Today’s companies are faced with the need to integrate multiple data management systems. Selecting data management systems, managing these systems well, and integrating disparate data sources is becoming critical to business performance.
In the mid-2020s, you can find hundreds (and thousands in large construction companies) of different systems (Fig. 1.2-3) that must work in harmony to make all aspects of the construction process run smoothly and cohesively.
According to Deloitte’s 2016 study® “Data-Driven Management in Digital Capital Projects” – the average construction professional uses 3.3 software applications daily, but only 1.7 of them are integrated with each other (Deloitte, “Data-Driven Management in Digital Capital Projects,” December 16, 2016).
The following is a list of popular systems for medium to large companies in the construction industry that are used in effective construction project management:
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) – provides integration of business processes including accounting, procurement and project management.
CAPEX (Capital Expenditure Planning Software) – used for budgeting and managing financial investments in construction projects, helps to determine the cost of fixed assets and investments in long-term assets.
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and BIM (Building Information Modeling) – are used to create detailed and accurate technical drawings and 3D -models of projects. The focus of these systems is on working with geometric information.
MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) – Engineering systems that include mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components, and detail the internal “circulatory” system of a project.
GIS (Geographic Information Systems) – used for terrain analysis and planning, including cartography and spatial analysis.
CQMS (Construction Quality Management Software) – ensures that construction processes comply with established standards and regulations, helping to eliminate defects.
CPM (Construction Project Management) – includes the planning, coordination and control of construction processes.
CAFM (Computer-Aided Facility Management) – building management and maintenance systems.
SCM (Supply Chain Management) is necessary to optimize the flow of materials and information between suppliers and the construction site.
EPM (Enterprise Performance Management) – aimed at improving business processes and performance.
AMS (Asset Management Software) – used to optimize the use, management and maintenance of equipment and infrastructure throughout the asset lifecycle.
RPM (Real Property Management) – includes tasks and processes related to the management and operation of buildings and land, as well as related resources and assets.
CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) – Computer-aided engineering, includes computational and simulation systems such as finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) – Computational fluid dynamics, modeling of fluid and gas flows. CAE subcategory.
CAPP (Computer-Aided Process Planning) – Computer-Aided Process Planning. It is used to create route and process maps.
CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) – computer-aided manufacturing, generation of control programs for CNC machines.
PDM (Product Data Management) – Product Data Management, a system for storing and managing technical documentation.
MES (Manufacturing Execution System) is a real-time manufacturing process control system.
PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) – Life Cycle Management of a project element, integrates PDM, CAPP, CAM and other systems for complete control of a product from development to disposal.
These and many other systems incorporating a variety of software solutions have become an integral part of the modern construction industry (Fig. 1.2-4). In essence, such systems are specialized databases with intuitive interfaces that provide efficient input, processing and analysis of information at all stages of design and construction. The integration of digital tools with each other not only helps to optimize work processes, but also significantly improves the accuracy of decisions, which has a positive impact on the timing and quality of project implementation.
But there is no integration in half of the cases. According to statistics, only every second application or system is integrated with other solutions (Deloitte, “Data-Driven Management in Digital Capital Projects,” December 16, 2016). This indicates the continuing fragmentation of the digital environment and emphasizes the need to develop open standards and unified interfaces to ensure end-to-end information exchange within a construction project.
One of the main challenges in integration for modern companies remains the high complexity of digital systems and the requirements for user competence necessary for effective information retrieval and interpretation. A team of specialists, headed by a key manager, is formed to support each system implemented in the business (Fig. 1.2-2).
The key system manager plays a crucial role in directing the flow of data in the right direction and is responsible for the quality of the final information, just as the first managers thousands of years ago were responsible for the numbers written on papyrus or clay tablets.
To turn disparate information flows into a management tool, the ability to systematically integrate and manage data is essential. In this architecture, managers must act as elements of a unified network – like a mycelium that connects the individual parts of the company into a holistic living organism capable of adapting and evolving.
