contractor

•   Life-safety contractor

•   Plumbing contractor

•   Structural contractor

Coordinating the work of the AV installation team with such a potentially large number of other stakeholders working at the project site can be a complex task. The manager of the AV portion of a project must understand the concerns of each of these stakeholders to effectively communicate and coordinate the project activities. A considerable amount of coordination is often needed during construction to avoid or resolve conflicts in the design documents or issues that may arise because of conditions in the field.

Depending on how the project is contracted, the general contractor and/or the construction manager are responsible for coordinating the trade contractors during their work on-site. The architect, owners, and various trade consultants are also involved to help resolve issues as they come up. However, conflicts that are caught and resolved prior to starting work are certainly the easiest to resolve, so close coordination and communication are critical.

Coordinating tasks with other stakeholders is also important for live-event AV projects. These stakeholders may include the client or promoter; the production management and stage management teams; building management staff; building services staff; set and costume designers; lighting, audio, communications, rigging, and effects designers and departments; the staging department or staging vendors; union representatives; a safety team; the broadcast or recording team; the director, musical director and choreographer; and on-stage presenters, musicians, or talent. Each of these stakeholders may have specific issues that can impact how AV systems are installed or configured to support the event, and the manager must be aware of their tasks and concerns.

Let’s focus on how to coordinate with other stakeholders on an AV installation project through meetings and scheduling.

Holding a Project Kickoff Meeting

A project kickoff meeting is typically held prior to beginning work. The objective of the kickoff meeting is to allow all relevant team members to get acquainted, discuss the project, and establish how project communications should occur.

Depending on the scope and type of project and how the contracts are structured, the owner’s project manager, the construction manager, or the general contractor may preside over this meeting. Stakeholders from all contributing teams that affect the outcome of the project should be in attendance. At a minimum, the architect, general contractor, electrical contractor, owner representative, IT integrator/manager, and AV providers should be present.

During the kickoff meeting, logistical protocols and communication channels should be established (if they are not already defined in the project specifications). These include proper forms, authorizations (financial and design), process for payment, process for handling requests for information, and proper lines of communication. Unless clarified or revised along the way, these protocols must stay consistent throughout the life of the project.

The following are other issues that should be addressed during the kickoff meeting:

•   Coordination and sequencing issues specific to the AV integrator’s work

•   Any owner concerns or project politics that may need to be considered during the construction phase

•   Contract issues needing review, such as contractor billing procedures, warehousing and bonding requirements, and project schedules (particularly as they relate to any penalty clauses)

•   AV equipment delivery, on-site storage, and installation logistics, including delivery of owner-furnished equipment, site cleanliness requirements, and equipment security concerns

•   Scheduling of the “clean and clear dates” when AV equipment can be installed in finished spaces

Attending Project Status Meetings

Coordination with other trades is essential to the success of a project. This coordination is typically accomplished through weekly construction/coordination meetings.

During weekly project meetings, each team’s project manager provides a status report of that team’s progress and any issues that may impact other teams. Information is exchanged, schedules updated, and coordination issues resolved. The AV professionals may be asked to review trade-shop drawing submittals for coordination purposes.

AV providers may not need to be at every weekly meeting, particularly at the beginning of construction, when they have little or no involvement on-site. They should start to visit regularly as the construction of their spaces and rooms are built to check for field changes or irregularities that might affect their work. The AV system work begins in earnest with the cable installation, at which point the AV integrator brings equipment and personnel on-site for system installation.

The weekly meeting organizer should keep minutes of each project meeting, recording all issues discussed, as well as any conflict resolutions and action items that may be required by members of the project team. This record should be distributed to all participants as soon as possible after the meeting. Each trade team leader may also maintain a record of meeting proceedings as they pertain to the leader’s own team for its internal use.

Creating Project Schedules

To facilitate coordination, a general project schedule is typically established during the design and bid phases. It’s finalized by the owner’s project manager when work begins. Each trade or discipline must have a corresponding schedule of work (developed by each team’s project manager), which is incorporated into the main project schedule.

The most common way to present a project schedule is a Gantt chart, which depicts the timeline for tasks and subtasks as horizontal bars. It shows the sequence in which tasks should be performed and any project milestones, such as the completion of major tasks. Most managers of large projects use project management software to create these Gantt charts, as shown in the example in Figure 19-3.

Figure 19-3   A Gantt chart for a project schedule

Because some tasks must be completed before others may start, the Gantt chart identifies these types of dependencies in a manner that clearly shows their sequence. For example, walls within a room must be finished and painted prior to mounting sensitive and fragile AV components, so the start dates of these AV tasks will be identified as dependent on the end dates of the room-preparation tasks.

Coordinating AV Work with Other Trades

Like the work of other trades, the installation of AV systems must be integrated into an overall schedule. A successful AV project depends on the ability of the AV professional to dovetail the AV work with the other building trades.

