October 25, 2001

How to make the most of the Internet

As recently as five years ago, half the firms in the architecture, engineering and construction industry didn’t have e-mail, much less a Web site.

Image courtesy of KJM & Associates Online collaboration programs such as Livelink by Open Text Corp. provide a central source for schedules, work flow plans and project documents. Click on the picture above for a larger image.

Using the Internet as an integral part of business was a foreign concept to all but the most technologically advanced firms. Now virtually all design, construction and management firms rely on information technology.

The latest advance is in online project collaboration tools. Such technology provides far more efficient methods of information delivery than what we have been using.

Collaborative project management technology is a term that refers to a whole new array of Internet-based technology and software products that are making an impact on our industry and the way projects are managed. Project collaboration applications help users improve work flow and control financial risk at the project and program level.

It’s all about information. Everybody needs it. Project managers require financial information early in the job cycles so they can make meaningful projections and analyze associated variances. Owners require information on the status of projects in progress. With a project Web site, everyone has access to the same, up-to-date information, at the same time, all the time.

Internet-based project collaboration tools offer all of the following advantages:

• Improved accessibility to project information. With project data stored in one location, team members can access the drawings, documents and schedules they need rather than rely on the project manager to distribute information. Companies can post all their project information online, making it accessible to everyone on the team, regardless of location.

• Better collaboration through shared information. When team members can view and mark up the latest versions of documents, it reduces redundancy and increases collaboration. With the traditional processes, only the project manager actually saw the information. Using these new tools, owners now have the ability to access all information and share project data with the designer as well as the contractor.

• More efficient coordination with less effort. Project collaboration Web sites allow members to view each other’s calendars, then coordinate the scheduling of meetings or events.

• Better records of all project activity. Project teams can track requests for information, change orders and approvals. A good collaborative site also allows you to track and archive up to the minute changes and revisions.

• Improved decision-making capability. Since changes are automatically tracked and incorporated into the project activities, decisions are made based on the most up to date information. With valid information, all members of the team can make decisions more quickly with fewer communication errors.

• Improved response time. Sharing information and sending documents and drawings using an Internet based tool can drastically reduce the time it takes for review and approvals.

• Significantly reduced costs. The economic return of a project collaboration Web site may be difficult to measure, but users claim they’re able to reduce costs by communicating more efficiently with the project team. The value is in sharing the information and the ease of manipulation. With real-time access, users can share information more quickly — improving overall project management and cutting project costs significantly.

The ability to view and mark up drawings and documents and conduct real-time discussions can be especially useful for large, multi-office project teams in different locations. Managers can look at every project and its problems at the same time. Together they can determine why problems have occurred and what solutions are necessary.

The distribution of the project team is another factor that can validate using online project collaborations tools. Project managers don’t have to be onsite every day to keep up with their work. Owners know exactly what is happening onsite from the comfort of their offices, drastically cutting down on travel expenses and time. At the same time, better communications leads to better results on projects — on time and within budget.

One of the biggest perks of project management collaborative software is that every item in a project is documented and can be accessed later over the Web. Companies no longer have to deal with piles of paperwork; instead, the paperwork is filed on the Web. Any team member with security clearance has access to the data.

With better technology, lower costs and a better understanding of the benefits, project management collaborative technology usage is rapidly increasing. The necessary tools usually are available from three sources:

• Developed in-house, a process that requires considerable investment in staff for both development and maintenance.

• Purchased off-the-shelf and installed on in-house computers with a dedicated Internet connection.

• Accessed through an outside applications service provider (ASP) or other management service to host their project Web site.

Wireless technology — using hand held devices in the field to input to project collaborative tools — is beginning to make inroads in construction management and will only increase.

If you evaluate how your company operates most efficiently, you’ll have a better understanding of the project collaboration tools you may want to purchase. There are 10 points you want to consider: features, flexibility, accessibility, ease of integration, ease of use, fast connections, central location, reliability, security and cost.

Transition is critical. When you do decide to integrate new project collaboration technology in your firm, plan the implementation. The benefits of careful planning will outweigh any additional cost that may occur because of the time spent.

Lastly, choose the system that is flexible to meet your operation and procedure needs, not the other way around — changing your operation procedures to a defined software product.

Product management collaboration requires a team approach. You need to have a foundation of people who are operating in the spirit of partnership and collaboration. If you have both the attitude and the technology, then project collaboration can pay off in a big way.

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