When I first heard the word “digitizer,” I didn’t have the foggiest idea of what it could be.  For all I knew, it could have been something straight out of a Star Trek episode. I didn’t realize it was a handy, little tool that was saving a lot of time, energy and money for construction estimators.

For those of you who may not be familiar with digitizers, they are devices that automate the take off process for estimating. However, that definition is a bit vague and doesn’t give the valuable gizmos enough credit. Luckily for you, ConstructionSoftwareReview.com has an in-depth, five-part series that covers everything you need to know about digitizers.

The breakdown looks like this:

• The first article shows how a digitizer helped a seasoned estimating veteran save time once he made the switch from his traditional pencil, paper and ruler.

• Next, the handboard and roll-up digitizers are covered in detail.  .

• The third installment discusses the benefits and uses of an ultrasound digitizer.

• The fourth article provides a general cost overview of each type of device.

• Finally, the series concludes with the costs and benefits associated with adopting these instruments.

So, if you’re looking for new ways to streamline your take off process, or just interested in practical gadgets that will save your firm time and money in the long run, the articles above provide a good start. If that’s not enough, pop on over to our construction estimating, construction job costing and construction project management software buyers guides for some more ideas

With a name like ConstructionSoftwareReview.com, end user reviews of construction software products are obviously a key part of what we do. However, as you may have noticed, over the last couple months we have started rolling out additional content that aims to offer readers additional perspective on how to use construction software. (So much for my diabolical plan to take the summer off. Ah, there’s always autumn.)

One example of this new content is our three-part series examining the effectiveness of Microsoft Excel as a construction estimating tool. Here we report on Excel’s flexibility and its limitations; we also list some of the add-ons that vendors have built for Excel. We’ve also posted a four-part series that defines, as best as possible, what is construction software. Finally, we can happily report that we will have a lot of new content for you in the next few weeks.

We’re bringing all this up for two reasons. One, admittedly, is self-promotion. The other is to ask for help — as we continue to grow, we are looking for construction professionals who a) have some experience using construction software and b) would like to share what they have learned with their peers.

What could you write about? Here are a few thoughts:

• If you’ve been using the same program for years, then chances are you’ve come across some shortcuts or other general tips to save time.
• Perhaps you’ve made the move from a general type of software (think Excel or QuickBooks) to a more specialized construction software application and have some thoughts on advantages, disadvantages and the like.
• Maybe it took you months to learn how to do something using your software and you reckon that telling others how to do it will spare them the headaches and gray hairs you endured.
• Perhaps you just went through the process of buying construction software and have some do’s and don’ts for those who are beginning to buy.

If any of those scenarios apply to you, and if you’d be interested in writing about your experiences, let us know. If you think you may want to write in short bursts, then the blog might be up your alley. (This post, for a frame of reference, is under 400 words.) If you have a lot to share, then longer tips or articles might make sense. Either way, we’d love to hear from you.

A recent article on Software Advice, Tailwinds for Web-Based Construction Management Systems, got us thinking about, well, web-based construction management systems — namely, that a lot of contractors may not know much about the topic and may know even less about some of the techie buzzwords that define the topic.

For starters, you may be wondering, what exactly is Web-based project management software? Basically, it allows users to access various programs, from accounting to auditing, through a Web browser. Therefore, you don’t require any software installed on your machine, all you need is an Internet connection. Key sellers of Web-based construction project management software include HeadsUp Technologies, EADOC and Procore.

As you learn more about Web-based systems, you may see and hear some unfamiliar jargon. Here’s a short list of technical terms that are thrown around a lot:

• Web 2.0 - This phrase refers to next-generation Internet technology, such as blogs, wikis, RSS and social bookmarking, that encourage a greater input from the Web community. In a perfect world, this would make the Internet a true marketplace for ideas. However, skeptics point out that these forums allow casual users the ability to alter content - which, in turn, erodes the credibility of some information.

• SaaS - Otherwise known as Software as a Service, SaaS is the software model in which programs are hosted by a vendor on a network or server, and can be accessed by users through an Internet connection. This is in stark contrast to the traditional model, where software has to be installed on a personal computer.

• RIA - A Rich Internet Application (RIA) is aWeb application that has all the functionality of a full-fledged desktop program. These programs don’t require installation, but they also can be used offline.This is because they function within a “sandbox,” or a closed system on your computer which allows a limited access to your machine’s resources. While this is one of great advantages of using a RIA, it comes at the expense of slower performance and rather lengthy script download times.

• Ajax - Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a method of building interactive applications for Web pages that update in real time. Instead of waiting for a new page to pop up after an action is taken, Ajax allows a page to update automatically without having to load again. Google Maps is an excellent example of an application that utilizes Ajax.

While this is hardly an exhaustive list of technical terms that you may encounter, it should provide you with a solid knowledge foundation to build off of. Even a rudimentary understanding of these terms will help you determine whether the various, aforementioned Web-based project management software tools will fit the present and future needs of your firm.

Take it from someone who’s had his fair share of summer jobs — new hire training comes with the territory.  It seems like a no-brainer, right?  Once you start a new job, you have to learn what to do, get acclimated with environment and be taught “The [insert any company’s name] Way.”

