The Role of Construction Management Software In Continuous Improvement

The construction companies of the past accomplished some amazing things with simple tools and a ton of determination and grit. They built towering skyscrapers, the Panama Canal, and the “impossible” Golden Gate Bridge, all without the modern tools, technology, or equipment we have today. 

And they certainly didn’t have anything as fancy as construction management software.

So, why change?

What does construction management software do anyway?

It’s easy to dismiss construction management software as simply a new project management tool, but that would be selling it short.

Construction management software is far more than just another new project management tool.

In fact, it’s an entire toolbox of highly specialized tools—each with its own set of features and benefits. These features and benefits are important because they offer the opportunity to make substantial improvements in the way you manage your projects, and your construction business.

And the first of these many improvements is accessibility.

The handy, cloud-based, mobile-ready platform makes managing projects easier for you and your construction team because everyone can access the project information they need no matter where they are—in the office, on the road, or out on the job site.

So doing things like:

• creating schedules,
• sharing documents,
• requesting information (RFIs),
• documenting change orders,
• And tracking the work in progress on the job site

—is all simpler and easier because everyone has access to everything they need, in one central place and in real-time.

Of course, you can do all these things the traditional way without software.

But the software streamlines these processes and moves things along far more quickly than traditional methods ever could.

And being more agile in a competitive environment is an improvement that’s hard to ignore.

So, how do you use construction management software?

You can use construction management software a little or a lot, depending on your needs.

So the first question is: Do you know what you need?

One of the many advantages of integrating software into your operation is that it helps you understand exactly where you need to improve.

For instance, integrating software in your construction business requires that you define your business processes and workflows.

This is a massive awakening for many construction companies.

“This is just the way we’ve always done it.”

Most construction companies have their own way of doing things. It’s their culture.

“That’s the way we do it here,” is a common refrain.

But just because “you’ve always done it that way” doesn’t mean that’s the best way to do it, right?

There’s always room for improvement.

So how do you know where your business can improve, and can software really help you do that?

You don’t know, what you don’t know

You don’t know if your processes can improve until you analyze them.

Nearly everything in your organization can be improved—at least incrementally. But you need to identify what those processes are, to begin with. And then, you need a way to analyze how those processes are performing in the real world.

Incremental improvements are the only way to make progress. And you need accurate, up-to-date insights to make those improvements.

How construction management software provides the insights that help you improve

Leading general contractors and subcontractors are successful because they build a culture of continuous improvement.

The continuous improvement model can be summed up in four words: Plan, Do, Check, and Act.

• Plan: Identify an opportunity for improvement, and make a plan for change.
• Do: Put that change into action on a small scale first. A test run.
• Check: Collect data, and then use that information to analyze the results of the change and see if it made a difference.
• Act: If the change was successful, now you know you can implement it on a wider scale.

Construction management software is built for continuous improvement

Visual workflows.

In keeping with Visual Performance Management (VPM) best practices, we know that team members perform better when they can quickly see what needs to be done and where.

The mobile apps in your new construction management software platform make this quick and easy for your team members to perform at their best.

Eliminate interruptions to productivity.

Your work crews need the right tools, equipment, and material resources at the right times to be productive.

Construction management software provides a central, easily accessible platform to track and manage these resources for optimal efficiency. No more delays and interruptions that can cause slowdowns in your schedule and frustrations for your team members.

Create productive feedback loops.

Allow your field crews to contribute to your continuous improvement efforts by encouraging their feedback.

Software built for construction makes this easy by giving everyone on the project team a simple, easy-to-use, project-specific communication platform. Managers can issue work orders with documents, photos, and attachments. And the field crews can respond in kind by submitting daily work reports detailing the work performed and requesting what they need.

Improve collaboratively.

A skilled workforce is drawn to strong leadership, collaborative working environments, and a continuous improvement mindset.

That’s because talented craftspersons are invested in their trade. They want to succeed at work and to associate with other like-minded professionals to do better.

Building that kind of organization requires an intentional effort to build a collaborative work environment focused on continuous improvement. 

Construction management software gives you the tools to collaborate effectively and improve continuously.

What’s the best construction project management software?

Once you decide to take advantage of this technology to improve your construction business, there’s no shortage of options to choose from. 

Predictive Analytics Today lists 19 different project management software systems, and even that list is incomplete. 

As of this writing, industry veterans such as Autodesk, Project Manager, Wrike, and Fieldwire are not included on that list. And neither are industry newcomers such as Kahua and Linarc. 

So how do you choose?

Get the construction management software that works for you

The only way to take advantage of the organization-wide improvements offered by construction management software is to explore your options and see what fits.

Get a free, custom demonstration of the Linarc construction management system today!

Linarc is a cloud-based project management system built solely for collaborative, data-driven construction management.

• Seamless collaboration
• Easy file sharing
• Common communication platform 
• Real-time updates on project progress
• …and so much more

Connect with a Linarc representative and see what the power of software technology can do for your operation.

Connect – Build – Thrive with Linarc construction management software.