Collaboration challenges happen in any construction project; with so many stakeholders and disciplines needing to be heard, agreeing on something and making it happen can be mired in delays, misalignment, and frustration. For architects, one of the greatest challenges involves dealing with inconsistent or lengthy inter-team workflow processes, overburdened staff and worries over litigation risks. It results in duplications, needless delays, and unclear communications, all of which risk the most important asset any architecture firm has: its reputation.
So, when it comes to improving project efficiency, we need to look at streamlining three important components:
- Inter-team workflows
- Communication channels
- Project information management
Each of these can be resolved with a project information platform like Newforma Konekt.
Leveraging Your Project Information
For many projects, communication channels often lack clarity on who is responsible for what, resulting in the status of certain issues not being communicated until the next meeting. This creates a vicious circle, where lack of clarity breeds questions, which breeds meetings, which breeds delays.
Different teams have different workflows, and they rarely align perfectly. So, if a contractor needs clarity from an architect, they must prepare their document, email it, and await the architect’s answer. These emails can often be overlooked, misfiled, or lost.
On top of that, improper document control can be a huge impediment to optimal collaboration during design development and construction document reviews. Deciding how documents are shared and how comments and changes to the design are coordinated across stakeholders is key, but this requires a centralized platform from which to organize it all.
It's no wonder that many in the AECO industry are reticent to embrace new collaboration tools; the existing tools can be hard enough already. But new technology has emerged that allows teams to streamline their contract administration, stakeholder collaboration and file sharing capacity all in one swing.
From Chaos to Clarity, with Newforma Konekt
By unifying people, processes, and technology, project information platforms like Newforma Konekt help eliminate communication bottlenecks, lengthy document control processes, and extra costs associated to human error.
Work From Your Favorite AEC Software, Your Browser, or Your Mobile Device
Newforma Konekt is a web-based, cloud-hosted platform that integrates with nearly all major architecture, engineering, or construction management software tools.
If you’re used to working with an Autodesk product, for example, Newforma Konekt appears as an add-in on the side of your screen. It sends you notifications as issues are resolved by others, and lets you work without leaving the software environment you’re used to.
You can also track, create, and resolve action items from anywhere with the Newforma Konekt companion app for iOS / Android devices.
Action Items and Visual Localization
The platform’s base function are action items that indicate what issues need to be addressed, and where they are localized in your model. These are further contextualized thanks to a 2D/3D Viewer, so that any stakeholder can see how the model evolves over the project’s lifecycle.
Email Management for Faster Workflows
Your Outlook emails are filed to projects with Newforma Konekt’s predictive automation, making it easy to keep track of email workflows. You can initiate various workflows directly from your email.
ISO 27001 Certification
ISO 27001 is the gold standard for an Information Security Management System (ISMS), and Newforma Konekt makes security a vital component of the platform. It provides peace of mind, protects from third-party risks, and protects your firm’s reputation in the unlikely event of a security breach.
So when we examine project efficiency, a digital platform like Newforma Konekt can:
- Streamline inter-team workflows by reducing the number of steps needed to process important documents and notify team members instantly;
- Improve communication through automation, so that nothing gets buried or lost;
- Keep your project data secure and organized, maintaining a full project record.
Architect firms equipped with tools like Newforma Konekt have the advantage of time organization and quality of delivered projects.
To learn more about Newforma Konekt or to schedule a demo please visit the official website.