The construction industry has changed a lot over the years. The once-stagnant industry is now thriving. And it’s time that construction project management follows suit.
Construction project management practices must be upgraded to meet the demands of today’s workforce, but what are the changes project managers must make?
Your contractor project management practices must be taken to the next level in 2022 to keep up with the changes and capitalize on the ever-growing industry.
In this blog post, we’ll cover three key areas of focus for construction project management practices in 2022.
Collaboration Technologies
The construction industry is highly competitive. Project managers must react quickly to changing market conditions, but they also need to make sure employees are working as productively as possible.
There are many aspects to the industry, including design, installation, and budgeting. It can be dizzying for a company to manage all of these moving parts without the right tools.
On top of this, there is also a growing demand for sustainability practices. “Green” buildings are fast becoming a standard in construction, and they save money long-term. To stay competitive in this market, your team must have access to detailed reporting metrics that show how green your buildings are.
That’s where a collaboration technology suite comes in handy. A collaboration technology suite includes a host of tools that create a virtual environment for project teams to work on. It can include project management software, collaboration tools, and sharing tools.
Collaboration technology suites are the future of construction project management practices. Using these types of systems will allow you to create virtual spaces for your team members, track the progress of tasks, and share information. The last thing anyone wants is for important meeting notes to be lost or for crucial deadlines to be missed because of a mistake. But this is exactly what happens without the proper tools available.
Keeping your lines of communication open through virtual spaces will give your team members access to the information they need in one central location, allowing you to work more efficiently.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning
The use of AI in construction project management is a new but rapidly expanding field.
Many construction companies today use AI to gather data and predict outcomes, which is incredibly helpful in project planning. This type of technology gives companies a leg up on their competitors and can help you to get projects done faster by speeding up processes such as bidding.
AI also allows construction companies to use predictive analytics to manage assets more efficiently. For example, machine learning algorithms can process large amounts of data, compare it with past performance, and give early warnings about any potential issues.
There are many benefits to the use of AI and machine learning in construction project management practices. According to industry experts, this technology can help save time and money by:
- Predicting potential delays before they happen
- Shortening design-to-build processes due to better understanding of products
- Promoting better, more efficient teamwork by creating an environment where everyone knows what’s going on at all times.
Most construction project managers use digital models to plan the construction process, but it is difficult to tell the difference between the model and the actual construction site.
Utilizing AI systems like Doxel can help to solve this problem. By taking multiple pictures of the worksite at different times, project managers can accurately measure progress and identify areas where delays may occur. These measurements allow the project manager to make more informed decisions about scheduling, resource allocation, and resourcing.
Newmetrix, for example, uses its AI engine Vinnie to spot any potential risks in productivity, quality, and safety, by gathering information from a wide array of construction systems, like Procore, OxBlue cameras, Box, Autodesk BIM 360, and Oracle Aconex.
Smart Construction Management Systems
One of the latest trends in construction is the use of cloud-based software to implement automation in the workplace. We expect this to be an even bigger trend in 2022.
Having a smart construction management system in your corner will help you to make faster and better decisions, all while staying up-to-date on the status of your project at any given time. But this is only one benefit; with a smart construction management system, you’ll also be able to:
- Decrease errors caused by human error
- Improve data security
- Eliminate redundant tasks like running reports
- Maximize productivity and efficiency of all levels within your company
A smart construction management system gives project managers, business owners, and the entire company access to current information through real-time dashboards. These dashboards can provide data about everything from equipment utilization to safety risks, allowing them to stay on top of issues before they escalate.
This type of system also gives everyone in the company access to historical data that can inform future decisions and guide business growth.
These systems will empower construction companies to make more accurate and informed decisions about their projects, helping them to work better and smarter than ever before.
Worksites will also become safer and more efficient thanks to this data, as it will help to shape everything from on-site safety procedures and evacuation plans.
You can also add specific construction apps to your system to help make tedious tasks like inventory management and equipment tracking simple—saving time for managers who are already overwhelmed with other responsibilities.
AI and machine learning can help construction project managers make smarter decisions about their projects. Not only will this save them time and money now but it will also allow them to plan for growth in the future.
This technology allows companies and workers to focus on their strengths and not spend all of their time trying to dig up old reports and figure out what’s going on before undertaking action.
Smart construction management systems are the most effective way to keep your projects on track, so if you’re looking for a way to future-proof your business, this is it!
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Charles Musselwhite
Charles Musselwhite is an author, speaker and co-owner of Musselwhite Marketing (est 2009) along with his wife Linda Musselwhite. Together they are “CaLM” (Charles and Linda M). Charles is an Ontraport Certified Expert and a previous DigitalMarketer Certified Partner holding several DM certifications.