ICS-COLLABORATION
As elsewhere stated , Project Management requires mastery of four Core PM Performance Abilities: Collaboration, Coordination, Cooperation, and Communication. Collaboration is distinct from the other three in that it describes the predominant environment in which the the other three Performance Abilities must be achieved.
On construction projects, numerous competing forces struggle to ‘work together’ for the greater good. The extent to which they ultimately coordinate, cooperate, and communicate correlates directly with the quality of the implemented Project Time Management program, and the professionals who staff and guide it.
ICS‑Collaboration is the business group within ICS‑Global that brings together Construction PTM professionals that are best suited for each Construction Project Management challenge.
ICS-Collaboration’s Contribution to Construction Project Time Management
For the most part, Owners and Contractors prefer to handle their own Construction Project Time Management. We encourage and applaud this, our only suggestion being that they invest in Continuing Scheducation for their project and home office team members. Still, there come times when staff augmentation is well warranted and preferable.
At these moments, a few key decisions will determine whether the technical support they receive ultimately makes matters better —or worse. The first decision is whether to hire a new staff member, or to retain a consultant. Hiring a Construction PTM specialist is no easy task. For starters, the range of talent is wide ‑ from newbie to well seasoned. Knowing how much expertise you really need is an early decision. Another consideration is whether the candidate’s experience is commensurate with the type of projects your company builds? Finally, are they up to date on the latest Construction PTM knowledge? Hint: If they present themselves as “planners” or “schedulers,” they probably are not. Remember our slogan; there is much more to Construction Project Time Management than just planning and scheduling.”
Retaining the services of an outside professional raises the same questions as above. They also introduce two new ones because a consultant was not in the Project Budget. Consulting costs are almost always an unwanted and unexpected overhead cost. So now you must ask: how much talent do you need to buy, and what will the consultant’s Scope of Work? ICS-Collaboration can help with all of this.
ICS-Collaboration’s Operational Divisions
No matter which direction you go, ICS-Collaboration will be your best friend. If you decide to hire a new staff member, check out our services under ICS-Placement. ICS-Placement is superior to all other executive search firms because each of our recruiters is him/herself a Construction Project Time Management professional with at least 15 years of hands-on experience. As for cost, our clients routinely report that our fees are less than our competitors, and even lower than when our clients recruit, vet, and qualify candidates on their own. We offer four options when it comes time to retaining outside assistance: ICS-GlobalStaff, ICS-League, and ICS-Network. And don’t forget Featured Programs under ICS-Scheduling (see ICS-Facilitation).
ICS-Placement is a boutique executive search service for employers of Construction Project Time Management professionals. Our one-of-a-kind approach facilitates the identification, qualification, ranking, representation, and promotion of candidates whose skills, experience, qualifications, and personal attributes most closely align with the employer’s specific staffing needs. We accomplish this with a two-punch: an Employer Needs Assessment followed by a meticulous Candidate Vetting Process.
ICS-GlobalStaff offers two valuable services to Construction PTM freelancers: a Freelancer Directory and CognetICS, which helps individual practitioners to open their own Scheduling Consultancy practice. Note: ICS Global does not vouch for any GlobalStaffer’s character for the quality of their work products. ICS GlobalStaff is strictly just a free matching service.
ICS-League is a free bulletin board listing of small, independent Scheduling Consultants. Through this service, established Scheduling companies can list themselves on a bulletin board.
With the increasing popularity of ICS-Global, it is expected that more and more Scheduling Managers will turn to ICS-League (versus a Google search) to find qualified Scheduling Consultants.
However, just as with ICS-GlobalStaff, ICS-League does not vouch for the independent consultant or their work quality. Consultants listed with ICS‑League have not been vetted by ICS‑Global; ICS-League is just an available listing service.
ICS-Network is an association of seasoned, fully-vetted Construction Project Time Management Consultants from across North America who synergistically benefit themselves and those who hire them through collaborative association.
Benefits to consumers of Construction PTM services include Greater Selection, Higher Quality, Fuller Service, and Deeper Value. Benefits to providers of Construction PTM services include Enhanced Business Development, Greater Profitability, Passive Income Stream, and Reduced Risk.
ICS-Finance provides opportunities for investors and philanthropists to support the growth of Construction PTM in North America. ICS-Finance oversees various monetary programs established to fund aspects of Operational Divisions. Such monetary programs have one of two objectives: