The digitalisation of construction project management, there's an app and online dashboards for that…..
For our latest delve into the practical use of digital tools on site, Peter Haddock met up with Andrew Cowan from technology specialist @Sablono on a high-rise apartment block in central London.
He helped Peter discover how integrated workflows supported by dashboards and an app for connected devices like phones and tablets can deliver real-time programme management benefits to everyone onsite.
And to prove how important this is, when Peter got to the site, the wind had closed down the hoists, impacting the plan. This was just one of the many environmental and practical challenges that can throw a curveball into the construction of a 32-storey building in inner-city London.
A few flights of stairs later, Andrew revealed how complicated it can be to coordinate the different trades on site while ensuring everything is kept on track.
Andrew: "On a project like this, you could have 15 to 20 teams on site, so there are many variables to contend with, from material deliveries to documenting compliance for things like fire safety.
"Therefore, managing the construction phases and releasing a flat plot to say the dry liners can be very paperwork-heavy for those using traditional Excel spreadsheet trackers.
"This is why we have developed an integrated project management tool that everyone on site can access through an app.
"So, taking the dry liners as an example, when, in this case, a plot has been checked and signed off, they can be immediately alerted. This saves time and money, ultimately increasing productivity.
"Similarly, the project management team will have a workflow that can include pictures and location tags to check for compliance before sign off, so there is one version of the truth updated in real-time."
With a recent report from consultants @Mckinsey showing the construction industry lags behind other sectors in the adoption of digital tools, Sablono has made its Sablono Track solution free to use for up to five staff members - details here: https://www.sablono.com/product/track
Andrew added:" We recognise how important it is to understand how software works on a practical day to day site.
"So this new free tier will allow end users to see how our tracker works, particularly with detailed task management and what we call the trade to trade handovers on site using the simplified workflow sign-off process."
Peter added: “I personally think you can only really understand how technology works in construction by going onto a site and trying it out.
“And when I saw just how much a project manager has to control through the more detailed dashboard I got to view, I added my own additional layer of respect for those doing the job.”