Bridging the gap between the project management and facility management

Project Management (PM) and Facility Management (FM) have traditionally been viewed as separate disciplines. While PM focuses on the planning, execution, and delivery of projects, FM ensures the long-term operation and maintenance of facilities. However, bridging these fields through uncertainty management can create more resilient, adaptable, and future-proofed facilities.

Uncertainty in PM is an inevitable challenge. Market fluctuations, evolving technology, environmental risks, and user behavior shifts can all introduce unpredictability into projects. This uncertainty, if not effectively managed, can lead to cost overruns, schedule delays, and compromised facility performance. Conversely, when opportunities within uncertainty are recognized, project managers can proactively integrate solutions that enhance long-term FM strategies.

The uncertainty theory discusses the holistic approach from the perspective on the individual elements of a system and on understanding the connection and interaction between their elements. In FM the good cooperation between the facility manager and the owner may give a holistic understanding of the risk and opportunities that management team need to monitor and control.

The key to successful FM integration in project management lies in a holistic approach to uncertainty management. This involves considering external and internal risks and opportunities throughout a facility’s lifecycle.

External Opportunities – Emerging market trends and new technologies that can make the facility/neighborhood more sustainable and or more profitable over time. For example, the adoption of smart building technologies, such as AI-driven energy management systems, can significantly reduce operational costs. Additionally, the increasing demand for green buildings and net-zero energy facilities presents opportunities for FM to implement sustainable solutions, such as solar energy integration and water recycling systems.

Internal Opportunities – Identifying weak signals in facility usage, user behavior and well-being orientation, factors that enhance visitor experience and wish to come back, and workforce adaptability can drive proactive improvements and enhance service delivery. For instance, following user preferences through occupancy sensors can inform better space layouts, improving productivity and well-being. Similarly, monitoring maintenance requests can highlight inefficiencies in facility operations, allowing FM teams to optimize maintenance scheduling.

External Risks – Risks related to various scenarios that may harm or make the facility/neighborhood less sustainable or profitable, such as climate change, regulatory changes, and geopolitical factors. A notable example is the rising frequency of extreme weather events, which require FM teams to enhance building resilience through floodproofing and reinforced infrastructure. Moreover, shifting environmental regulations, such as stricter carbon emissions policies, may necessitate retrofitting older buildings with energy-efficient technologies.

Internal Risks – Risks related to running operations of the hard and soft FM and risks related to the facility/neighborhood, such as budget constraints, technical failures, and resource limitations may hinder facility performance if not anticipated early. For example, unexpected HVAC system failures in a commercial building can lead to costly emergency repairs and tenant dissatisfaction. Additionally, staffing shortages in FM teams can result in delayed responses to critical maintenance needs, affecting overall facility efficiency.

By using uncertainty management methodologies from project management, FM professionals can shift from a reactive to a proactive stance, optimizing both project execution and facility longevity.

Elements from Uncertainty Management Strategies linked with FM

Uncertainty management in PM involves a structured yet flexible approach to identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks while leveraging emerging opportunities. Several frameworks support this process:

Wideman’s Four Categories of Risk Factors – This framework classifies risks into predictable and unpredictable, internal and external categories, helping project managers anticipate and address challenges effectively.

Ansoff and Nikander’s Weak Signal Theory – This methodology promotes early identification of weak signals to predict upcoming risks and opportunities.

Hillson’s Opportunity-Risk Thinking – Encourages balancing risk aversion with proactive opportunity exploration, a crucial aspect of FM sustainability.

Applying these frameworks to FM, facility managers can monitor early warning signals, identify risk patterns, and adopt adaptive project execution models that align with long-term operational goals – see Figure 1.

Figure 1: Uncertainaty management linked to FM

To learn more about FM professionals being involved early in project planning phase, please contact Fatih Kaka, CEO, Olive Arabia on fkaka@olivearabia.com