Collaborative Project Management Software

Project management software has been executed as a program, that user can run on their computer system. PM software like GamePlan is developed as a web application that can be used with the help of web browsers. Project management software hosted in the cloud enables successful completion of projects compared to the traditional project management systems. Cloud based project management software helps architects, engineers, contractors, owners and facility management professionals to collaborate more effectively with other parties. 

Collaborative web base project management software like GamePlan permits each team member to play a part in the project from beginning to end. For example a subcontractor can send a project design and documents to the general contractor for review, who can forward it to the architect, who can in turn send it to the owner who can then pass and send it all the way back to subcontractors for construction. It provides every team member more control of the project information flow. In traditional construction project management systems do not provide a common platform for all project participants instead it limits these capabilities. An accountability based reporting system also creates major difference. Collaborative construction management applications provide a reporting system, that help to all team members to analyze their task or assignment status, with the project.

In a traditional project management system only one person creates and edits the project plan. This system is only suitable for small companies or ones where only a few team members are involved in top-down project planning. Some desktop application has these features. Collaborative project management software supports every team member’s participation in top-down and bottom-up project planning setting. Web based application like GamePlan, normally fall into this category. For successful construction project delivery it is compulsory to switch to collaborative project management practices, without collaboration and effective coordination between project participants, projects cannot succeed.

A Web Based Construction Management Software

Web basedconstruction management software is a tool for managing and organizing work and activities of the project. Project management software usage in the construction industry is of special significance. Users or professionals in the construction industry need improvement of tools and technology for improved project planning and control. The construction professionals are highly concerned about building up a better technique for project planning and control, the GamePlan web based construction management software complete this desire.

Web based construction management software was difficult to get before some time but the new generation computer systems now make them a feasible option. The Internet is a perfect channel for integrating and expanding information between the network groups and organizations.

Now, with the help of cloud computing technology it is possible for construction firms without managing hardware and software manage their projects with online app like GamePlan. Various organizations are running their app in the cloud. A number of organizations moving their non-cloud app to the cloud computing system. GamePlan provides a construction managementsoftware base on cloud computing technology.

The Web based PM software offers incomparable collaboration opportunities for the construction industry, for the most part its facility to contain a schedule, document & a resource management system. User can get updated project information anywhere, any time with the help of laptop, tablet, mobile phones hooked to the internet. A web based construction software system is easy to collaborate with all team members on a construction project. It is a powerful tool to improve efficiency and to improve the flow of information within the construction organization.

Role of Construction Project Management Software

The role of construction project management software as a tool for managing and organizing work has grown-up and continues to grow rapidly. As sincere users of project management software, professionals in the construction industry have a strong interest in improving the tools and techniques available for better project planning and control. The GamePlan construction management software provides various features to improve project management for improving user efficiency and achieve project goals.

The construction schedule is the significant managerial tool for the project manager, and it serves the very important function for the subcontractors and suppliers participating in the project. To establish a strong working schedule, an outline of the tasks of the project should be written down and reviewed until the tasks are representative of each activity, the order that they are fit into place, linked to the proper predecessor and successor until all tasks are linked and accounted for. The decision making at the last responsible moment is also encouraged.

It is at times best to start by listing the entire task of the table of contents, by sub subdivisions as they come into view in the exact document. The next step is to come to a decision. A parent task might be pouring concrete, which would include child tasks as forms, footing, reinforcing bars, walls and slabs, to mention a few, and site work, having child tasks similar to grub & stump, clearing, digging for the footings/piles, etc.

The GamePlan project management software facilitates collaboration between owner, project manager, main contractor, subcontractor and project team members. They put all information about tasks or assignments that they are responsible for. This information is used in creating the working schedule to be presented to the owner for getting approval before the start of activity. It should be noted that the input offered by the subcontractors is the essence of their estimates and represents project’s most reliable data. Additionally, material purchases and deliveries are shown on the schedule to maintain control of long-lead time items and place these items on the schedule as milestones.

Time scheduling and cost accounting are very strongly connected with construction projects. If the scheduling and costing are correctly prepared, the project success rate is very high. Project management software gathers most recent and reliable information from field operation and provide an analytical report, the performance data report helps managers in the field and office to coordinate effectively. If there is a difference in job performance, GamePlan can easily compare them with previous data. Project management software provides reviews for creating the necessary adjustments to the detail task which has fallen off the financial track, rather than adjusting whole project. 

Project management software helps project managers map out project action, monitor project progress, and make corrections where necessary. With timely knowledge of any aberrations, the project manager will be in the position to administer the project rather than be manipulated by the woes of inaction.

Plan you Projects with GamePlan and Encourage Collaboration and Coordination

User can manage project tasks and assignments with the help of a GamePlan Time module. This module is designed to encourage collaboration and coordination among team members. 

