Every architect, construction specialist and building company has experienced defects on the construction site. From doorways that are too small to features that were damaged during installation, an infinite number of things can go wrong during construction. Once discovered, the site manager has to communicate and discuss the problem with technical teams on the one hand and the subcontractors assigned to repair the defect on the other hand. The process can be complicated unless you have a project management software that makes things simple.
When scheduling and tracking project progress, you need a construction project management software that can solve communication problems between all team members on and offsite. This article will show you how to improve your daily routine with PlanRadar’s software to project manage your construction program.
AVOID STRUCTURAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY INCORRECT INFORMATION
In large projects, construction project management software is needed to track tasks during the different phases of building. It’s normal to find several defects in every area at each phase of a project, but every one of these defects could potentially have a bigger impact on the project than expected. For example, during their work, a subcontractor realises that a doorway is not big enough to be used by a wheelchair user. He informs the site manager, who passes the information back to the architect or technical department and tells them that there’s an error in the plan. The site manager might call him on his mobile to tell him about the problem, or he might send him an email. He might describe the wrong part of the plan or tell the architect the wrong dimensions, or he could pass on the correct information but the person in the office misunderstands.
The person responsible for the plan needs time to amend the technical drawing with the new information from the contractor and site manager. They might not have time to visit the construction site and the construction company might not be able to wait for the architect’s new plan to come due to the project’s strict timeline. As a result, there is a gap between the work being started and the updated plan arriving, which means there’s a risk that the work might not be completed correctly. Incorrect work has to be redone, delaying the next step. This could have been avoided with the right construction project management software for scheduling and tracking.
In the case of a misunderstanding or poor communication, the architect or engineer tasked with updating the plan will be working with false information and missing details. The new plans will, therefore, have flaws in them, and those mistakes might not be spotted by the site manager. If construction then continues based on incorrect plans, it could result in considerable structural damage. Repairing or undoing this level of damage means project delay and rising costs, both big problems in the competitive construction industry.
COMPLETE COMMUNICATION WITH PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FOR CONSTRUCTION
PlanRadar’s construction project management software can intervene to prevent miscommunication from the beginning. If PlanRadar had been used in the above scenario, the site manager would have created a ticket on a digital plan marking the error and assigned it to the subcontractor. He would also send a copy of the ticket to the person responsible for updating the plan. The ticket includes precise details of the problem, including photographs. While the new plan is being prepared, the subcontractor can communicate via the chat function with the site manager and the technical engineer or architect, making sure he doesn’t make matters worse. Once a new plan with the correct measurements is completed, the site manager could upload it immediately and all subcontractors on the site would have it available to use on their mobile devices. The fact that all communication happens in one place in real-time helps to reduce the risk of further mistakes.
Using PlanRadar, every project participant, including all contractors, can manage and improve their workflow by taking advantage of all the features and tools that allow them to get an oversight of tasks, prioritise and communicate all at once. From the perspective of a project manager or site manager, everybody onsite has been empowered with their own project management software, meaning that you can safely delegate jobs while retaining peace of mind.
All you need is your mobile phone, tablet or laptop to document your construction projects in real-time, wherever you are. Each ticket can be supplemented with pictures, voice memos or a simple text. Everybody who has an interest in that ticket will receive an automatic notification as soon as the ticket has been created and every time the status is updated. This direct communication not only reduces the incidence of errors, but also the time and costs of your quality assurance process.
WHY USE PLANRADAR?
To decide which construction management software to buy, you need to consider the range of features on offer and what problems you want them to solve. Is your priority scheduling, cost estimating, performance tracking or team coordination? Do you spend too much time pulling data together into reports? Do you have to liaise with several different stakeholders at once? PlanRadar has proved itself to be one of the best tools in the construction management software market. Our app is successful because it fulfils a need in the field for an integrated way to track tasks, communicate consistently and create a transparent audit trail. These and many other features can make the task of managing projects easier.
Cloud-based software applications like PlanRadar allow you to have your project data and plans with you at all times, with updates appearing in real-time. That can help your project’s productivity skyrocket and make the job of project manager far easier.
With the help of PlanRadar´s software for construction management, you will be able to digitise and optimise your workflow within your projects, saving you a lot of time and paperwork. The combination of saved time on administration and a reduction of mistakes during building means that construction project management software can save your company money. Seamless communication can also help you to keep your construction site visits to a minimum and store all of your documents online rather than in a single office space. From the perspective of a subcontractor, you can receive new information about tasks directly on your mobile device and are no longer dependent on a site manager to brief you about a task’s details. You can also keep your operation lightweight in terms of administration, with everything you need available within a single app.
It’s time for you to learn more about how to digitise construction and project management with the help of a software application. You can bring your projects to the next level. Give it a chance with PlanRadar and try its features free of charge for 30 days!
