The economic downturn has forced Owners to be more conservative in the allocation of funds for capital construction projects, and also has increased the demand for heightened access to project information. Gone are the days when an Owner could set the budget, step back and wait for the General Contractor/Construction Manager to deliver the project. Changes in accounting procedures, developments in technology and a general cultural shift to more accountability mixed with frugality have changed the role of the Owner in the construction project lifecycle. Owners must be more involved in the project, and this requires using a solution specifically designed for capital projects.
The current economic climate requires Owners to be more selective in their choice of Contractors. Past relationships still matter, but with an eye on getting the most return on the investment, an Owner needs to make decisions based on profitability, not personality. Owners need to stay on top of the project to ensure that the funds are being allocated correctly, and armed with a construction industry specific solution such as CMiC Open Enterprise v10, that allows for the ability to drill down into the details of a specific transaction and provide the big picture overview of the status of the project, Owners can ensure that the project stays on course.
Communication is essential for any project, and the workflow engine of CMiC Open Enterprise v10 is sophisticated and flexible enough to ensure that all project stakeholders receive the right information when they need it. The flow of information can be tracked easily, so decision makers can keep up to date on all developments. Built on a robust database, CMiC Open Enterprise v10 allows you to store all project communications and keep them secure for future reference, which increases accountability.
CMiC Open Enterprise v10 provides a full-featured, on-line collaborative portal that enables all project stakeholders to communicate in real-time. Vital pieces of information, such as change orders, can be sent and received in moments, so Owners can make quick decisions that keep the project moving forward. Protected by a security matrix, the collaboration portal is integrated with the financial and project control systems, so all of the project information is stored by project or across projects, eliminating the need for multiple data entry.
Integration is also a key factor of success in a capital construction project. No matter how quick the solution allows an Owner to access project information, or how the solution can make the information look in dynamic reports or dashboards, the data needs to be accurate and up-to-date. Most capital construction project software solutions fail to provide the true integration that CMiC Open Enterprise v10 offers, relying instead on complicated data bridges and workarounds to tie all the systems together. CMiC Open Enterprise v10 has a single database approach, storing all project information on one database. Once the information is entered into the system, it can be sent to the various functions and project stakeholders, without having to be re-entered. This approach ensures data integrity, so Owners can make decisions with an increased sense of confidence.
CMiC Open Enterprise also uses the latest development in technology to create connections between the CMiC system and other systems, such as a native financial system. Using XML, a computer language that transmits data between systems regardless of the data type, CMiC Real Time Integration creates a bi-directional connection, so all databases are updated simultaneously. Project information is entered by the General Contractor’s Project Manager on the job site, and the Project Executive on the Owner side can view that information instantaneously, without having to re-enter the project information.
Unlike generic workflow or project management systems, CMiC Open Enterprise v10 was specifically designed for capital projects. CMiC understands the demands of managing a capital construction project, and has over 35 years of experience helping organizations achieve the highest return on their technological investment.
For more information on how CMiC Open Enterprise v10 can help with your capital construction projects, please Contact Us.
