Owning Change in Construction
While the current economic conditions are creating a slowdown in the construction industry, it is also creating a need for change. Companies can no longer operate the way they did in the time of economic boom. In many cases, there is an increased need for collaboration, reporting, and accountability through the use of technology, and owners understand how important this is on projects today.
In fact, the most recent survey of owners from FMI Corp., www.fminet.com, Raleigh, N.C., shows some owners are looking to improve team coordination through the use of technology, which will improve collaboration and reduce risk. Specifically, 18% of owners cite team coordination—with technology-enhanced processes—as the area needing greatest improvements.
One example of an owner using technology is the University of Chicago, www.uchicago.edu, Chicago, Ill., which looked for a tool to manage complex plans and projects and integrate business process automation. With technology, the facilities services team can manage budget approvals, contract approvals, payment applications, project issues, RFIs (requests for information), change management, and submittals, among others.
However, while technology is playing an enabling role, the new structured processes will help the facilities services team control costs and respond to project issues faster. This will also help reduce the risk for delays and cost overruns.
The University selected e-Builder Enterprise from e-Builder, www.e-Builder.net, Plantation, Fla., and is also using the technology with Crystal Reports for more flexibility in the creation of reports and dashboards, which will improve project visibility.
Owners are finding now is the time to use technology to improve collaboration, reduce risk, heighten visibility, and increase reporting.
I-Lab Engineering, Singapore, Asia, was looking for a system to manage a 650,000-sq.ft. scientific research center. According to the company, its goal was to set up a central location for data to increase collaboration and improve reporting of meeting minutes, RFIs, and drawings. The contractor worked with ProjectAIMS, www.projectaims.com, Hong Kong, China, to implement Prolog from Meridian Systems, www.meridiansystems.com, Folsom, Calif.
TS Wong, CEO, ProjectAIMS, says more project owners are adopting technology to manage reporting and team collaboration, and in the light of the complexity of the project and accelerated schedule, I-Lab needed the technology to gain efficiency.
With all the change occurring in the construction industry these days, it will be interesting to see how the role of technology will evolve in the years to come.