Well, apparently this doesn’t apply to the construction industry over in Great Britain. According to Neil Gerrard at ConstructionJournal.com, a 2007 government study shows that one-third of British construction firms do not train their employees.

The government entity that conducted this study, The Learning and Skills Council, also found that 40% of the industry’s vacancies were due to a lack of on-the-job training, meaning that jobs went unfilled because no qualified candidate could be found.  Paul Holme, director of skills for employers at the Learning and Skills Council, insists that employers must use government-sponsored programs in order to fix this problem:

Our latest research shows that [the] Train to Gain [program] is helping to unlock staff potential through recommending and delivering relevant, job-specific training. I urge more organisations to follow suit and get involved and see the benefits of investing in training for the long-term.

In the end, his statement strikes at the overarching lesson from this study:  In the long run, the benefits from a competent workforce will be well worth the short-term headaches associated with training them. Keep that in mind the next time your bosses balk at the notion of paying for a training seminar on the construction software that you use.

We divide construction software tools into three main functions — estimating, job costing and project management. However, sometimes we find information that doesn’t fall into those categories but nonetheless warrants a mention, for it demonstrates a simple use of technology that makes life as a contractor easier. Here we present one such example.

We recently found an article called Take Photos During Construction To Document Hidden Utilities. The article was on a blog called Helpful Advice for Home Construction Improvement and focused on how photos are a handy way to keep track of the pipes and wires running inside our walls. Ordinarily, we read blogs like that to see what’s going on in the construction industry but don’t link to them. This post, though, got us thinking.

Pictures, as the saying goes, are worth a thousand words. Photos taken at regular intervals can illustrate a job’s progress in a way that poster-sized schedules cannot. They can also save lots of trouble, as anyone who’s punctured a pipe while hammering into a wall can sadly attest. Finally, they can be good for marketing — a website or portfolio with photos of projects you’ve done certainly looks better than a page of text.

Any contractor, then, would benefit from a digital photo album. Taking photos is easy — digital cameras are inexpensive and, heck, there’s probably one on your phone. (Shameless plug alert: If you need help finding one, sister site DigitalCameraReview.com might be a good start.) Managing photos is easy, too — once you sync your camera up to your computer, your photos will end up on your hard drive (in the My Pictures folder in Windows XP and in the Windows Photo Gallery in Windows Vista). From there, you can create folders and organize your photos as you wish.

The next, step, of course, is to get the photos off your computer and into the hands of your team. Free photo-sharing websites like Flickr might work, but only if you don’t care if everyone else in the free world gets to see the shots, too. A (much) better option is to save the photos into your construction project management software. Many such software packages allow users to add attachments — relevant forms, reports and, yes, photos. If you’re not sure if your software can do this, call your customer service rep and ask about it.

Admittedly, incorporating photos into everyday construction project management will come with a bit of an initial learning curve. You’ll have to determine what aspects of a project are best served by photographic evidence, how many photos to take, how often to take them, how many to attach to project management software documents and so on. If, however, you draw on your own experience and common sense, then it shouldn’t take long to figure out how to use photos to your advantage for the purposes of project management and marketing.

In addition to his responsibilities as the CEO of Foundation Software, Fred Ode finds some time to do a little blogging on Construction Business News and Views by Fred.  His latest post features a rather lengthy Q&A session with Laurence C. (Larry) True, managing director of DR Construction Consultants LLC.

For the most part, the two discuss how construction software has progressed over the past 40 years. During this, True explains that the process has been more of an evolution than a revolution: 

There are a lot more standardized software applications out there and a lot less custom work is being done. In other words, vendors have moved more toward software that is flexible and offers some leverage with set up options, and relates more to what the contractors will get out of it.    

Another interesting topic they touch upon is how construction software can change the roles and responsibilities of employees within a firm. In some instances, the implementation may actually cause some employees’ workloads to increase.

True provides a common scenario that occurs in which AP clerks may be asked to add a few more steps to their typical routine. He says it’s important for managers to explain to such employees that, “although it may be ten minutes more work at the front end, what they don’t realize is that they are saving about an hour of work at the other end of this process.”

In the end, if you’re interested in the computerization of the construction industry or how the software consultation process works, be sure to check this post out. If not, it’s still fascinating to see two construction software heavyweights talk about the direction of the industry.

The construction industry is extremely fragmented, with contractors working on projects ranging from residential homes to highways and tunnels through mountains. Not surprisingly, with such a wide range of construction segments, the industry is composed of contractors from a wide range of professional experience levels. Some contractors have been using construction-specific software for years. Others are just starting out and don’t know what construction software they need or, for that matter, how to begin selecting it.

To help those who are new to construction software, we have created a four-part series of articles called “What is Construction Software?” These articles explain the basics of the three main types of construction software — estimating, job costing and project management software. From there, the articles assist the reader in the software selection process and offer additional resources for contractors who are considering an investment in a construction software program.

The first article of the series is The ABCs of Construction Software. This article shows those construction firms who have not yet implemented a construction software program what benefits they can expect after choosing the right program for their company. The article describes the three main types of construction software and provides five main steps to follow when choosing the right software program.

