10 Signs You Need Construction Management Software
As construction projects become more complex to meet consumer and investor needs, construction projects need a definitive set of project controls, such as construction management software, to ensure a project is completed on time and without additional expenses. However, many construction project managers may not use construction management software, but the need for such software is present.
If a project manager is unsure about whether to use construction software or not, the following list of 10 signs will identify when construction management software should be used.
1. Request for Information (RFI) Not Controlled by Construction Management Software
Throughout the course of construction, differing groups of contractors may request information about building specifications, supply, or other needs. If these requests take longer than two weeks to process, construction management software is needed. This software enables such requests to be completed efficiently, which could even be within the same day as the request for information.
2. Extended Design Review Time
Disagreements between different construction groups, or contractors, over designs may require extensive discussion, which can be difficult to organize as well as come to an agreement. Furthermore, these design disagreements need to be detected upon initiation of a project, which may go overlooked when construction management software is not used.
3. Incomplete or Inaccurate Documents
If a construction project manager is distributing or relying on documents that are not updated or an accurate reflection of a project, construction management software needs to be employed to generate new documents. As a result, this results in greater adherence to deadlines and owner/investor satisfaction.
4. Poor Communication
Workers and other managers within a construction project manager need constant, strong communication to ensure a project is completed as expected. If communication between different departments or groups working on a project appears to fail, construction management software needs to be implemented.
5. Missed Deadlines
If multiple deadlines for specific activities or tasks in a project have been missed, the project needs construction management software.
6. Going Over Budget
Construction projects possess many different hidden costs, which are often unavoidable. However, frequent expenses over budget are a sign that current systems are not working properly, and the project will benefit from construction management software.
7. Poor Quality and Operation of Built Assets
Once a portion of a project has been built, the owner will expect great, if not perfect, quality and operation of such structures. When built assets lack quality and operational value, the project manager needs construction management software.
8. Problems With Field Inspections
Field inspections are a means of determining the quality of a project, which may be completed or in-progress. The most important inspections occur while a construction project is in-progress, which gives workers a chance to correct the issue. If field inspections continue to reveal weaknesses in design or construction, the project manager needs to change how a project is controlled by introducing construction management software.
9. Unorganized Project Information
Project managers may be asked for information updates about a construction project, especially when important utility services are installed within a structure. A construction project lacking in construction management software will have unorganized piles of information, which may be physical or digital. If a project manager is unable to obtain needed information when requested, construction management software is needed.
10. Confusion During Operation and Maintenance Manual Handover
Most people think a project’s completion signals the end of a project; however, construction managers must still turn over the Operation and Maintenance Manual to structure owners. When the preparation or creation of the Operation and Maintenance Manual is not ready as expected or causes undue confusion, construction management software needs to be used on future projects. Although this project may already be completed, future costs of other projects can be reduced when construction management software generates the manual automatically.
As a construction project manager, you have a duty to ensure the best completion possible for a given construction project. However, fallacies during construction signal the need for construction management software. Before you lose money and time trying to figure out how to deal with construction issues, use construction management software prior to beginning a project.