RCP NZ recently undertook interviews with 150 construction professionals across New Zealand. Among the findings was the trend of the construction industry working in ‘silos’ – leading to poor communication, collaboration, productivity and project outcomes.
We share some of the findings and solutions from the article written by RCP NZ’s Senior Design Manager, Jason Ward, that are also relevant to us over here on the ‘big island’.
While organisational and cultural factors creating silos can be hard to change in the short-term, several ideas emerged to help reduce the impact of silos on productivity.
Managing Information Overload
The ever-growing number of stakeholders for today’s projects is creating an exponential increase in the number of people involved. This surge has made communication and coordination across all groups a significant challenge. Traditionally, architects and more recently project managers, have been tasked with this role, but the growing workload has made this expectation unrealistic. While technologies such as BIM can assist, they do not reduce the communication load or solve collaboration with all team members.
Projects and programmes of work need a way to curate various types of information sources so that core messaging is universally understood.
In today’s fast-paced project environments, it is crucial to streamline information sources and eliminate redundancy. Often, projects are burdened with multiple systems that perform similar functions, creating unnecessary complexity and inefficiency.
RCP advocates for an integrated approach to information management while recognising the use of various technology platforms. If project teams can eliminate duplication, reduce redundant efforts, and have access to a common data platform as appropriate, they can see a significant improvement in efficiency. By removing the noise and focusing on structured data, the risks associated with disconnected and/or incomplete information can be reduced, resulting in improved decision making and proactive controls.
Where projects can utilise methodology which involves the automation and aggregation of information flow, there will be improvements in both the system of design and delivery. A core objective should be connecting and centralising information sources without adding more complexity for teams and clients.
No One Wants RFIs – How Do We Reduce Them?
Requests For Information (RFIs) occur during construction projects because not enough design information has been provided, the information is incorrect, or the project has changed in some way. Every time an RFI is raised, there are costs incurred by the consultant, builder, project manager, and the client. No one wants RFIs, and yet, they continue to plague every project. The reality is the year-on-year RFI’s are increasing for a myriad of reasons.
A solution to reducing RFIs is to focus on pre-construction, challenging the quality of design from project outset and utilising subject matter experts whilst increasing the coordination between design silos via credible technological means.
When should Early Contractor or Subcontractor Involvement be used?
Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) engages a contractor during the design and planning stages of a project, to leverage the contractor’s expertise in constructability, cost estimation, and scheduling and other measures to improve the overall project outcomes.
The theory is good; however, the market feedback is hit and miss. The project’s success becomes highly dependent on the contractor’s expertise and input, therefore choosing the correct contractor, and or credible super sub(s), with sufficient experience and the ability to provide valuable insights, is essential. ECI contractors also need to be given quality briefs that allow them to add value to a project.
Unfortunately, the higher initial costs are a disincentive for many, as the higher upfront costs are hard to justify in a market that works with very tight budgets, even though these costs are often offset by savings later in the project.
ECI can result in the absence of a competitive tendering environment which could lead to less favourable terms for the client. There can be potential conflicts of interest, as the contractor’s commercial interests might conflict with those of the client. This can occur when a contractor produces a design that cuts out the competition and so managing scopes carefully from the outset and negotiating contract terms is paramount.
The benefits of Early Contractor involvement can be realised through well prepared and managed contracts.
Key takeaways
- Managing information overload, exacerbated by an increasing number of stakeholders. Although technologies like Building Information Modelling (BIM) help, they do not fully address the need for accurate and timely information sharing.
- An integrated approach to streamline communication will reduce redundancy and provide stakeholders the right information at the right time in the design and construction process.
- A unified approach to information management, achieved by leveraging technology to create a cohesive data platform helps eliminate duplication, minimises redundant efforts, and clarifies communication channels, preventing outdated/incorrect information impacting project outcomes.
- A focus on clear, point-to-point communication and a project-specific strategy enhances collaboration between designers and contractors, setting higher standards for efficiency and integration in the construction sector.
- By investing in thorough pre-construction reviews and advanced technology for design coordination, the industry can aim to reduce RFIs and avoid design conflicts.
- Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) ensures valuable contractor insights during the design phase.
You can read the full article here.