The sequencing and duration of tasks are important. For instance, raceways, conduit, and backboxes for AV cabling must be in place before cabling can be installed, but the cable should be pulled before installing the ceiling grid where cabling runs overhead in rooms and corridors.

The AV team is most involved during the middle and final portions of the construction schedule, after the AV cable pulls, structural rough-in, and other AV-related infrastructure items are installed. What makes AV installation different from most other trades is that the bulk of the AV system (the electronics) must be installed after all other trades have completed their work and the site is clean; this is because the equipment is so sensitive to dust, moisture, and temperature.

Many different aspects of a construction project can impact AV installation, such as the following:

•   Carpentry, cabinetwork, or millwork that integrates with AV systems must be built to specifications and tolerance.

•   Conduit, cable trays, cable paths, and electrical power must be located and sized correctly. The schedule of this work is also critical to the AV integrator.

•   Lighting zones, fixture placement, and illumination properties should be checked for impact on displayed or projected images and cameras.

•   Lighting control systems and interfaces must be confirmed.

•   Installation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ductwork and terminal devices must be monitored for conflicts with the AV installation.

•   Dimensions of loading docks, elevators, doorways, corridors, and passageways must be large enough to allow delivery of equipment, particularly big projection screens, rigging gear, and cabinetry or millwork that is fabricated off-site.

•   Existing facility use must be considered, including any spaces that might be affected by work on the project. For instance, drilling or cutting may create noise on other floors, or equipment deliveries may be allowed only during specific hours.

•   Ceiling layout and material, and the location of lights and sprinkler heads, must be coordinated with the installation of ceiling-mounted AV systems, such as loudspeakers, microphones, winch systems, projectors, cameras, and screens.

•   The scheduling of wall and ceiling installations must be monitored for sequencing of the installation of wiring, structural mounting requirements, and AV devices.

•   Union and trade organization agreements must be honored.

•   Acoustic treatments, including where and how they are mounted, can significantly affect the performance of audio systems, and they must be reviewed. Wall, floor, ceiling, window, furniture/upholstery, and other treatments affect the acoustic behavior of a space. (See Chapters 4 and 16 for information about acoustics.)

•   Other work and treatments that may create a hazardous environment for AV equipment must be complete before equipment is delivered to the site. This work includes carpentry, welding, sanding, painting, concrete work, and ceiling installation in areas where AV equipment is to be stored or installed.

•   Data/telecommunication services must be installed and activated before functional testing of AV systems can occur.

This critical coordination of the AV installation with other elements of the project may be the responsibility of the AV company/consultant, the AV integrator, or both, depending on how the AV system will be delivered.

Providing Project Documentation

Consistent and accurate communication among all project stakeholders is crucial to a successful project. In many cases, it is also important to document any guidance received from a client or decisions related to the project. For example, decisions about changes to the project scope or specifications should be clearly stated, and the documents that identify these changes should be signed or verifiably approved by all relevant parties to show that they understand and agree with the issues or terms described. In many cases, these documents become a formal part of the contracts or agreements among contractors, consultants, and owners.

This section will discuss some typical forms and agreements used by AV contractors and consultants to document decisions and agreements related to a construction project. These include letters of transmittal, requests for information, progress reports, requests for change, change orders, and construction change directives.

Regardless of the type of document, they all should include project-specific references, including the owner’s name/address, specific installation locations, contractor names, project numbers, and other appropriate contact or contract information.

Information-Related Documents

Examples of project documents associated with information include letters of transmittal, requests for information, and progress reports.

A letter of transmittal is a formal cover letter, used whenever documents, drawings, samples, or submittals are sent. It clearly indicates the addressee, sender, and contact information and includes a list of what is being sent (including date or revision number) and any expected action to be taken by the receiving party. This form is used whether the items are sent by mail, courier, e-mail, file transfer, or overnight carrier.

A request for information (RFI) is used to formally ask questions about a characteristic of a project. RFIs generally address three basic types of issues: a design issue, a site issue, or an owner change or request. This process is usually based on a paper or electronic form established for the project that indicates who the RFI is from and to whom it is directed, with spaces to enter the question and the response.

Some RFIs are resolved simply by a clarification from the RFI’s recipient, without a change in anyone’s contract. Others may need resolution through a change in the construction contract. In the latter case, other structured communications, such as change orders, may be generated, as discussed in the next section.

A progress report can be a formal document or an informal report that informs the client of the state of completion of the project as of a specific date. The progress report should include any issues or concerns that will impact the ability of the AV vendor to complete the project within the agreed-upon schedule and budget.

Change Documentation

Project documents related to changes include requests for change, change orders, and construction change directives. Figure 19-4 shows an example of the change process.

