APPENDIX X1

CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS EDITION OF THE CONSTRUCTION EXTENSION TO THE PMBOK® GUIDE

The following is a summary of changes made to the Construction Extension to the PMBOK® Guide since the previous edition.

X1.1Structure and Approach

The most visible change made to this edition of the Construction Extension is the use of a new structure and approach to extensions to the PMBOK® Guide. Previous editions of the Construction Extension, as well as all other PMBOK® Guide extensions produced by PMI, provided, essentially, a section-by-section commentary on or additions to the content of the PMBOK® Guide. For example, Section 10.4 of the PMBOK® Guide – Third Edition discussed the Manage Stakeholders process as it applied to “most projects most of the time,” then the Construction Extension to the PMBOK® Guide – Second Edition provided additional guidance on that same topic as it related to construction projects or to the construction industry. In many instances, no additional guidance was required, so the section said simply, “see the PMBOK® Guide.”

The disadvantages of this scheme were twofold: First, the content of the extension was tied directly to the structure of the PMBOK® Guide, so the extension could only discuss topics already found in the PMBOK® Guide. The writers of the extension had difficulty including industry-specific content that did not have an equivalent in the generic guidance found in the PMBOK® Guide. Second, the PMBOK® Guide is revised on a regular schedule—every 4 years—and as the extension was tied to a specific edition of the PMBOK® Guide this meant that the extension became obsolete as soon as a new edition of the PMBOK® Guide was published.

This new edition of the Construction Extension to the PMBOK® Guide takes a new approach. First, while this new document still acts as an extension to the PMBOK® Guide, it is not directly tied to a specific edition of the PMBOK® Guide, though it assumes that the practitioner is using a fairly current edition. The Construction Extension is still intended to be used in conjunction with the PMBOK® Guide and is not a stand-alone document.

Second, the new Construction Extension is principles-based rather than process-based. Discussion of specific processes, including inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs, is not included in this document. Instead, the new extension focuses on the principles behind managing construction projects. The extension is still organized similarly to the PMBOK® Guide, with a chapter for each of the PMBOK® Guide Knowledge Areas (scope, cost, scheduling, etc.), but with a discussion of how the practitioner will manage a construction project within that Knowledge Area.

X1.2Technical Content

The most significant updates include emerging industry trends and the supplemental Construction Extension chapters that do not appear in the PMBOK® Guide (see Sections X1.2.1 and X1.2.2).

X1.2.1 Emphasis on Emerging Industry Trends

The emerging issues identified during the review and update of the Construction Extension included emphasis on quality assurance and quality control, environmental issues, and project delivery methods. Emphasis toward the global aspects of the construction industry has introduced new considerations for the Construction Extension. International standards are now more prevalent and the reach of their application across borders creates new challenges and considerations for the construction industry.

A recognizable issue that was not specifically addressed through this extension is the “green” construction trends that are influencing the way projects are conceptualized, designed, and constructed. This emerging trend has the potential for adding many new elements to future updates of the Construction Extension and is recognized here but not specifically addressed.

The last emerging trend that was recognized is the human element and the demand for construction industry resources. As the industry market expands, the availability and skill base of the resources required to manage and execute construction project manage will influence the way projects are organized, planned, and constructed. This will also create new elements for the Construction Extension in future updates that better address this human resource component.

X1.2.2 Supplemental Construction Extension Chapters

The Construction Extension contains the following chapters that do not have equivalents in the PMBOK® Guide:

• Chapter 14—Project Stakeholder Management
• Chapter 15—Project Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (HSSE) Management
• Chapter 16—Project Financial Management

The previous Construction Extension included a chapter on Project Claims Management. In this edition, the topic is covered in Chapter 12 and Managing Claims in Construction is included in Annex A1.