All Good Construction Information Management Systems Have THIS in Common
- Monday, 24 April 2017
When it comes to successful project management and ensuring that each aspect of the contract is carried out with precision and efficiency, your team needs a way to streamline information sharing and storage. Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets are certainly options, but construction software can be just as easy to use, and even quicker to deploy company-wide. Read more about how a construction software solution can help you.
A construction information management system or CIMS is generally a cloud-based platform used to standardize information sharing and provide on-demand access to all stakeholders of a construction project. A CIMS works to improve transparency, collaboration and information sharing across teams, be it owners, supervisors, designers, managers, engineers, accountants, etc.
It has been proven that effective communication among work groups during a construction project is the third most crucial factor to make or break the project. One could argue that the first most crucial factor relies on having systems and processes in place, to improve efficiencies, overcome challenges, and ultimately make information available, searchable and useful to the internal and external stakeholders of your project. CIMS has played a major part in revolutionizing the way construction projects are managed, and here’s what all good systems have in common.
- A good CIMS should be easy to use and easy to access – The primary objective of a CIMS is to offer real-time information anytime, and anywhere. Your CIMS should be easy to use since there is a range of team members who will need information at any given time. Managers should be able to easily file daily reports, owners should be able to easily check project status, and accountants should be able to take care of project financials with no need to re-type anything.
- The learning curve for a good CIMS should be minimal – Construction information management systems are only as functional and reliable as the people using it. With BuildBinder, you can set up your first project in minutes, using the built-in onboarding checklist. If the system isn’t easy to learn, you can bet the ROI on your software investment will lower considerably. As a rule of thumb, your team should be able to learn your CIMS in less than 30 days.
- A good CIMS should integrate with a range of applications, including the ones that you currently use – Rather than complicate the systems you currently have in place, a good CIMS should enhance them. This is an important factor to take into account, given the difficulty in adopting new technologies company-wide. For example, you should be able to use Excel spreadsheets in tandem with the system, to document figures, estimates, material volume, etc. A CIMS that easily integrates with your existing applications can further streamline your operations.
If your CIMS isn't working as you expected or you are shopping for a solution for your business, ask for a demo of BuildBinder here to see what our CIMS can do for your construction business.