Project Management in Shopfitting

The Project Manager of a shopfitting project guarantees the coordination of the store fittings, is a central contact person and can be seen as interface between Sales and Production/Logistics and the customer.

Project Management is the successful conformance to a complex Launch-/Relaunch task, 

which is defined by an explicit objective,

  • until a fixed deadline
  • in a defined quality
  • through a verified budget
  • with minimal expended resources

The most important basic points are depicted in the “magic triangle“: 

The employment often begins with the Project Management being involved in the planning phase, as technical circumstances need to be discussed by the Project Manager and the Planning Department. The Project Manager is very often involved in the scheduling of the budgets (both for the furniture and the lot). Generally the Project Management prepares schedules and cost plans, monitors and coordinates the calculation and construction in-house, transmits information to the Purchasing Department and is available as contact person for Production and Logistics.

The responsibility at a construction side usually begins with the delivery of the goods. The PROJECT MANAGEMENT coordinates the delivery, the distribution and the installation of the store fittings (furniture) and is responsible for the coordination of the different lots.

Project Management is supported by the Project Engineering Department, where specialists are working who are responsible for preparing parts lists, work schedules and construction- and detail drawings. On the construction site the Project Management usually is supported by a Site Manager. The Project Manager is professionally and disciplinarily responsible for all members of staff who are involved in the respective shopfitting project.

What are the characteristics of the shopfitting Project Manager:

1-) A Project Manager has a good sense for time and cost and is therefore able to quickly evaluate if some of the tasks will not be completed as defined by the order. Hence, he has distinctive organisational skills.

2-) A Project Manager comes with appropriate authority and is able to assert himself with in- house departments as well as with external craftsmen at the construction site.

3-) A Project Manager has good skills and expertise and a distinctive technical grasp, is aware of applications of various materials (wood, glass, plastics) in the field of furniture manufacturing and assembly and has knowledge of the different lots, such as the field of dry construction.

4-) A Project Manager has profound communication skills and stays persistent in stressful situations.

5-) A Project Manager appreciates precision and reliability and comes with distinct methodological expertise.

The following diagram shows the responsibility of the field of Project Management, which filters and distributes the project communication as “Single Point of Contract“.