Software Can Support Project Managers in All of Their Tasks
Software Can Support Project Managers in All of Their Tasks
Software Can Support Project Managers in All of Their Tasks
• Coordination:
It cannot be assumed that effective communication process will exist in ‘temporary’
construction project organizations. The division of labor and responsibilities, as well as the
exchange of information and the workflow within in the project, must be planned,
implemented and controlled.
• Documentation:
The construction process has to be documented thoroughly and in real time. On the one hand,
records may be required for regulatory reasons and, on the other, they are needed for
monitoring, controlling and accounting construction processes.
• Control:
The identification of discrepancies between target and actual
performance is essential to target-oriented control. All processes need to
be monitored within a narrow timeframe to ensure effective corrective
actions can be taken, in particular,
controlling quality, cost and programme.
Coordination, documentation and control are closely
related, and project management software tools have
to take account of joint data uses, exchanging data
between the tools as well as with other applications,
such as design or tender software. Clear interfaces
reduce unnecessary data collection and prevent
inconsistencies.
There is no completely comprehensive software tool
available to deal with all the tasks involved in project
management, a suite of systems is usually needed:
Scheduling Software:
Construction scheduling software is used to plan, monitor and control
project progress. Buffers and the corresponding critical path can be
calculated based on process durations, deadlines and relationships and
appropriate resources can be assigned. The results are usually displayed
in the form of a Gantt chart, network plan or list. By entering current data,
the user is able to automatically generate appropriate target-
performance comparisons.
Project Communication System:
Project communication systems support the coordination of a
construction project by providing a joint platform to all project members
for collaboration and information exchange. Usually, the platforms are
internet-based and data access can be governed by different user
authorizations and privileges. The range of functions varies greatly. Some
platforms simply provide a common data store whilst others provide
comprehensive media and workflow support.
• QS+ has a ready to use estimating template that you can modify
according to your needs and project specifications. Each Elemental
item in the cost analysis has component details that you can edit to
put the correct descriptions and data. For example, you can edit the
material specifications – type of finishes, windows, doors, sizes of
concrete footings, columns and bases etc to reflect information from
current drawings.
QS PLUS (QS+) FEATURES
• Every building project has its own specifications. The types of materials
used, item dimensions and construction technology will differ, so you
have to click through to access the build up rates for each elemental
item. For example, when measuring Unreinforced Concrete Footings,
the component items will include excavations, compaction, concrete
footings, risk of collapse and backfilling.
• Note that these components are actually Bill of Quantity items, and
therefore they have their own individual rates. An estimator has to
input these rates in the Elemental Rate Build up. For each new project,
you have to edit the rates and put appropriate rates that are relevant
to the project specifications.
FAST TRACK
• Resource Management
• Project Management
CoConstruct
FEATURES:
•Single-Entry Estimating