Nearly half of construction managers still capture critical jobsite quality data manually. One-third still use paper and pen to track data.
These are some of the key findings from a survey of more than 500 executives and managers in the construction and engineering fields. The survey, conducted in February by TrackVia, an operational workflow platform, exposes a jobsite management environment that, for many companies, is antiquated and potentially prone to more errors.
Three quarters of the executives and managers polled said that ensuring a high quality of work is the most important part of their jobs. But the process by which they strive to achieve that quality is often time-consuming and redundant.
Managers concede that collecting data manually presents three challenges:
•Inadequate levels of details attached to work and change orders
•Incomplete work quality observation data
•Incomplete information to substantiate claims
Yet, the survey found that a large portion of change- and work-order initiation is manual, with more than 80% of managers reporting email as their primary means of communication, followed by meetings and calls via radio or cell phone. This contributes to why 65% of managers surveyed also said that work orders or changes get missed some to all of the time, lengthening a project’s time-to-completion.
Nearly two-thirds of the managers polled said the availability of information, like change orders, was the hardest to capture accurately. Part of the problem seems to be that jobsite data often gets funneled through multiple sieves.
Half of managers said their data must go through five different steps to get the information into a software or database system, and half of executives said their data goes through the same number of steps before it can be used by team members for reporting and analytics.
Three quarters of executives are using multiple systems to house project and site data. Eighty-eight percent of execs who use four or more data systems spend at least 1,300 hours per year trying to assemble data into usable reports.
Consequently, 61% of executives polled said they are making decisions using old data. “Manual processes inhibit executives and managers from making timely decisions and from staying ahead of potential issues before they become big issues,” the survey’s authors state. “Executives are also challenged … [by] not having the information they need for compliance and audits.”
Incomplete and erroneous work orders and changes still plague jobsites where data are collected manually. Image: TrackVIa.
The majority of executives and managers agree that manual data collection increases the costs related to work quality and employee downtime.
Fifty-seven percent of executives reported costs related to inadequate or damaged supplies, materials, and equipment, while 58% of managers cited liquidated damages due to project delays.
Forty-five percent of managers acknowledged they could adequately substantiate claims only 51-80% of the time. Half of the executives could legally substantiate only 50-79% of claims with daily reports and other documentation.
TrackVia’a recommendations to change this deficient dynamic starts with the implementation of a streamlined, digitized data collection process, which more than half of the executives believe would alleviate several of the issues related to manual data entry.
The report noted that using dynamic mobile apps would enable firms to capture information from any device—online or offline. Job site teams could use standardized forms to enter data, scan barcodes, geotag locations, attach photos, and document weather conditions using any iOS or Android device.
Aggregating all data through a single system wouldn’t hurt, either. “Corporate offices need to simplify their processes for turning job site data into usable reports. By digitizing data acquisition on the job site and integrating it with other systems, firms get accurate, real-time visibility across their entire organizations. Firms can create custom dashboards and reports and publish those for executives and managers so everyone is on the same page.”
Related Stories
| Dec 5, 2013
Exclusive BD+C survey shows reaction to Sandy Hook tragedy
More than 60% of AEC professionals surveyed by BD+C said their firms experienced heightened interest in security measures from school districts they worked with.
| Dec 4, 2013
First look: Dubai's winning bid for World Expo 2020 [slideshow]
Dubai has been chosen as the site of the 2020 World Expo. HOK led the design team that developed the master plan for the Expo, which is expected to draw more than 25 million visitors from October 2020 through April 2021.
| Dec 3, 2013
‘BIM for all’ platform pays off for contractor
Construction giant JE Dunn is saving millions in cost avoidances by implementing a custom, cloud-based BIM/VDC collaboration platform.
| Dec 3, 2013
Historic Daytona International Speedway undergoing $400 million facelift
The Daytona International Speedway is zooming ahead on the largest renovation in the Florida venue’s 54-year history. Improvements include five redesigned guest entrances, an extended grandstand with 101,000 new seats, and more than 60 new trackside suites for corporate entertaining.
| Dec 3, 2013
Creating a healthcare capital project plan: The truth behind the numbers
When setting up a capital project plan, it's one thing to have the data, but quite another to have the knowledge of the process.
| Dec 3, 2013
Architects urge government to reform design-build contracting process
Current federal contracting laws are discouraging talented architects from competing for federal contracts, depriving government and, by inference, taxpayers of the best design expertise available, according to AIA testimony presented today on Capitol Hill.
| Dec 3, 2013
Construction spending hits four-year peak after rare spike in public outlays
An unusual surge in public construction in October pushed total construction spending to its highest level since May 2009 despite a dip in both private residential and nonresidential activity.
| Nov 27, 2013
BIG's 'oil and vinegar' design wins competition for the Museum of the Human Body [slideshow]
The winning submission by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and A+ Architecture mixes urban pavement and parkland in a flowing, organic plan, like oil and vinegar, explains Bjarke Ingels.
| Nov 27, 2013
Retail renaissance: What's next?
The retail construction category, long in the doldrums, is roaring back to life. Send us your comments and projects as we prepare coverage for this exciting sector.
| Nov 27, 2013
Pediatric hospitals improve care with flexible, age-sensitive design
Pediatric hospitals face many of the same concerns as their adult counterparts. Inpatient bed demand is declining, outpatient visits are soaring, and there is a higher level of focus on prevention and reduced readmissions.