When we think back on the early years of technology, and even before, we can pinpoint the various phases that led us to where we are today. First there were pencils, T-squares and graph paper. Then along came first-generation computers, with their primitive, nascent software programs such as Lotus 123, WordPerfect and the like. This led to today’s point solutions such as Excel and SharePoint, that businesses could adopt to perform everyday tasks without extensive training or investment.
Unfortunately, these disconnected tools failed to meet the needs of today’s large-scale, multi-stakeholder capital projects, largely because they are not designed to track connected data through all phases of a project life cycle. Accordingly, what tended to result from their use were siloed communications, data loss between project phases, poor decision-making in the field and a lack of full visibility into project progress.
What the industry required was software that was plug-and-play, yet could interoperate seamlessly with new and existing systems. And, of course, solutions that were cloud-based, so users could access information consistently in the field, in the office or wherever the work took them.
Responding to this need, InEight, a leading provider of capital project management solutions, built such a platform from the ground up that filled the market gap. Backed by more than 30 years of experience in the industry, the company’s cloud-based software delivers on two key principles that set them apart from the pack: modularity and interoperability.
Source: iStock. Learn how construction software can be made to work, with InEight
Seamless, “plug-and-play” solutions
For industry stakeholders who’ve grown accustomed to an “all or nothing” approach to hardware and software, a modular platform represents a refreshing change. Although seamless in their interoperability, InEight’s solutions can be purchased piece by piece and added on as needed, so organisations can buy one or two – such as document management and project cost management – and supplement as their business needs dictate without disrupting operations.
And despite their modular nature, the solutions boast a consistent interface across the portfolio, for a seamless user experience. The InEight platform also features a unique connected data schema that is at the heart of the reporting and dashboards now possible.
Interoperability is also key, particularly for project owners. Although a given capital project may take three to five years to construct, in most cases it will need to be operated and maintained for upwards of 50 years. Accordingly, the project data needs to be consistent and flow through each phase of the project, connecting data seamlessly that can then be handed over at project completion, updated as needed and referenced for years to come – something that commonly used point solutions can certainly not do.
The efficiency and visibility offered by InEight’s solutions are yielding tremendous benefits for frustrated CFOs and CEOs, who have historically been left to pore over project reports they don’t trust, as well as field crews, who have grown weary of receiving disparate scraps of information from multiple sources that fail to guide them appropriately.
Source: iStock. Real-world building and construction technology platform from InEight
Next-generation software
InEight’s software tools are a far cry from the T-squares, pencils and graph paper many readers grew up with, but as projects grow more complex and the number of stakeholders increases, they represent a necessary step change toward efficiency and certainty in today’s capital projects.
Source: techwireasia
