Collaboration software tools, whether they are web-based or standalone apps, exist to make it easier and more convenient to track and manage projects with a group. Apps that are specifically built for construction collect and organize design data which can be input from multiple sources. Data and analysis can also be output in seconds when needed for reference or troubleshooting. But when many contractors have been doing things the same way for years, why make the switch to software from a manual, handwritten project management process?
By creating a space for digital collaboration, you not only make key information more accessible to the broader team involved with the construction project, but you can also create a more efficient and profitable process by enabling a culture shift that changes how your business works on a day to day basis. Here are 3 major benefits of using collaborative project software or apps as part of your process that help increase productivity.
Top 3 Benefits of Using a Construction Project Management App
- Saving time and labor. By eliminating handwritten processes and replacing them with digital ones, collaboration software and apps cut down tedious, time-draining manual work required to track and organize all the data associated with your project and your business as a whole. In many instances, a lot of handwritten work can also be prone to human error. While typos do happen, digital mistakes are often easier to catch and correct, and working in software can help your team avoid repetitive or unnecessary emails and phone calls because all relevant information is readily available in the app.
- Enabling visibility. With a collaboration app, you have the capability to set permissions for which teams or even individual team members have access to data sets, dashboards, and graphs/charts. While you can keep all data pertaining to the project in one place, sensitive information, like safety data for example, can be kept hidden on a management only dashboard. Meanwhile, sales teams can see data that is relevant to their interests and create dashboards in their own environments without regular access as well. With the option to safeguard or open certain data sets to your teams, you can be sure each individual has the visibility they need to stay on task and on schedule.
- Filtering and reporting. Finally, collaboration and project management software gives contractors the ability to filter data and automate reporting to ensure that jobs are progressing on time. As opposed to on-paper progress tracking, digitizing this data allows you to access this information on-demand, from the job site, the office, or anywhere else, to check on productivity, deadlines, and other benchmarks that matter to your team. Additionally, using this data to generate reporting can be beneficial for improving product quality, shop flow, and more productivity standards.
By incorporating collaborative software into your process, you not only create valuable labor savings and increase productivity in multiple ways, but you can also open the door to a higher-tech fab shop though digital transformation. By not only automating the fabrication process but also empowering your team members to work more efficiently with software as well, you can stay ahead of the curve and even gain a competitive edge in the industry by working smarter, not harder.