Construction data management what is it and how to enhance it

Data management in construction enables the efficient collection and use of construction data. Find out why it’s so important!

If you are a professional in the AECO sector you know well the amount of data that is produced during the construction phases. Also, you probably already faced how difficult it is to manage those data efficiently. Fortunately, the design environment is digitizing more and more and with it also data management. For an efficient management of the work and for the success of the process I recommend you to use the. With this you will be able to create and manage document systems and also integrate them into BIM models.

Let’s see how these software help to enhance the management of construction data and why is so important.

What is the construction data management?

Construction data management is, as the expression suggests, the management of construction data. It allows you to group, store and use data securely, efficiently and economically.

Construction data consists of four components:

1. Estimating data. This helps construction managers understand the project before it starts. The professionals responsible analyzing the estimating data can understand the trend of the offers, the cost estimate, etc.
2. Operational Project Data: Project operational data includes all data relating to the execution phase of a construction project. Managing this data means having the possibility to access at any time information regarding materials, equipment, labor, orders, deliveries, etc. Therefore imply being able to efficiently organize the workflow and have an accurate estimate of the actual overall cost.
3. Financial data. Includes all aspects of a construction project and their relative amount and overall economic impact. Managing this data efficiently means making sure that you respect the budgets of the individual phases and the project in general, avoiding the emergence of financial problems.
4. BIM data. As we know, the application of the BIM methodology allows the creation of an information model, that is rich in information and updatable design data, which can be consulted by all the professionals involved and useful throughout the life cycle of the asset.

Construction data

Why is data management important in construction?

The management of construction data is extremely important for the proper success of the design process, to efficiently manage the various phases of work and to comply with important limits regarding time and costs.

We have seen that correct data management supports the project team achieving the objectives related to the different workflow phases. Construction data management helps professionals operating in the AECO sector, as well as the different stakeholders connected to the project, to optimize the use of data in compliance with policies and regulations. This allows to make decisions and take actions that maximize the benefits for the general management of the project.

In fact, construction data is a valuable source of information for all the actors involved in the construction process and their efficient management helps to achieve a better result in general terms.

How to improve construction data?

Given the important role that construction data management plays in the success of the project, it is equally important to ensure that you use the right techniques and the best tools to do so.

So let’s see how to enhance construction data management in three simple ways:

1. increasing data accessibility. Regardless of the amount of data collected or the storage mode, if such data are not easily accessible by the actors involved in the construction process then it means that construction data management can be improved. Managing construction data means not only collecting and saving it but for it to be really useful, it must be easily identifiable and accessible by the work team, obviously guaranteeing safe access and in some cases managed by specific permits;
2. replace manual data collection with digital tools. To maintain a high standard of compliance and security, project managers collect useful data on site. In this way they can reduce rework, minimize risks and generally increase the efficiency of the various processes. Despite the importance of this phase, it is still often done manually by relying on individual spreadsheets. These manual processes then generate data duplication and input errors, all “hiccups” common in most manual data management tools. To overcome this problem, it is useful to adopt technologies and software that collect and store data digitally, then share them with stakeholders.
3. conduct all operations from a unified data source. Construction projects are dynamic and need continuous updates, just like their data. To ensure that the updated version of the documents is always available, it is essential a shared and updatable archive. Using a single data source also reduces the likelihood that information will be displayed in the wrong context or without the necessary data.

Fortunately, these improvements are possible thanks to the use of specific BIM data management software that allows you to centralize and manage all construction documentation in a single data repository and increase the efficiency of collaboration between teams. All you have to do is try it online for free!