Successfully delivering a construction project requires a massive team of contributors to work together effectively. Unfortunately, project planning has historically been disconnected, with stakeholders only collaborating or sharing data when absolutely necessary. The issue with this siloed approach is that it causes problems later in the construction lifecycle: projects delivered behind schedule, over-budget, or with rework needed.
The MacLeamy curve shows that the further along a construction project is, the more difficult and costly changes become. Therefore, when efforts are shifted toward better collaboration, information sharing, and decision-making earlier in the construction process, it’s easier to avoid issues like rework and increased costs down the road.
Today, leading construction companies see that more collaboration during the preliminary stages of a project leads to better outcomes. Watch the video below to see how BuildingConnected, our bid management solution, helps teams collaborate more effectively by connecting construction professionals like never before.
Transcript
No other sector has a greater impact than construction. It is through this industry that we truly shape our world.
Skyscrapers stretching higher than ever before, infrastructure connecting entire countries, enormous stadiums that cost billions. None of this would be possible without the men and women that drive these incredible projects. While many are familiar with the jobs done on site, there is one team that operates behind the scenes, but has arguably the most important role of all. And they do it before a single brick is laid. This is the world of preconstruction.
From housing and schools, to the structures that give us power and enable us to travel, our whole built environment is the result of meticulous planning and preparation. Because in construction, once a site is chosen and designs are finalized, it is not as simple as moving straight to the build phase.
A crucial process must happen first, known as preconstruction. This involves finding and hiring all the specialists that a modern project requires, from electricians and engineers, to flooring experts and fire safety officers. It is where possible issues are identified before they can become a problem. All the needs and costs are worked out and agreed. And bids from subcontractors are received and organized.
Historically, this was all done on paper, and later PDFs, creating stacks of documents that needed to be processed by the preconstruction team. But with the projects of today constantly pushing the boundaries and adding new layers of complexity, these traditional methods are no longer viable.
Fortunately, new technologies are leading the way, and there are now tools out there that streamline these processes, while introducing a more collaborative way of working. Designers, architects, and engineers have many options available, but solutions dedicated to the early stages of a project have been fairly limited until now.
BuildingConnected is a platform that aims to connect every construction professional on the planet, while revolutionizing the way companies find and hire qualified contractors. It's the largest and most active digital network of its kind in the industry, transforming how contractors manage the bidding process. With BuildingConnected, general contractors can solicit bids from subcontractors and incorporate advanced risk data into their decision-making, ensuring they choose the best firm for the job. Contractors are searchable by specific needs or skills, and the service is kept up-to-date with their latest contact information and specialties.
With more than a million users signed up already, BuildingConnected is ensuring that our future construction industry is more closely linked than ever before. The platform is part of Autodesk Construction Cloud, a new suite of tools that takes project data out of silos and lets users collaborate on workflows across all stages of the building lifecycle. A connected industry is not just good news for construction, it will lead to more efficient and higher quality builds, which ultimately means a better future for us all.
