Project Management

Responding to risk by doing nothing.

Corrections or revisions made to construction documents after they are sent to bidders but before bidders have officially responded.

A diagram documenting critical physical proximities of organizational groups, equipment, or support functions.

A set of standard contract forms produced by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for design and construction contracts including the contract administration process. They are generally accepted as fair documents for all parties involved.

A set of technical drawings of a building or engineered item categorized by building trade (e.g., electrical, plumbing) used by architects or engineers to express a design proposal and enable a contractor to proceed with construction.

A measurement device used to show how to measure scaled dimensions on scale drawings.

The portion of a floor or building used to house personnel, furniture and equipment.

A document issued to initiate a project and commence construction.

Responding to risk by clarifying or changing plans to omit the risk.

A scheduling technique that begins with a fixed completion date and arranges necessary tasks in order to allow enough time to complete all the project tasks.

A facility design that employs multiple design considerations to allow the facility to be fully accessible by persons with disabilities.

An area whose boundaries are generally defined by space between four columns (one at each corner).

A bond or cashier’s check that bidders provide to customers along with a bid for a capital project to prove that the bid is in earnest and the firm has sufficient capital resources and will provide a performance bond if the bid is chosen.

Illustration of how multiple groups or departments will fit onto a given floor of a building.

A certificate that promises to pay the holder a specified amount of money at some future date.

An adjacency diagram that illustrates primary and secondary adjacencies between major work groups or departments.

The planned final cost of a task/project.

The difference between the budget at completion and estimate at completion.

a) A general term referring to the execution phase of a design and construction project including construction, installation of equipment, and connection of utilities;

b) The new construction or reconfiguration performed on a tenant’s interior space.

A modeling process and technology for producing comprehensive, measurable, three-dimensional virtual models of buildings to aid in construction and all later phases of a facility’s life cycle.

Owner/landlord determined baseline for type and quality of materials and finishes to be used in their building and provided as part of base rent paid by the tenant (usually stipulated as an allowance per square meter (square foot)).

Finishes provided periodically by a landlord to a tenant as part of the tenant’s base rent.

A form of delayed ownership for real estate in which an organization has the developer retain ownership until the construction project is complete and the facility is ready for occupancy.

The amount of money in circulation, the speed with which money circulates or is redistributed throughout the economy, and its price and availability.

A document from the insurance company that verifies insurance coverage for contractors on larger jobs.

A formal document often required by the local building codes as the final step to closeout of construction to allow for occupancy of the facility.

The written document signed by the contractor, designer and owner that allows for changes involving cost and time.

The amount of movement and relocation of occupants within an organization within a specified period. It is the ratio of the number of employees moved annually compared to the total number of employees in an organization.

A percentage added to work space to allow for circulation patterns of persons or goods in usable space.

The process of evaluating, verifying, and documenting the performance of facility systems, subsystems, components, operations (and maintenance procedures) to assure that they function to the intent of the design and efficiently as a system.

Area with common access to all users within a gross space (e.g., public corridors, primary circulation, lobbies, rest rooms, mechanical or utility rooms, and vestibules

The factor used to determine a tenant’s pro rata share of the common area.

A clearly defined date when the project is 100 percent complete including all of the punch list items.

Computerized drafting software that can manage space, furniture, and equipment, as well as produce drawings.

A software system that provides web-based, real-time access to vital information such as a statistics on holdings, space utilization, lease information and best practices; capabilities for work order processing, preventive maintenance records, move management, emergency planning, etc. It commonly contains CAD, work management, project management, and asset management systems.

A written contract between an owner and the general contractor detailing the terms to which the parties agree. The agreement details the deliverable (what is to be built), the compensation, the timeframe, and other factors typical of a legally binding contract.

Scaled architectural or engineering drawings that include notations on the work required and the materials to be used, showing how to proceed with construction.

A written or oral agreement that creates an obligation between two or more parties and defines the details of that obligation.

The period of time set forth for completion of construction.

The area with common access (or benefit) to all users within a gross space (e.g., public corridors, rest rooms, mechanical or utility rooms, and vestibules).

The factor used to determine a tenant’s pro rata share of the core and service area.

The amount of money a task is over or under budget.

Temporary evidence of insurance.

The longest set of sequential tasks in a project, which is the shortest possible planned project duration.

A scheduling technique that is based on identifying predecessors and timeframes. Each process that requires a previous process to be completed before the new one can begin is entered in a time schedule so that the minimum time for overall project completion can be determined.

A corridor with only one way in or out.

A wall between one tenant’s area and another as well as a wall between tenant areas and public corridors.

Scaled drawings that form the basis of construction drawings by showing where all construction elements are to be located but omitting engineering calculations. They can be used in variance comparisons with as-built drawings.

A method for awarding a contract where a single contractor or a small group of selected bidders is subject to negotiation to award the contract.

Drawings of a structure from a single perspective showing entire-structure flat plane projections of all vertical floors and features facing in the given direction.

Insurance purchased by design professionals to transfer to the insurer the cost of liability claims related to errors or omissions in design and construction documents.

A forecast of the final cost of a task/project using the most current data.