Figure 19-4   A change process

A request for change (RFC) is a common document used to change contractual obligations, equipment models, or specifications, or to modify a system design. When an RFC is generated (or answered) by the vendor, the pricing for the changes and their impact throughout the project must be included. The following are some issues that can prompt an RFC:

•   Change in intended use of the system

•   Discontinued or significantly revised product

•   Architectural, mechanical, or construction changes

•   Discovery of system or product incompatibilities or functions

Any member of the project team can submit an RFC, although in an AV project, the integrator or consultant commonly creates it. An approved RFC then becomes a change order.

A change order (CO) is used to document agreed-upon changes to the project specifications or contract as the project progresses. COs are arguably the most important form used during the construction phase, because they can change the contract scope and pricing. Reasons for an AV system CO might include the following:

•   Changes or clarifications in anticipated use by end users

•   Architectural, cabinetry, finish, or other physical changes to the installation site

•   Design conflicts, omissions, or errors

•   Changes in product availability or specifications

•   Availability of new products or technologies

•   Discovery of hidden site conditions

•   Budget adjustments

•   Schedule changes and delays by others

The CO procedure and the people authorized to approve COs are established by contract at the beginning of the project. Since changes can dramatically alter the project schedule or budget, any necessary COs should be processed in a timely fashion.

COs almost always affect the overall value of the project. They can have an impact on financing, leasing, insurance, and bonding costs, so guarantors should be notified if a CO causes the project value to exceed the original budget. CO pricing can be included in the RFC or handled on a time-and-materials basis (pricing based on the actual labor and materials required for the work).

A construction change directive (CCD), sometimes called a field order, is usually issued as a result of time-critical conditions or events in the field to trigger immediate work related to a necessary change in the contract. This form is typically used by the owner or the general contractor to bypass the more formal RFI–RFC–CO process.

Chapter Review

In this chapter, we reviewed some of the typical areas of responsibility for a manager of an AV project. These include directing project activities and managing company resources, coordinating the activities of company staff with other client stakeholders and other contractors, and producing the documentation required for a project.

Review Questions

The following review questions are not CTS exam questions, nor are they CTS practice exam questions. These questions may resemble questions that could appear on the CTS exam but may also cover material the exam does not. They are included here to help reinforce what you’ve learned in this chapter. See Appendix D for more information on how to access the online sample test questions.

1.   Project budget refers to which of the following?

A.   The total amount that the client has paid the AV company for the project

B.   The total cost of purchasing the needed materials and supplies

C.   The amount of labor and materials the project manager has allocated to complete the project

D.   The amount of labor and materials the project manager used to successfully complete the project

2.   How should the AV company respond if a client requests changes in the project that end up increasing the cost of completing the project?

A.   Ask the client to agree to a CO that describes the changes to the project agreement and the additional costs.

B.   Perform the requested additional work to ensure that the client is satisfied.

C.   Never perform any work that was not agreed to within the original work contract.

D.   Remove another element of the project to keep the final cost the same.

3.   What is a dependency within a project task schedule?

A.   A task that cannot begin before another task is complete

B.   A task that must be completed by a specific date

C.   A task that will be required if specific conditions occur at the project site

D.   An optional task that the client can determine is needed once the project is underway

4.   Which statement best describes the relationship of the AV installation team with other vendors on the site?

A.   The AV team should focus on the AV installation; the project manager is responsible for coordinating work at the project.

B.   The AV team should review the project schedule; it defines all coordination necessary for the project.

C.   The AV team should actively communicate and coordinate with the project manager and other vendors to ensure that the AV installation is not impacted by other vendors working on the project.

D.   The AV team should negotiate work schedules directly with the other vendors.

5.   Which of the following documents would an AV company submit in the event that a modification in the building design impacted the AV system installation requirements?

A.   Modification announcement (MA)

B.   Construction change directive (CCD)

C.   Request for change (RFC)

D.   Progress report (PR)

6.   Which of the following defines project deliverables and relates the elements of work?

A.   Logic network

B.   Assumptions and risks

C.   WBS

D.   Gantt chart

Answers

1.   C. The project budget is the amount of labor and materials allocated to perform the agreed-upon work.

2.   A. The best approach is to document the changes and costs for the changes within a formal CO and have both the client and the company representative sign the CO to confirm that each side agrees to the changes to the original contract.

3.   A. A dependency on a project task schedule refers to a task that cannot be started until another task has been completed. For example, the task of installing a wall-mounted flat-screen monitor cannot begin until the tasks of installing and painting walls have been completed.

4.   C. The AV team should actively communicate and coordinate with both the project manager and other vendors to ensure that the AV installation is not impacted by other vendors working on the project.

5.   C. An RFC is the appropriate document for the vendor to submit to the owner in the event that changes to the AV system installation contract are required.

6.   C. The WBS (work breakdown structure) defines project deliverables and relates the elements of work.