Keep Your Schedule Current -

•    Create & edit schedules using GamePlan Scheduling software

•    Your project team will always set an up-to-date schedule

View Schedules the Way You Want -

See a project schedule in a calendar view by day, week or month – or stick to the traditional Gantt view. GamePlan makes it easy to use the view that’s easiest for you

Create and Edit Schedules with the Software You Use Now -

GamePlan supports the integration with MS Project (exported XLS or XLSX format file) software you already use, just click to import your Master Schedule and edit

View Tasks and Assignments Filtered by Company, User and Space-

Use GamePlan filters the tasks and assignments to view scheduled tasks and assignments by company, user and even space. See a project’s completed task, In Production tasks and critical path.

More Features with More Integrated Tools –

The schedule Management module has a number of tools to help construction project management - Master Schedule, Look Ahead Plan, Weekly Work Plan, Project Game Plan, Constraint Analysis, Resource Loading, Quick Reports, Collaboration Space and Realtime Activity and Resource Views.

Detail: GamePlan Construction Project Management Software Scheduling

Ask your project team members are they working off the current schedule? With GamePlan, your entire team will always know they’re viewing the latest, most up-to-date schedule right in GamePlan. GamePlan displays current schedule, so that team meeting calls will always be held by every team member looking at the same time, current schedule. This happens when a team member submits their look ahead plans (LPA) and weekly work plans (WWP) to Collaborate Look Ahead Plan (CLAP) and Collaborated Weekly Work Plan (CWWP). Only authorized users can make schedule changes, such as changing task durations and submit to CLAP & CWWP of the project schedule.

Unlike other construction project management software packages, GamePlan offers a choice of views that goes beyond the standard scheduling software Gantt chart. Construction software is used by a wide range of individuals, and some of those users may not have experience with construction project schedules and Gantt views. For this reason, GamePlan presents the construction project schedule available as a LAP (six week), WWP (one week) view. Project tasks for construction schedule are broken in two parts. First Master Schedule (MS) to Look Ahead Plan (LAP) and second Look Ahead Plan to Weekly Work Plan (WWP). Project task & assignment for the construction schedule are presented as individual rows. Each row displays the task name, as well as the resource assigned to that task and days when the task will be executed.

GamePlan also provides users with the ability to view their construction project schedule. Using filtered views, where only the desired information is displayed on the Schedule page. Construction project schedules can be filtered by user wise, space wise or by company wise (contractor working on that task). Team members not only plan the time when the task should be done but they also plan the resources needed for those tasks and make sure that tasks are made ready when the time to execute on site comes.

The GamePlan scheduling module is designed for teams working in a collaborative fashion. Other GamePlan modules complement to the scheduling module as users can make references to other documents and information in the system and get real time updates on the current status of resources such as equipment, crew and material.

With GamePlan, the construction project schedule is also being supplemented by constraint analysis, quick reports, detailed reports on percentage plan complete, reasons for incomplete assignments and constraint (roadblock) removal performance.

Construction Companies Should Consider Moving All Their Organizational Workflows to Cloud

 Success of a construction company depends on several things; use of information technology is one of them. However, I think most of construction companies do not use the actual power of information technology and they are not ready to move on from email and FTP for projectmanagement. Perhaps following facts will help them take better decisions:

•     90% of a construction manager's time goes in communication.
•   15% of time construction project managers are searching for information.
•   50% of problems faced during construction are due to ineffective information exchange.
•    85%-90% of project cost is decided in the design stage.
•   30-50% of changes during construction result from error in design due to poor communication.
•   30% of time field staff asks questions related to inconsistencies in drawings.

   Use of information technology improves coordination and collaboration among companies participating in construction projects. There are several tangible and intangible benefits of using IT in construction. 

Benefits of using IT solutions for construction include –

1. Improved document quality
2. Better document organization and tracking
3. Better financial control
4. Better communication
5. Anytime, anywhere access to information
6. Decrease in documentation errors 
7.  Cost effective SAAS based model for midsized companies

IT Solution characteristics

A good IT solution needs to do these tasks for making construction project managers more efficient in dealing with information -

1) Efficient information generation

2) Storage

3) Retrieval

4) Communication

Enabling Technologies and Resources

1) World Wide Web 2.0

a)      Available from anywhere, anytime on need to know basis.

b)      Its use as a communication medium helps effective and fast information transfer 

2) Internet

                a) Cross organizational team work is enabled

3) Infinite computing power in the cloud

4) Highly secure servers

5) Easy to use and Intuitive application designs

Best Practice

1.  Set up a project website from the design stage of a project
2.  Set up a project wide collaboration and coordination platform for open communication and information exchange 
3.  Run training programs organizational IT skills development
4.  Input all the necessary information in the system of choice
5.  Look for both tangible and intangible benefits when evaluating the system

GamePlan – Construction Management Solution

GamePlan revolutionizes the way construction project teams do business. It is one of its kind products and focused on construction execution phase. Real time information update and information exchange is a must for effective field to office coordination and collaboration in today’s volatile world.