Engineering Document Management Software for the AEC industry: BIM’s best friend

The AEC (Architects, Engineering, and Construction) industry has been slow to innovate with new technologies. Usually, innovations in CAD and data management happen in manufacturing first, then are brought over to the AEC industry. In manufacturing, PDM software is commonly used to manage CAD files and product information. With the increasing use of Building Information Management (BIM) and cloud technologies, the next step is to implement a common repository for Architects, Engineers, and Construction Workers to store and manage files. An Engineering Document Management Software (EDMS) or PDM software does just that.

Characteristics of the AEC industry

There are several characteristics that make the AEC industry unique. It is important to recognize the uniqueness of the AEC industry so we can effectively identify challenges and develop a good Engineering Document Management Software solution.

Slower innovation

The construction industry has historically been slow to adopt new technologies. A 2018 KPMG survey revealed only 23% of respondents in the construction and engineering industry said they had an enterprise-wide digital business vision and strategy. That’s 9% lower, on average, than other industries. It can be hard to implement a new solution to the AEC industry. Therefore, incremental changes are an important start implementing an Engineering Document Management Software.

Every project is unique

The project structure in AEC is different than in manufacturing. In AEC, most projects are unique. Every bridge, office, apartment, is different. The simple nature of building and infrastructure being very large leads to more designs and more uniqueness. This requires significant design time and more teams that need to work together.

Less specialized

In construction, an architect and engineer design the building. Then the construction project engineer is on the job site and adjusts for design changes that don’t fit with reality. In other words, there is a second line of defense. In manufacturing, you might design a product which is then built by robots or machines – leaving less room for design reviews and correction.

Compounding Errors

Construction projects have many people in the product lifecycle. More people leads to more uncertainty, more overconfidence, and therefore more risk of cost overruns and missed deadlines. The process is sequential, so any error that happens delays later steps and compounds effects to the project timeline.

Challenges

There are many challenges in the AEC industry. AEC firms struggle with going over budget, rework, and finding talent to meet demand.

1. Over budget

Construction projects are infamously known for going over budget. Humans are naturally overconfident. According to a 2015 construction survey by KPMG, 31% of projects were within 10% of their original budget, and only 25% were within 10% of their original deadline. This can significantly impact the trust of the client and harm long term relationships.

2. Rework

According to a survey by Plangrid of over 600 construction professionals, respondents spend over 14 hours per week on non-productive activities including looking for project information, conflict resolution and dealing with mistakes and rework. Even small improvements in decreasing rework can have significant impacts to the entire AEC firm.

3. Struggle for talent

Like many companies, AEC firms are struggling to hire good talent. This can cause even more delays in construction projects and firms not being able to meet demand. Missing the opportunity to capitalize on demand could lead to long term effects if customers resort to competitors.

PDM – Not just for Manufacturing

PDM is the management of product data. This is typically in the form of managing CAD files. A PDM software integrates to your CAD software and manages file links. When most people think of a product they think of a laptop, screwdriver, or drill. Anything you can touch, and therefore anything you design in CAD software is a product. But, a product is also a building, bridge, or highway.

With BIM, more information is added to models so that a complete picture of the building is developed. According to a survey by BuildingSMART, nearly half of the survey respondents report that BIM is used on between 76% and 100% of their projects. More people look to the BIM model for the “single source of truth”. With more data being added to the model, it is important to effectively manage that data so it becomes useful.

The AEC Data Management Revolution

Ideal AEC data management comes at the intersection of two shifts. First, the increase of BIM. Second, the increase of Engineering Document Management Software. As AEC firms use more BIM software for their projects it is going to require more data collection. That data needs to be stored efficiently and effectively. An Engineering Document Management Software can be used to store and house that data so stakeholders can share information and work from the same space with the correct files.

An Engineering Document Management Software that can store information from many stakeholders and is flexible enough to adjust to the uniqueness of the project is ideal. A flexible Engineering Document Management Software can account for the uniqueness of the project and the varying users that need to be able to access information. An Engineering Document Management Software that can handle multiple CAD software’s used by architects, engineers, or construction workers throughout the product lifecycle is also an important consideration. This can increase the ease of file sharing and communication across teams.

Benefits of AEC Engineering Document Management Software Solutions

Effectively organizing your information with an Engineering Document Management Software can help an AEC firm keep projects on budget, on-time, and minimize the impacts of missed opportunities from talent acquisition struggles.

AEC firms can save time sharing files between teams and avoid the 14 hours a week spent on rework. With a more efficient and reliable process, more work can be done with fewer engineers and architects. This can help AEC firms continue to meet customer demand without struggling to find talent.

Engineering Document Management Software for AEC

AEC firms’ increase in BIM leads to a growing need for data management. A flexible Engineering Document Management Software that can manage the uniqueness and wide stakeholder engagement of AEC firms is ideal for AEC firms. Then, AEC firms will be able to gain the trust of customers by achieving projects on budget and on time so they can boost growth.