Let's try to imagine how investments could proceed if all participants in construction projects gained an additional 30% of time. This tempting vision does not have to remain in the realm of dreams at all. It is quite a real option. As long as one uses the right online tools.
Time is money
Nowadays, when every minute counts as much as every penny, that's why optimal time management is a key element of business success.
The construction industry is no exception. Complicated processes like to drag on, and any wrong decision leading to delays can have serious consequences. Despite the fact that this is quite common in construction projects, companies still try to prevent customer dissatisfaction, increased expenses and financial losses. That's why it pays to know how to manage time effectively.
Costly delays
A study conducted by PlanRadar, which involved over 2500 companies from across Europe, found that as much as 11% of total project costs are generated by rework and construction amendments. Would an extra 30% of time have a positive impact on project progress and fewer errors? We'll take a look at practical ways to manage time in construction projects, the problems caused by delays and how to address them.
5 steps to optimal time management
Planning
The most common mistake in the construction industry is to look at the material and financial schedule as something immutable. The first step to optimal time management should be to plan the stages of the work in general and clarify those tasks that fall in the near future - for example, in the next quarter.
Planning in stages, gives you the opportunity to better respond to delays that arise during the course of construction, it is also easier to manage the prioritization of tasks. This allows you to make up for delays that arise, or avoid overlaps between different works. The last element to keep in mind is a clear division of responsibilities and assigning them to the appropriate employees.
External cooperation
Many construction companies enter into relationships with external parties, such as designers or subcontractors. Such cooperation can bring a number of benefits, but it requires proper preparation.
The most important thing is to understand each other's expectations at the beginning of the project, as well as efficient communication between the parties. The exchange of information should be transparent, especially in the case of problems that may affect the timing of the project. Information about progress and changes should be easily accessible to the entire team, so that everyone is up to date with what is happening on site.
Documentation management
People working in the construction industry deal with a large amount of documentation every day, such as designs, contracts and cost estimates. The circulation of these documents can significantly affect the timing of an investment. Especially since the most cumbersome part of the document approval process is keeping an eye on deadlines and reminding the right people about them.
When it comes to document circulation, it is worth using tools that can relieve engineers of their bureaucratic duties. An interesting solution is the BinderLess project documentation management platform, whose services can be used by all project participants from anywhere and at any time.
The BinderLess platform also allows storing, sharing and managing various types of documents, such as technical drawings, contracts, specifications or reports. This ensures that all necessary information is always at hand, making work easier and faster and eliminating the risk of losing important documents. BinderLess also takes care of the timeliness of decisions and easy retrieval of information in the database.
Process automation
More and more construction entrepreneurs are choosing to automate processes that involve time management. Automating these processes, such as invoicing or project management, saves the transfer of data between different programs and applications. This saves a lot of time and minimizes the risk of errors. Automation allows centralized management of processes from a single location, giving you more complete control over the entire project.
Work efficiency study
A final but equally important part of optimal time management is regular evaluation and analysis of work performance. With this knowledge, areas can be identified where processes and time management need to be improved. Assessing effectiveness can lead to further automation, the introduction of more online tools, other mechanisms to improve efficiency, or adjustments to work schedules. Regular analysis also provides an opportunity to look for more innovative ways to manage time.
The additional 30% of time in construction projects gained through the use of online tools represents a remarkable opportunity to optimize time management. By improving scheduling, communication, risk management, progress monitoring and team cooperation, delays can be effectively prevented and projects can be completed on time and on budget.
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