The way we work: project management’s digital transformation

Coupled with the game-changing increase in the breadth and richness of data project managers can collect and analyse, the digital shift has enabled clients to commission, monitor and deliver programmes with greater certainty from the outset.

Digital technology has transformed the way project managers work and how we communicate with our clients and teams. Remote working has allowed us to demonstrate our capabilities.

Rather than revealing gaps, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how the mix of our proprietary systems, developed in-house, and ‘off the shelf’ data-led tools that already exist can be used to manage complex developments remotely.

Data-led decision making

Construction projects are rich sources of data, which is valuable for years to come. By harnessing this data we can help clients make decisions earlier and with more certainty.

This intelligence gathered across our teams globally and stored in a digital knowledge bank we call the ‘Hive’, is now one of the first things a client comes into contact with.

The Hive allows us to advise clients with a greater degree of certainty at a much earlier stage through sector-specific benchmarks. Alongside building information modelling (BIM), this deep seam of data is powering everything that matters to our clients — agility, accuracy and validation.

Once a project is underway, our approach enables clients to visualise their projects through an engaging process. This helps manage stakeholders in the process. Driven by virtual tools that put them at the heart of design development, they can tour the construction site from wherever they are and immediately understand progress against the plan.

Sitting alongside our proprietary digital tools we have a tool-shed that brings the best of what is available in the market place to our clients, making the process of delivering projects more efficient, more effective and more engaging.

We asked a few of our experts to describe the ways digitisation is helping us to enhance our service for clients at crucial stages of their projects.

Quality control and approval of the design

Managing design teams and empowering clients to track the quality and progress of work as it is completed is one of the main challenges on any project. Clients expect to be able to tailor designs and there can be countless iterations as problems are encountered and overcome.

Principal Consultant Eduardo Reus notes that change can be controlled through our digital assurance tools. Through interactive dashboards and live assessments, all the information is in one place, allowing clients and suppliers to get a holistic view of how projects fit together and where additional costs are going.

Monitoring site progress

Digital tools have transformed the way site progress is tracked, says Assistant Project Manager Olivia Turner.

Olivia uses several digital tools, including Matterport, to create 360-degree virtual models that make it possible to carry out highly accurate valuations more easily and frequently. As well as providing live updates on the status of a project, tools like these allow us and our clients to monitor progress, review health and safety aspects of the build and prepare defect lists.

Delivering programmes on budget

Director Nadia de Klerk says one tool, in particular, has transformed the way clients can check that their project is running on time and budget.

She uses the pace> platform to create a digital scorecard for clients giving an up-to-the-minute, accurate assessment of overall performance.

We are already starting to see the transformative impact the investment in our core services is enabling. It has further enhanced the benefits of our service delivery model from driving continuous quality and performance improvement, reducing risk and maximising benefits and process efficiencies.

Our project managers are equipped with the tools they need to be at the forefront of the project profession, delivering project excellence for our clients.