Optimized, Replicable Workflows Empowered by Integrated Technology

Matt Gramblicka, Vice President IT & Enterprise Applications

Is that shiny new tool really adding value?

In many cases, the sales pitch is well intentioned and products can add value making the lives of a project team easier, but there are a few asterisks and fine print that aren’t always obvious. It’s been well documented how construction has lagged other industries when it comes to advances in productivity. There are many reasons for this; the rising cost of labor, rising cost of materials and supply chain challenges, increased focus on safety protocols, environmental considerations, and the fact that no two projects are exactly the same. Add in increased safety protocols, labor compliance challenges, increased documentation requirements and it's no surprise that construction project teams are feeling overwhelmed. When vendors come touting solutions that will increase productivity and save time, heads are turned and dollars are spent chasing the dream of cost savings or productivity gains.

Is it easy?

Have productivity gains been made? Have we made things easier for our project sites? In some cases maybe, but overall I would argue we have not achieved significant gains. Technology does have a place; however it fundamentally needs to create space for project teams to focus on planning and executing work safely. If it doesn’t take away the burden of administration tasks, it’s not worth doing. Adding technology that replaces paper with an online form isn’t necessarily going to make the larger gains we need either. Another pitfall is focusing on one area or task and looking to solve the problem with a point solution. What is not obvious right away is the amount of effort to configure and the duplicate entry required for setup, as well as the time taken for training and adoption.

“Technology does have a place; however it fundamentally needs to create space for project teams to focus on planning and executing work safely.”

Streamlined, repeatable processes supported by integrated technology will provide the greatest impact.

We’re transferring workers on and off sites all the time, and getting them up to speed and productive in the shortest amount of time is paramount. Imagine having clearly understood processes and tools across all your projects where new workers on site, familiar with the enterprise solution, will be in a position to ask “what change orders need submitting today?” vs. “how do we keep track of change orders on this project?”. 

Consistency and repeatability is critical. Transferring knowledge from site to site is critical. A lot of our inefficiencies stem from unclear or immature processes. Technology will help, but it is not the best place to start.

How do we improve productivity?

Start with the processes. Have a clear understanding of the desired outcomes, focus on the tasks required to achieve those, and eliminate the wasteful steps. If the branch or corporate office needs information, make sure it’s captured within the process, not in addition to the process. Be clear about who needs to be involved and assign the steps to the person best-fit for the tasks, and move tasks to the back-office where possible. Finally, seek technology or tools to automate or ease information capture and ensure they align with your overall technology roadmap. Focus on the integrations between systems to reduce or eliminate duplicate entry and increase data quality and consistency. When done effectively, we’ll free up capacity on project teams, allowing more focus on construction and ultimately improving the delivery schedule. Technology is best used as an enabler; when you understand the problem you’re trying to solve and the audience most impacted, you’ll have the most success in achieving those elusive efficiency gains.