The importance of end-to-end visibility on a construction site

The past few years have been anything but “business as usual” for everyone in construction. Against this backdrop, contractors have had to contend with significant turbulence in the supply chains, abroad causing backlogs, delays, energy costs and shortages of materials, equipment and staff, leading to soaring prices.

Why visibility on construction sites is vital

Efficiency and productivity are longstanding issues for construction, from housebuilding and civils to demolition, road and rail. The fact of the matter is that for too long, the industry has allowed itself to be hamstrung by siloed working, fragmented data and an adversarial approach to projects.

Bad organisational structure, poor communication, a lack of clear responsibility and accountability and out-of-date or unreliable data leads to weak performance management, unresponsive decision making and a
“snowball effect” of supply issues, delivery problems or cost changes that occur once a project is underway not being dealt with effectively. All of this means too many construction projects are over deadline, over budget - and below specifications.

These practices are not tolerated in other manufacturing sectors, such as automotive and aerospace, and we must challenge ourselves to do better. By its very nature, construction is long-term – houses, hospitals, schools and infrastructure must last generations – but the industry, by and large, does not think long term. With notoriously thin margins, the emphasis is often on winning a contract, getting it done as fast and cheap as possible, and repeat.

In the last few years, however, things have started to change. Landmark reports like Sir John Egan’s Rethinking Construction and Mark Farmer’s Modernise or Die set the direction of travel for a more sustainable, successful industry through the embracing of innovation and the widespread adoption of technology.

More recently, the landmark Hackitt Review of Building Regulations and fire safety, with its “golden thread of information” and subsequent government efforts to ratchet up industry standards, such as the recently announced national regulator for building materials, underline the need to end the “race to the bottom” of quick and cheap in favour of a long-term focus on the lifecycle of a built asset.

That is why end-to-end visibility through use of Construction Software - from initial construction estimates and planning, to supply chain operation and what’s actually happening on site as it happens - has never been more important. It has been talked about as the future of the construction industry; it could and should be the here and now.

A single source of truth for all project teams

The phrase “single source of truth” is often associated with construction tech such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) but, in reality, it is something that everyone in the industry should care about and can apply to any project.

In short, a single source of truth means having operating data that everyone working on a scheme agrees is trusted and accurate. It is more than just good document management; it means project teams working at different sites, at the office or on site, sometimes even on other sides of the world, know they are working from the right data, without duplication. This helps to reduce mistakes and errors, improves trust and transparency, and mitigates risk.

But how can this be achieved? Most construction projects have information coming in from multiple sources, whether it’s project plans, emails, material specifications, workforce data and so on. When this data is stored in separate databases and systems, it increases the chance of duplication or even conflict.

How construction software can help

Construction software technology holds the key to unlocking the efficiency gains offered by a single source of truth. Integrated applications and cloud storage break down the barriers of the traditionally fragmented supply chain of manufacturers, distributors and contractors, allowing field capture of information using consistent standards that is stored in the cloud, allowing project managers and directors to track and analyse it, all synched in real-time.

It’s not just making sure your teams on site are working from the latest set of plans. It can create a more collaborative environment for communication - particularly valuable at a time when face-to-face meetings are impossible.

Instead of vital project information being buried in a subcontractor’s emails, for example, it is housed within the system, with all permitted stakeholders able to locate it, ensuring they are up to date and avoiding
potentially costly delays.

Meanwhile, mobile apps mean that site managers can control purchase requisitions, update goods received and timesheets without having to return to the office, with this information instantly updating the overall project dashboards for the teams away from site.

Crucially, integrated mobile and cloud technology means key job costing information at multiple levels, such as plant, materials, labour, subcontractors and overheads, is captured - and updated for each activity - as the project progresses.

Ultimately, this live site and financial information enables that end-to-end visibility on how a project is running and enables more responsive decision-making, while ensuring problems don’t “snowball” and allowing risk mitigation at the earliest opportunity.

Conclusion

Construction is often viewed as a conservative with a small ‘c’ and an industry that is reluctant to change its ways, even when the challenges and frustrations of fragmented supply chains, avoidable delays and walking a tightrope of razor thin margins are clear - and widely acknowledged.

Yet there are many in the industry already embracing digital transformation and better ways of working through technology - and they are not looking back.

Change can be daunting but with the whole construction industry facing ever-higher demands for quality, safety and performance of built assets, knowing the true performance and cost of a project is becoming ever more important. Visibility is everything.

Take a look at our Construction software solutions to find out how we can support and guide your business (and your teams) through it's digital transformation together one step at a time. 

Interested to see our software in action? Request a free demo today!