A process of concurrently performing as many project tasks or phases as feasible to minimize total project time.

A common term for floor size or outline of overall size, shape, features of a building basic floor plan/building basic shell plan.

A scheduling technique that takes tasks in sequential order in order to arrive at a realistic and reasonable completion date.

A blanket term in contract language to refer to all of the general boilerplate terms and conditions incorporated by reference to a contract as well as the specific terms and conditions relating to the specific project. Specific terms and conditions can include site access restrictions and security requirements.

The traditional builder who engages in the complete on-site management of the actual construction project. General contractors perform the work by contracting on their own behalf with subcontractors and suppliers.

A vertical plane indicating the location of the glass on a given wall of the building exterior used as a measurement point for various space measurement systems.

A method of classifying materials or deliverables that have the same functional use but differences in technical features or perceived value.

The sum of the floor areas on all levels of a building that are totally enclosed within the building envelope. (Measured to the outside face of exterior walls.)

Cost for actual moving services, supplies and trucking expenses; costs for move materials, freight elevator and loading dock usage; special security guard services during the course of a move; new stationery, business cards, move notices, etc. Other move costs that might be included are design, food service, graphics, furniture, voice/data costs, etc.

A percentage of a contract price that an owner or contractor retains or percentage of a loan that a lender retains until the project is finished or all project bills are paid.

Contractually specified monetary inducements linked to specific performance measurements.

A clause stating that the owner (officers, directors, employees, etc.) is "held harmless" from any damages or claims resulting from the construction project

The detection and removal of flaws in deliverables at key milestones or at completion

An Integrated project delivery technique that focuses on early collaboration and data sharing to maximize the final value for the owner in the form of the completed building.

The return on investment a company typically realizes (or targets to realize) based on its past track record regarding asset investments. It is the interest rate at which lifetime dollar savings equal lifetime dollar costs, after the time value of money is taken into account.

Small-scale floor plans incorporated into a corner of construction drawings to give a geographic orientation of the location of the construction project

The delay between when materials or services are requested and when they are available at the right time and place.

A document issued by the owner to the contractor to allow work to begin prior to execution of the formal contract.

Insurance that protects the insured against lawsuits brought in response to supposed acts of negligence that result in injury or loss of property to the public.

a) permission to execute a project as granted by local authorities;

b) the act of granting a license that is mandatory for practicing a profession or service in a specific region.

The total cost of acquisition, operation, maintenance, and support of an item throughout its useful life, and including the cost of removal.

The longest time period in which money can be held back for paying a contractor for rendered services to ensure all sub-contractors have been paid.

An amount of damages on a daily basis specified in the contract. This amount will be assessed against the contractor for each day beyond the contract completion date that the project remains uncompleted.

A weight per square meter (square foot) measurement in buildings indicating the capacity for a building structure (usually flooring systems) to sustain weight.

The time period in which the contractor provides routine maintenance services for a deliverable as part of the contract.

A secured interest in a property to protect against defaults in payments to suppliers of materials used to improve said property.

Agreed upon methods for measuring the space of a building such as when determining the total square meters (feet) to be charged as part of a lease.

A claim on a property held by a supplier of materials or labor for nonpayment of a debt.

Refers to mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

Construction for custom-made facility furniture including cabinetry, special wood trim, or shelves.

Adopt or apply preventive measures to reduce probability and/or severity of identified risks.

A use of land that does not conform to the current land use controls imposed by the government.

A legally enforceable contract or clause that requires the contracted resource to treat specified intellectual property as proprietary and not share it with others.

The process where multiple contractors are invited to tender/bid on a project so that the owner can maximize market pricing and achieve the desired project at the lowest possible cost.

Inside floor-to-ceiling structures or wall assemblies that enclose a space. Partitions can be movable or removable.

The length of time it will take to recoup an initial investment cost.

A bond issued by an insurance company or bank on behalf of a general contractor that guarantees payment to all subcontractors and material suppliers if work is completed within the referenced contract’s set terms and conditions or in the event of default the surety will make the required payments so the project will be free of any liens at completion.

Contractually specified fines linked to specific performance measures.

A bond issued by an insurance company or bank on behalf of a contractor that guarantees the contractor will perform the contract or in the event of default the surety (party assuming the debt obligation) will either complete the contract or pay monetary damages up to the bond limit.

The method of contracting which entails structuring all aspects of an acquisition process around the results of work to be performed as opposed to how the work is to be performed. It emphasizes objective, measurable performance requirements and quality standards in developing scope/statements of work, selecting contractors, determining contract incentives, and performance of contract administration.

The anticipated use of resources, timelines, and the sequence of tasks necessary to accomplish the goals of a project.

Surveys taken following project completion to assess the occupants’ level of satisfaction with the various aspects of the new working environment, as well as to check the performance against specifications of the major systems.

A method of contracting that entails specifying how the work is to be performed and the materials that are to be used, as well as the results and objectives to be achieved at each milestone.

The detection and removal of process flaws during execution.

The portion of the building that is public corridor or lobby, or required for access by all occupants on a floor to stairs, elevators, rest rooms and/or building entrances.

