When you think of the construction industry, agility isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. It’s an industry that can be stifled by strong regulations, manual processes and relatively small steps in innovation. However, this is the direction the industry needs to take.
Construction workers need to be able to think on their feet, move fast and have the right tools so that projects aren’t delayed. Employees don’t want to run to the trailer to check plans, or carry a laptop around in order to verify they are working off the latest plans. Constantly revising, reprinting and redistributing paper-based documentation is not only time-consuming and costly, but almost impossible to manage.
Technology in construction has long been used – Excel, email, laptops and AutoCAD – but little has progressed since these tools came into play. Although they’re still effective, it’s questionable whether they can be optimised for the current technological age. Emailing with attached spreadsheets and documents isn’t much better than a paper-based system as it slows communication and whittles profit away.
“The construction industry is using the technology, but ignoring whole new approaches that would replace Excel spreadsheets, Word documents and email chains,” says Todd Dawalt, founder of Construction Leading Edge.
Making the most of mobile, smartphone and cloud-based software can enable construction professionals to continue doing what they do best – thinking on their feet – but in a more agile way. These tools can help reduce running to and fro as they allow for information to be captured and shared in real time, leading to greater transparency and clarity on project specifics.
“It gives them tools to capture much more of their day for review, safety and accountability. It also decreases delays and rework by keeping everyone up-to-date. This is big because it means everyone can operate from the same set of plans or the same 3D model simultaneously. That’s a first for many in the construction industry,” says JBKnowledge co-founder, James Benham.
Enabling smart devices in the construction industry can allow for a much smoother and more efficient workday, leading to greater efficiencies, safety, accountability and even improved team morale in the long term.
Find more information at Procore
Procore Technologies Inc
1800 431 456
team-anz@procore.com
procore.com/en-au
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