The second article, The ABCs of Construction Estimating Software, discusses how estimating software can be used for more than the general actions of performing calculations and keeping track of costs. In addition, the article provides several warning signs that those who are using generic estimating software, such as Microsoft Excel, may want to switch to a construction-specific program.

The third article of the series, The ABCs of Construction Job Costing Software explains the capabilities that job costing software has in comparison to the general accounting software most construction companies start off with. The article also emphasizes the importance of considering your company’s long term growth when choosing a job costing program and the construction-specific modules that come with it.

The article series wraps up with The ABCs of Construction Project Management Software. This article gives an overview of the nine main areas of knowledge that characterize project management and provides a list of the advantages that project management software gives to the contractors that use it.

If you fall into the category of people who want to know more about construction software or who are beginning to think about buying construction software, the four articles above are a good start. From there, take a look at our construction estimating, construction job costing and construction project management software buyers guides for more tips and guidance on the construction software selection process.

As previously reported in this blog, there seem to be some reluctance among contractors when it comes to adopting technology. This is just bad business.

In the right situations, technology can improve efficiency and productivity within a firm while reducing confusion and mistakes.  Of course, there will be some initial obstacles — such as cost, implantation and training — but, in the end, contractors who learn how to use technology to their advantage will be more agile and in a better position to compete for contracts.

So far we’ve covered how estimating software, GPS and integrated IT systems can provide a sizable advantage to tech-enabled firms. Another practical way in which contractors can benefit from technology is through the use of video conferencing (also referred to as Web conferencing).

There are two obvious benefits to video conferencing:

1. It saves money — By video conferencing a firm can reduce travel expenditures. This dynamic medium of communications can almost replace a face-to-face meeting.
2. It saves time — Remember the old adage, “time is money”?  Well, video conferencing eliminates the downtime that occurs when employees are traveling to a meeting.

Shaw Group, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based engineering and construction firm, is reaping the benefits of using advanced communications technologies. With the addition of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, Shaw Group has the ability to video, audio and Web conference — and the company has seen a huge productivity increase, claimed Jeremy Turner, vice president and chief technology officer for Shaw Group “Ultimately, what we want is a 100% collaborative conference room experience across the world,” he said in a statement.

Not all construction teams are as large as the Shaw Group. Many can’t afford, or don’t necessarily need, all the capabilities of a dedicated communications server. Nevertheless, small- and medium-sized construction firms can take advantage of video conferencing on the cheap.

Case in point: justin.tv. This site provides anyone with the ability to video conference with multiple people — and some construction businesses are starting to take note. For instance, the Construction News and Report Group recently held a successful internal sales meeting using justin.tv.

Mark Buckshon of the CNR Group wrote the following in a blog entry called Video meeting test a success:

…I found the resource useful, easy to operate, and rather simple to use…I will use this technology at our other internal meetings, with several employees and contractors at remote locations.

While it’s a cost-effective alternative to product-based video conferencing software, justin.tv has its fair share of problems. One glaring concern is privacy — since anyone can pop into a chat session, sensitive material should probably be disclosed through another medium. That being said, this can be a powerful and useful tool for contractors who have to work away from the field.

In the end, video conferencing, like all other technologies, may not fit the needs of every contractor. (Build a solid Web conferencing strategy, a three-part series on sister site SearchUnifiedCommunications.com, can help you decide whether it does.) However, video conferencing should at least be considered — after all, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is not a rational business practice. Firms should be striving to find new ways increase productivity and efficiency, and adopting new technology is one way to achieve this.

Our last blog entry in this series focused on the need for construction firms to embrace technology. In this entry we look at the next step — embracing an array of technology that works together.

There’s a lot that goes into any construction firm’s information technology (IT) system. Ensuring that everything in that system operates smoothly — at both the front end and the back end and with little or no inconvenience to all users — can be quite a challenge. If addressed properly, though, a nicely integrated IT system can provide a huge return on investment for a construction firm.

In The IT System ROI Checklist: 10 Questions to Ask About Your IT System, Bassem Hamdy of CMiC provides a handy checklist for fellow construction owners on how to evaluate the ROI for IT systems.

Some key points include these three:

1.      Is the system integrated? While the phrase “integrated system” seems to be almost cliché nowadays, Hamdy describes it as a product “that runs all applications on a single, scalable database.” He cautions readers not to confuse this with other programs that offer workarounds or data bridges because these system store information in multiple locations. Ultimately, this can lead to hiccups when trying to pull all the information together for business critical decisions.

2.      Does the system reduce data entry points? This one is pretty self-explanatory: The more times that data needs to be re-entered into a system, the more likely mistakes will occur. Therefore, an easy way to improve the ROI is to invest in a system that reduces unnecessary data entry. 

3.      Does the system provide standardization? While every project manager may have a different way of going about a task, any platform that provides a uniform process for completing a project will save everyone headaches. 

Of course, Hamdy goes into greater detail on how each of his 10 points can maximize the ROI. Ultimately, he argues that if construction executives invest in sound IT software, their employees can spend more time being productive and less time performing tedious data entry and fact-checking tasks.