A critical path scheduling model that incorporates the main concepts and techniques of the critical path method but adds a probabilistic method of estimating duration and cost for each task

The process that defines the detailed project requirements of the end user that are needed to meet the project objectives and general project requirements

Payment made for completion of work approved by the owner at a given project milestone.

Specific units of work that when completed produce an outcome or achieve an objective.

A document used to justify and allow formal authorization of a project and release funds, prove it has a viable business case, list project requirements, link the project to strategy, and name persons responsible for the project including the project manager.

The coordination of people, funds and resources, tasks, and approvals required to accomplish an objective.

A document used to state what the project will (and will not) accomplish in terms of its scope and deliverables. It includes a high-level schedule, budget, and set quality standards.

The process of organizing the tasks, resources, and people required to accomplish a unit of work.

A method of listing and ranking potential projects so that a project can be selected and the choice validated as the best possible expenditure of resources over a given time period.

A list of deficiencies, incomplete, or unacceptable work items compiled by the project manager, architect, engineers, and/or designers during final inspection of the project.

Fitness for intended use.

A product-oriented set of measurement and analysis tools used to monitor project results and deliverables. It determines if results and deliverables comply with quality standards and seeks to discover the root causes of quality issues.

A method used by furniture suppliers to produce and ship products from the factory soon after an order has been placed.

Enclosed, accessible channels within system furniture panels for communications, data, and power cabling.

A completed building shell or envelope often intended for subsequent tenant improvement that lacks final HVAC connections, electrical outlets, interior walls, or finish materials.

The gross area minus exterior walls, major vertical penetrations and interior parking spaces.

The potential for the realization of the unwanted, negative consequences of an event. It is the product of conditional probability of an event and the event outcomes.

Drawings that are set to a proportional but smaller size than the actual objects being represented as defined by a supplied key or method of conversion.

The amount of time that a task is over or under scheduled time.

Scale drawings that include all basic design components of a space or facility such as circulation corridors, partitions, and work space areas, but omit construction details and dimensions.

An extension of the objective(s) of the project by external influences, resulting in undesirable and unplanned changes to a project’s time, cost, and/or quality

The extent of work or tasks to be done to produce a project’s deliverables (products or services).

The portion of a building required for access to some subdivision of space (whether bounded by walls or not) that is not defined as primary circulation. (i.e. corridors between workstations.)

Scale drawings of a building’s exterior walls and windows, permanent partitions, columns, and service functions.

Drawings prepared by the contractor and/or subcontractors that show the specific proposed method for fabricating and erecting in order to achieve the end result outlined in the contract drawings.

The distance between floors of a building as measured from the top of the concrete floor slab to the bottom of the concrete ceiling slab; often used to describe walls that span the entire distance.

Leeway allowed for starting or ending noncritical tasks sooner or later without affecting the overall schedule.

Internal costs, such as salary/time of employees involved in managing the move; downtime and loss of productivity of employees being moved.

To determine user needs for amount and configuration/features of physical space based on user role or business unit/department needs.

A description of the essential technical requirements for items (hardware and software), materials, and processes that includes verification criteria for determining whether the requirements are met.

A vertical section drawn through a building showing which organizational groups occupy which floors.

A document that provides the interface between the customer (end user) and the people who are responsible for transforming space into a productive work environment (design professionals).

A listing of the specific tasks the supplier is to perform.

A clearly defined checkpoint in the time of construction where the building or renovated space is ready for occupancy with only minor punch list items to be completed.

A division of a task into units that are cohesive and relatively independent from the other subtasks within a given task.

The combination of conditions that must be met or satisfied for a project, plan, or task to be considered a success.

Space available to temporarily house functions/departments/

A set of interrelated, interdependent elements with behavioral patterns that interact with and affect the performance and behavior of the other elements.

Furniture that is modularly designed to be assembled in one or more possible configurations. Also called workstations.

A function to be performed that always consumes time and may consume resources.

Funds set aside by a landlord in accordance with a building standard for use by a tenant to make the space suitable for occupancy. The size of the allowance can vary by the duration of the lease

Standard building materials and qualities as identified by the landlord that are to be provided as part of the base rent to the tenant to improve tenant premises.

A scale drawing showing a proposed layout of space for business units or departments to determine if the space can adequately address space requirements.

Responding to risk by moving the financial or resource effects of a risk to a third party (e.g., contractor or insurance).

The portion of a building or floor available for occupants. In leased space, this is the area not shared with other tenants.

A systematic approach to assessing and analyzing the user's requirements of a new asset, and ensuring that those requirements are met, but not exceeded.

The time period in which a promise or guarantee of quality workmanship or deliverable quality is enforceable

A document that itemizes and describes work packages and includes details such as dependencies.

The construction, equipment, and services described in the construction documents to be provided by the contractor

A graphical method of dividing a project’s deliverables and work into manageable or logical subdivisions so the project scope can be defined and the required work can be understood and assigned.

A document that includes building standards plus any additional items to be paid for by the landlord or by the tenant; the letter specifics who is responsible for each item.

A division of a subtask into the smallest size unit of work defined in a WBS.

Any space, including furniture and equipment, designated for accomplishing a work function.