Progression of Project Management: SaaS Sharpens Competencies
Web-based technologies could redefine the way you use project management.
SaaS (software-as-a-service) is increasingly on the radar as a project-management solution that delivers flexibility, convenience, and efficiency. For Wolf Construction, www.wolfks.com, Topeka, Kan., the hope is that this delivery method will also serve as a sort of translator within its company as well.
“In construction, there’s typically the business side and the project management side, and they sometimes don’t speak the same languages,” says Michael Schirmer, CFO, Wolf Construction. “Construction doesn’t always understand financial and financial doesn’t always understand construction. We hope this system will bridge some of that. While we don’t think our project managers will be doing debits and credits, at least we will all be on the same page. We like that SaaS will bring us together, so that we are all operating with the same information.”
The hope for years was that integrated systems would act as this ultimate “translator” for companies, but it hasn’t worked as smoothly as some would have hoped. The belief is the SaaS technology model will make it more flexible and efficient for project managers to use the system to the benefit of the company.
Wolf Construction is currently in the process of implementing eCMS from Computer Guidance Corp., www.computer-guidance.com, Scottsdale, Ariz., with plans to use most all modules—including Project Collaborator, General Ledger, A/R, A/P, Time & Materials Billing, Payroll, and Purchasing. Schirmer says the company wanted a comprehensive solution to integrate project management with accounting, which is why project managers were highly involved in the process—a process highly recommended across the board with any implementation of this sort.
“No question project managers were part of the driving force behind change,” he says. “We weren’t out looking for (a) system only with a hosting feature. We were looking for something comprehensive from start to finish—not only financial management but project management, as well. The solution has to work to fit both needs and bring it all together.”
Mark Liss, director of construction solutions, Explorer Software, www.explorer-software.com, West Vancouver, B.C., says the SaaS model has been penetrating construction for a few years, but really sees opportunity for the technology to take hold, given the cost and deployment benefits for companies. He says, “For the longest time, companies wanted to control their own servers. Only recently has there been a switch in the thought process. Today security and connectivity are good enough where you can have data residing elsewhere. You can lessen the in-house requirements and take advantage of someone else’s knowledge and expertise.”
While project-management tools came to SaaS in the past decade, many companies had concerns about storing data on a remote Website run by a third party. “The truth is that anyone with remote sites, whether they are (at the) office or jobsites, will use the Internet to get back at information,” says Liss. “Whether it’s SaaS or another model, the Internet is used to view data and input and extract data. Security levels are always being enhanced to keep it secure.”
Today, the vast majority of project management applications are packaged software and not software-as-a-service. The construction industry’s project management needs are well suited to SaaS, according to Liss. The solution offers functions such as the ability to compile data on labor and time needed for a project, and then tracking the data—in realtime. “Realtime is critical in this field,” he says. “Decisions a project manager is making are only as good as the information available. If they are able to get on a system remotely and see up-to-date costs from the past few days, they can make more informed decisions. We have the ability to view this realtime data and can integrate with prebuilt ticketing software or estimating software—we can also work with Excel.”
Before going the route of SaaS, Wolf Construction used construction-specific accounting systems and a Microsoft Access database for the time and material. With this system, there was the potential for double entry and billing errors. Along with improvement in accuracy of data entry, Schirmer says the mobile workforce’s 20 ruggedized computers will now yield a faster turnaround time for tracking of project management detail. “Clients want information on a daily basis and as fast as they can get it,” he says. “This system gets us closer to realtime. Our information is only as good as when our guys in the field can get to it.”
Today’s project managers find many benefits from having access to true realtime information:
- Aligning objectives with other departments
- Opportunity to plan and implement more projects
- Provide better information to clients
- Record true costs
Remote offline capabilities are available when there is limited Internet connectivity, Liss stresses. “You can use offline entry to enter data and then synch up and upload data to (the) server at a later time.”
Project managers can anticipate more advancements with the onset of these solutions, including an iPhone app in the near future, according to Liss.
In general, Web-based project-management systems are piquing the interest of contractors across the industry. Kevin Hicks, assistant vice president of IT, M.J. Harris, www.mjharris.com, Birmingham, Ala., is researching the Web-based solution, Prolog Converge from Meridian Systems, www.meridiansystems.com, Folsom, Calif., which he says would be ideal for collaborating with architects and engineers. “We have Prolog Manager setup on a Terminal Services environment, so that is currently how everyone connects and uses the software,” he says. “OBAs (office business applications) would just make it easier for those users who are less tech-savvy, but have at least used Microsoft Office applications before. Additionally OBAs are ideal for the field environment where you don’t always have an active connection to the Internet and OBAs allow for users to work offline. That is the power of Web services and pulling information from Prolog into other user interfaces in order to manipulate the data.”
It’s all about working to strengths and allowing project managers—and other staff members—to do what they do best. The core strength of SaaS is realtime reporting that helps customers keep to budgets and timelines.
As today’s project management is as much art as science, Web-based task management allows collaboration on projects across all lines of business. “The project management Web-based solution is that end-to-end management solution,” Schirmer says. “And our project managers will let us know about the realtime benefits, more accessible information, and improvement in accuracy. We think that the system will allow our project managers to pursue work they haven’t in the past. Instead of fighting paper trails, they will be able to get to work on building.” •
Tracy Cox is a contributing writer for Constructech.