Secure access to high quality, relevant, cloud-based data is a mainstay on construction projects, particularly during the handover process when the right data must be collated to ensure the efficient operation of a built asset. Using an international project as a case study, how can clients do more with their data?
Data is key
The advancements in digital technologies are making waves in every industry, especially construction where digital solutions are optimising productivity, saving time and money and reducing the risk of error. The construction industry’s digital agenda is helping to drive efficiencies where they are most needed, which are in turn supporting and delivering key national objectives such as the move to net zero carbon.
A crucial enabler of the construction industry’s digital transformation is secure access to relevant data (part of the information management process). Information management is being increasingly used on projects and is defined as the collection, storage and archiving of important data pertaining to a built asset. The level of granularity that information management enables is essential to futureproofing buildings and ensuring the UK’s built assets perform well for the safety of occupants.
Access to secure data doesn’t just benefit future occupants but construction clients too. Information management solutions provide direct productivity gains for construction projects, which is great news considering project margins are getting ever tighter. But how exactly can clients do more with their data? What does great information management look like?
Case study: An example of doing more
Edocuments has been collaborating with a leading international construction client to ensure information can be managed efficiently and found quickly and securely.
The project involves the connection between Edocuments’ information management platform, Springboard, with the client’s CDE so that data can be transferred between the two platforms. This synchronisation is enabled through the use of a data connector and API which is allowing a seamless connected process of transferring data into Springboard.
As part of this project there are separate data ‘connector’ processes. The first is a customer connector whereby the client is using Springboard’s standard API access (extracting the data behind the Springboard reports). Customised API Tagging is also being used where, as well as viewing the standard data being presented, specific tagging added to data entry forms ensures information can be summarised or mined more easily and accurately. The second ‘connector’ process that the client has been using quite extensively is through the use of APIs in the form of what is called Integration Forms. These forms link other third-party documentation platforms with Springboard.
The client has used integration forms to compile a complete Technical Assurance Dossier particularly using integrations with the Viewpoint platform to compile the Construction Conformance Documentation.
The client has continued to use integrations with both Asite and Fieldview for the collection of Inspection Test Plans and Inspection and Test Records as well as Drawings and other documentation. The improvement here is a consistent approach to the collation of the handover documentation, where previous to using Springboard, the documents were either being handed over piecemeal or collected in separate locations such as various email accounts, file explorers, and SharePoint drives. Handover documents were then compiled laboriously through tracking them down, downloading and uploading to a pdf combining process.
Thanks to the innovative Springboard platform however, handover documentation is formatted and presented to the end user or client in a more professional, efficient and complete manner. These forms are now used to ensure consistency in handover documentation as well as adding familiar workflow and reporting processes to the documentation, complete with responsible persons being set. In the future, this will enable quick and secure access to important data when it is needed.
Speaking on the benefits of Springboard, the client says: “The use of Springboard’s open APIs has improved connectivity across project systems enabling the efficient exchange of documentation and data. The use of integration forms is providing efficiency improvements during all phases of the project and reducing project risk at the Operational Readiness and End of DLP Completion milestones. The availability of near-live Springboard data via the API integration with our business reporting tools has provided improved visibility and greater transparency over the progressive compilation of the completion and handover information.”
Thanks to Edocuments’ innovative Springboard platform, the client is able to do more with their data for the benefit of not only their supply chain but future occupants of the built asset.
