Being a leader in your construction business – the role of ensuring that the business completes projects in a timely manner and under the lowest costs possible – is a priority you cannot escape. You need to hire the top management talent in the construction industry for this to happen.
But top talent is no guarantee that projects will be completed on time. Every project needs a different approach and time management is the factor that will ensure that all projects meet the client’s deadline. You can implement a task scheduling software to help you plan project periods and schedule tasks of different workers.
Finding the right construction task scheduling software can be a hard task given the many solution providers in the market. If you know what to look for in a solution, it will be easier to pinpoint the exact software you need.
WHY IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO INVEST IN TASK SCHEDULING SOFTWARE
There are a number of reasons why you would want to invest effort and money on implementing a solid task scheduling software. In a nutshell, we could could summarize the main reasons as follows:
Versatility
The use of a task scheduling software helps a lot in boosting flexibility within a project. To put it simply, task scheduling can allow last minute changes regarding a task, such as who could be responsible for it or what resources are required for its completion. Thanks to task scheduling software, the ability to lock confusion out of your project is a given due to the real-time updates that the project members receive.
Communication
Task scheduling software would be a great ally in your effort of establishing a solid and trustworthy communication channel in collaboration with other agents of your project. Strong and timely communication will eventually be one of the keys to your project’s success. For that reason, it is one of the last things you want to overlook when working on a construction project.
Tackling Project Delays
The implementation of task scheduling software can play a considerable role in avoiding project delays. More specifically, the software will offer you the chance to plan your tasks in advance. Furthermore, it will allow you to keep good track of your project’s progress and to be sure that everything goes as expected.
Project Control
Another important advantage of task scheduling software is the great control that it offers over your construction project. Based on it, you can have a very clear picture regarding who contributes to a task, and to what extent. In this way, you know where you should put more effort and time. This can help you dramatically in preventing any mistakes or unwanted situations during the building process.
TASK SCHEDULING SOFTWARE FEATURES
Below, we list some features to look out for in a task scheduling software for your construction business.
Project Resource Management
You need to monitor how resources are being used on a project. Misuse of project resources might force your company or the client to dig deeper for the project to complete which can force the project completion date to be rescheduled.
You can monitor project resources by adding them to the resource feature in the solution. Graphs and charts will keep you up to date while periodical warnings will alert you where resources have been over-allocated. Habitually, resources are classified into different categories such as material, labor and equipment.
Risk Register
In the past, only big-wig companies could afford the peace that comes with risk analysis and management. But things are being done differently nowadays. Almost every client and construction business owner is concerned about the risks involved with construction, and are keeping risk registers to mitigate this. If your client doesn’t seem concerned with risk analysis and management, you should take it upon yourself to ensure that you keep a risk register.
A risk register works this way: You identify a risk associated with the project and calculate the probability of it occurring or re-occurring during the project course, then link it to a project schedule. With a basic risk register, you will be able to calculate the risk and monitor it periodically.
Historical reporting
Many among us disregard the large pile of construction data we have accumulated over years of working. We intend to assume that old project data is of no use to new projects. But data experts emphasize the importance of keeping such data and revisiting it occasionally.
Scheduling software will help you go through past data quickly and effectively through monitoring project trends. You will be able to read through a stockpile of data within minutes which is an added advantage especially for the busy ones among us. However, do note that even though most solution providers have a historical reporting feature included in their solutions, not all have the ability to monitor trends which is a vital feature in the construction business.
Mobile Access
You might be required to move from place to place especially if you are in charge of more than one project. You will need to keep up to date with everything on the ground and the only way to receive reliable data is by having remote access to the system. Even though not all systems can be hosted on cloud, the perfect system should have some sort of connectivity and flexibility, such that you can access data anywhere, anytime.
Collaboration
If you are working on a big project involving stakeholders, managers, suppliers and workers, then you need a task scheduling software that will streamline collaboration and communication among different departments. This is much better than having every party working independently which might delay construction. Plus, you will be able to reduce manual file sharing which is an outdated and tiresome system in this age.
CONCLUSION
These are a few of the many benefits a task scheduling software can bring into your business. Instead of assuming that you are just investing in a system, think of it as a new frontier of improving service delivery within your organization. Doing things the right way can earn your construction business credibility that will outlive your business for many years to come!
