Investing in construction project management software boosts your company’s efficiency. However, you can only reap the benefits if you invest in the right tool. While it’s a good thing to have many construction management software available, it can also make choosing the best one quite confusing for construction companies.
Inexperienced managers who don’t know “what is construction project management” and “how to plan construction activities” usually rely on the wrong software. Doing so might temporarily save them, but their lack of inexperience will cost the company thousands of dollars in the long run.
Therefore, this article will guide you on what to consider when choosing construction project management software.
Why do you need construction project management software?
Do you know that over 53% of construction companies have implemented new project management software in the last year because manual data collection affects profitability? This figure is expected to increase as the industry continues to adapt to the latest technologies.
Learning new technology is challenging, especially if you manage a construction project. That’s how using construction project management software can help you out. These tools provide the following benefits:
- Reduce workforce – The construction project management software might replace some employees or even a project team.
- Improve time management – You can schedule activities and share the timeline with the team members, and then they will get alerts about the priority tasks and deadlines.
- Enhance accuracy – The project management software is faster and more accurate than the traditional construction framework.
Equipping your company with the right construction project management software is important.
10 factors to consider while looking for construction project management software
Every construction project has different requirements. However, the general construction aspects remain the same. The following 10 factors are created considering the general aspects:
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Speed and accuracy
You want to save time and money to complete a project before the deadline and earn extra rewards. So look for a construction project management tool that will work as a catalyst in your construction activities.
When choosing the software, you must be careful of the accuracy of the following:
- Measurements – All construction measurements must be accurate.
- Calculations – The budgeting system must be precise.
- Schedule – All construction activities must be accurately scheduled.
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Cost
The average cost of construction project management software ranges from $25 – $299 for a single user monthly. You already know that a construction project runs for several months. So, you can estimate the software cost and its impact on the final budget.
You must thoroughly check the software’s features and ensure its pricing is justified. Many software developers make attractive construction project applications that lack basic functionalities. But managers without experience can choose poor-quality software and lose money from the construction budget.
So whether you’re on a tight budget or not, always consider the cost of a construction project management tool responding to your needs before investing in it.
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Collaboration
Make sure the construction project management software you choose has the collaboration feature. This feature enables your teams to connect virtually with each other and share documents necessary for the construction project.
Remember that some software might provide this feature at an additional cost. Therefore, you must be discreet about your requirement and make an additional investment in that software if its other features perform excellently.
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Beta version
Follow the “try before you buy” slogan to experience how construction management software works. Many companies and developers launch a beta version of the software, which targets users. The purpose of the beta version is to get feedback from the users by giving them almost the complete software.
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Ease of use
You are not the only one who will interact with the construction management software. Instead, other team heads will also join you on the platform to create a professional network. That’s why the software you choose must be easy to use, especially for non-tech workers.
Lack of information about software usability is one reason companies fail to adapt to change. Their tech-savvy employees start using the software. However, people with a low understanding of technical software hesitate to adapt to modern tools.
So, ensure that the construction project management software you choose is easy to use for people with different learning capabilities.
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Customization
The customization feature allows you to change the construction project management software according to your requirements. However, that doesn’t mean you can modify the software code and change its operations.
Instead, you can do the following:
- Set budget manually
- Give access to users
- Change network security
- Invite or remove users
- Change the project timeline
Customization helps you integrate your project needs better into the construction project management software.
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Real-time communication
Another important factor you must pay attention to is real-time communication. The software you choose must be independent of time and space. Regardless of when and from where a member wants to communicate, there should be no restrictions to keep them from communicating.
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Budget management
Project budgeting is an important phase that must be carefully executed. So, the construction project management software must have a budget management feature to estimate the best costs for the project.
You can also change the inputs while estimating the budget during any construction phase. However, you must give real value to the system. Otherwise, the system might give you errors.
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Resource management
The construction management software should manage resource utilization to improve project savings without compensating for the quality. For example, the software might suggest you follow different resource management strategies to identify unnecessary resource utilization.
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Scheduling
Lastly, the software you choose must have the project scheduling feature. That will help you create a timeline for each construction activity and assign tasks to every team. You can also create a master schedule of the construction project using the project management software.
Remember that you should focus on the project scope and note its deliverables to start working on the master schedule. Besides, some construction project management software might allow you to make a work breakdown structure (WBS).
Conclusion
As technology rapidly expands in the construction industry, you must upgrade your construction framework by integrating it with project management software. Doing that will upgrade each construction activity, and you will see rapid growth in the business.
So, follow the guide above while choosing construction management software and make the best of your investment.
