Achieving True Project Management

The company, which traditionally performed commercial and small infrastructure work in Georgia, started expanding toward larger industrial projects. Realizing those larger projects could not be managed through emails, spreadsheets and an unconnected variety of tools, management decided the company needed a shared environment and serious project management software. Growth was an issue. Not only was a new level of project management critical for the design-build construction projects, it was vital for Pond & Company overall. 

The goal was to connect the two sides of the Pond world: design and construction.

Realizing that “Autodesk Revit is where the industry is going,” and considering that the company was already using some Autodesk products and Autodesk PlanGrid inhouse, it was natural to consider the user-friendly tools on Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC).

The company began two years of pilot projects and testing in 2019, during which Pond also tried out several competing products. However, Pond found the costs of the Autodesk ACC competitor products were outside the company’s expectations. Those other products were also much more difficult to use.

The turning point for Pond was gaining more access to Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC). Once the unlimited licensing was achieved in late 2022, Pond could bring all its subcontractors and clients on board to collaborate using Autodesk ACC products. With unlimited licensing, the subs no longer have to pay for licenses. Everyone can be invited to be involved in the project, and ACC is intuitive to use. Emily Rech, Associate Principal and Director of Project Controls and Preconstruction, said, “Communication is key.” With its built-in workflows, she added, “It’s the best communication tool we could ask for.”

As different software packages were vetted, it soon became evident that the sole focus should narrow to Autodesk Construction Cloud. Fiscally, as well as considering the user-friendly nature, ACC products could be used across all of Pond’s major pillars, including the architectural, engineering and construction disciplines. The products on ACC and Autodesk BIM Collaborate could connect and make everything cohesive for Pond. It would provide one place for everyone to go, from RFIs and submittal workflows, schedules, engineer and owner reviews, correspondence and communication tools, in addition to viewing different file types coming from other project stakeholders.  

File sharing has changed everything for the better. “It’s become our solution; it’s checked a ton of boxes for us,” she explained. Once the subs and clients became more involved, the rest of the company started seeing the value. As architects and engineers used more features, they began to see the management value. She added, “It’s a true project management tool.” Now Pond has one central way to deliver and track project packages, drawings and deliverables. Staff can edit and share models in real time. Meeting minutes, schedules and other key information are right at the fingertips of everyone involved. Emily said Pond got a lot of good feedback about that. She added, “Having the clients sharing has been invaluable. The clients love it.”

Using the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform, Emily explained that Pond has been opening doors to the best communication tools for their company. “Working with Applied Software was easy,” she related. “The relationships helped to make the implementation successful.” “Working with these tools, and Applied Software being critical to implementing it from a licensing standpoint, it really has made our company finally grow into what it needed to grow into,” Emily summarized. “We needed that software solution. It was the right fit, and Applied was there to make sure we had what we needed when we needed it.”