Construction schedule setbacks can appear to be an intractable problem, increasing each project’s uncertainty, risk, and waste. According to McKinsey & Company’s “Imagining Construction’s Digital Future,” large capital projects are typically 20 months late and 80% over the original authorized budget.
But the right tools and techniques let construction companies overcome the leading causes of project delays, gain supply chain visibility and keep jobs on schedule, so they can quickly react to issues and remain far ahead of jobsite problems:
- Companies can achieve construction accountability when they employ effective production planning, bringing all contractors, subcontractors, and others together to create a realistic schedule. This move provides workers with a sense of ownership and puts a process in place that clearly states project deliverables and tasks expected from each team member. It also means aligning team member tasks with their skillset and providing tools for them to make updates as they complete their work.
- Construction planning software gives subs visibility into the project. More visibility increases subs’ trust, since they can see whether the previous work has been completed and are sure it’s wise to bring their crews on site. Furthermore, with visibility and transparency, the general contractor will build more realistic schedules and hold the subs accountable to it.
- Using design collaboration software and implementing constructability reviews during pre-construction — a process than can even be done remotely or virtually — lets teams create and view highly accurate and detailed visualizations and see how they fit together.
- Equipping field personnel with real-time digital communication provides them with immediate documentation and delivery for a quick response. This tool helps avoid communication problems around requests for information, non-conformance issues, and approvals, and it ensures speedy resolution of on-site changes or other concerns, which aren’t bogged down in slow communication or delayed decision making.
- Cloud-based construction document management tools help personnel share documents for review, enabling them to make updates to files or attach pictures, so the owner has all the information needed to make a rapid decision.
- Tools like Command Alkon’s COMMANDassurance allow construction firms to capture real-time and historical data on the properties of fresh concrete from load to pour and make decisions that can ensure quality, avert risk, enhance production, and increase delivery efficiency.
Tools that give you better supply chain visibility and aid construction project coordination — including a central repository to keep tabs on all construction documents — are a great way to keep teams on the construction schedule.
We all know that having to pull up concrete that has been poured, but is of the wrong quality and consistency, costs a lot of money – wasted money and time. Supply chain visibility is the key to making sure your concrete is correct when it arrives at the jobsite. COMMANDassurance monitors slump, temperature, and W/C ratio in real time, so you’ll know what happens to each load after it leaves the plant and can ensure the concrete arrives correctly the first time.
Ready for more supply chain visibility? Explore how COMMANDassurance captures real-time and historical data on the fresh concrete to ensure that the pour is of the highest quality.
