According to a report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, about $16 billion worth of inefficiency and waste in the U.S. construction industry is due to lack of interoperability – people planning, bidding or building off the wrong information.
With plans being such a critical component of any project, general contractors and developers need to pay special attention to who is handling their information, but this is often an area where they feel they can cut corners or leave it up to the designers to choose the best partner. I’ve heard too many stories where millions of dollars of information – drawings, specs, images, schedules – were wiped out and lost forever due to a lack of digital infrastructure and interoperability. Even if plans are not lost completely, slow or inaccurate postings and distribution can have a cumulative effect, causing great expense and delays.
Many builders have started taking a “doit- yourself” approach to information management to save money. Ironically, this strategy can backfire into an expensive, and risky, proposition for builders. Traditionally builders have just been in charge of actual construction while architects have been responsible for design. With the advancement of building information management, this line is starting to blur and builders are starting to incur some liability for the accuracy of the design model. This is risky enough without builders also taking on the liability of accurately distributing the information as well. A competent information management partner is also a risk management partner. They can help not only settle disputes, but prevent them. After 30 years of experience working with general contractors and developers on projects large and small, I have seen the classic pitfalls and money traps that builders who attempt to manage their information without a professional partner go through. I have also seen projects completed ahead of schedule and on or below budget thanks to efficient, service-oriented information management professionals by their side every step of the way. Here are the eight most important things to consider when looking for an information management partner: