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Since the dawn of time or, at the very least, since the Neolithic age (New Stone Age), when people first started construction – there have been a few elements that have continuously had a detrimental effect on the construction projects. Aside from uncontrollable variables like weather, most construction issues arise from miscommunication, including conflicts, delays, and overspending. While a variety of approaches have been used to address these problems, the industry has only recently discovered technologies that may totally eliminate them.

The use of new software techniques to old construction challenges is a sophisticated, realistic method for improving communication, which in turn increases productivity at work. The construction industry is typically slow to adopt new technologies, but the problems of inefficiency, delays, and overbudget won't go away if field management practices aren't changed. There are a number of ways in which construction projects might benefit from the use of cutting-edge technology, including agile project management and software modularization. A better time than ever to be a construction worker is now as powerful digital technologies are available that can solve longstanding issues.

The Root Cause

We are continually told throughout our lives that communication is a vital. Have some fantastic news to share with your colleagues? Communication. Looking for help with your marriage? Communication. Need your construction project completed in a timely manner while still staying inside your set budget? Communication! Almost every manageable construction issue can be traced back to some degree to a failure in communication. A lack of good communication on a construction site leaves the door open for all kinds of issues to occur before and after lifespan of the project.

Think about a conflict that emerged after the completion of one of your projects. Consider an incident in which a worker misunderstood instruction and had to repeat a portion of the work, resulting in delays in both time and money. I'm sure you can think of a few examples. 9 out of 10 times, these construction issues may be avoided if better communication is maintained throughout the construction process.

Agile Construction

Agile Construction is a method or style of building that can quickly adapt to changes in delivery or designs. Project teams can better track their progress and make adjustments to their goals by splitting their work into sprints. Even though agile principles have been around for a long time, the key ingredient to success for agile is integration of new software as a supplement. A successful mix of construction management software and agile methodology enables you to swiftly consult your team, think critically, and make changes instantly. Having this capability is essential for large-scale construction projects with ever-changing schedules. Streamlining communication using technology reduces the time it takes to make decisions, allowing projects to remain on track and reducing the need of rework.

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Construction software, and more especially, mobile solutions for field management, provide greater communication between the worksite and the office. On-site managers are not the only ones who benefit from field management software. When using agile project management methods, construction software that can be accessed from a mobile device is equally as useful for project team members who don't visit the construction sites themselves. Keeping projects on schedule is much easier when office staff can quickly and easily get real-time updates and insights from those out in the field. In addition to calculating and delivering all the analytical facts for you, construction software solutions that provide the capability to automatically generate and share reports depending on sprint period length go the extra mile. You may eliminate project delays and expenditures by adopting agile methods and integrating them with new software.

Modularity

Modularity in construction refers to the use of prefabricated and off-site made products and components for a construction. At a work site, a module may be assembled with other modules, and the entire unit is made. Software modularity is essentially the same concept as in other fields. With the greatest software for each of your construction issues, you'll be able to design a super-solution that truly works and highly beneficial.

Think of subcontractors as another example of modularity. Each subcontractor specialized in a certain field. However, despite the fact that the term "jack-of-all-trades" exists, there aren't many people out there that can do it all. Should the concrete pouring process be handled by your HVAC company? Or are the electricians devoting their efforts to the structure rather than to the wiring? Most likely not, since doing so would just lead to blunders and need a complete rework. Software is no exception to this rule! Even if one application is recognized as the best BIM solution, does it imply you should use it for your daily reporting? Best-of-breed solutions promote modularity and maintain a regular flow of information, so minimizing conflicts and maintaining projects on schedule and within their budgets.

Modern Matters

To reiterate, as long as the construction industry sticks to the project management solutions that have been around for centuries, the same problems that occur again and again are not going to simply disappear. It's time to start applying modern software techniques to old construction problems. The bottom line is that in order to see change, you need to make change, and with solutions that served to you on a silver platter, there's really no reason not to give it a shot. Imagine a world with better communication on construction projects. Envision projects completed on time and on budget, every time. Picture all of your teams getting along, making decisions together, and producing quality results in an efficient manner. As utopian as that all sounds, it really is within reach. If you adopt agile construction methodology and incorporate modular software solutions, you can solve problems that have been plaguing the construction industry since, well, forever.

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Therefore, the construction industry's difficulties will not go away if it continues to use project management methods that have been used for centuries. It's time to use modern software solutions to solve old construction issues. Bottom line: You must make changes in your own life to see change, and there's really no excuse not to do so when you're served with solutions on a silver platter. Imagine a future where construction projects have better communication. Imagining a world where projects are consistently finished on time and under budget. Imagining a harmonious working environment in which all of your workers are on the same page, making choices, and delivering high-quality work in an efficient way. There actually is a way to do all of this. Problems that have plagued the construction industry for, well, forever can be solved with agile construction methodologies and modular software solutions.

Livefield is a construction management software that help people to manage construction process more effectively and complete the project on time and in budget.

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