Overcoming 5 Challenges in Construction Execution: Flow of Information

This article continues our 5-part series addressing the following problems in the successful delivery of construction execution projects:

1. Keeping everyone safe during simultaneous operations (SIMOPS)
2. Keeping projects on time and under budget
3. Making informed decisions through the entire project lifecycle
4. Ensuring the uninterrupted flow of information
5. Keeping an eye on the whole project with accurate information

In the world of construction execution, the continuous flow of information is the lifeblood of any successful project. From project inception to the crucial handover phase from contractor to client, maintaining this flow of complete, accurate and accessible information is essential. However, it's not always easy, and that's where digital systems come into play to address these challenges.

Why Is the Flow of Information Important?

Effective information exchange ensures that everyone involved in the project is on the same page, minimizing misunderstandings, delays and errors. Working with information that is reliable, comprehensive and accurate is essential to enable fact-based decisions, to ensure good contractor-client relationships and to save money, and time, as well as enhance safety.

Effective information management keeps stakeholders informed about project progress and real-time conditions, contributing to successful project delivery.

The Challenges to Ensuring Effective Information Management:

Data Discrepancies:

• Challenge: Different teams and stakeholders may use a different suite of tools and formats to record and share information, leading to discrepancies and data silos.
• Solution: Standardize data formats and utilize digital platforms that allow for seamless data integration. Cloud-based systems can facilitate real-time access to accurate and up-to-date information.

Communication Gaps:

• Challenge: Construction projects involve multiple parties, and effective communication can be challenging especially when relying on word of mouth or paper records, leading to delays and misunderstandings.
• Solution: Implement collaborative tools that enable real-time communication and document sharing among team members, ensuring everyone has access to the information they need, drawing from the same source content to avoid discrepancies.

Documentation Overload:

• Challenge: The sheer volume of project documentation can be overwhelming, making it difficult to locate critical information when needed.
• Solution: Utilize digital document management systems that organize and index project documents for easy retrieval. Search functionalities and metadata tagging can help streamline the process of easily accessing the desired information.

Legacy Systems:

• Challenge: Many construction projects still rely on outdated, paper-based and/or archaic digital systems that are slow, prone to error and that do not talk to one another.
• Solution: Transition to digital project management tools and Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems that offer real-time data sharing and collaboration features. These modern tools can significantly improve efficiency.

Handover Phase:

• Challenge: The handover from contractor to client is a critical phase, often marred by delays and incomplete information transfer.
• Solution: Digital systems and platforms can facilitate a smooth handover process by providing a centralized repository for all project information. This ensures that clients receive comprehensive documentation and data for efficient facility management.

How Digital Systems Address the Information Challenge:

Digital systems revolutionize the construction industry by streamlining the flow of information. They offer real-time updates, data standardization and enhanced collaboration capabilities. In particular, during the handover phase, digital systems ensure that all project information is organized and accessible to clients, simplifying facility management, operations and maintenance.

Maintaining the continuous flow of information in construction execution is pivotal for project success. The challenges of data discrepancies, communication gaps, documentation overload, legacy systems and the handover phase can all be effectively addressed through the adoption of digital systems. Embracing these technological advancements not only enhances efficiency but also leads to better project outcomes and satisfied clients.

A version of this article was first published here.

To understand how digital systems can ensure the continuous flow of comprehensive, accurate, reliable information, book a demo.