A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to sit down with a group of infrastructure construction professionals to discuss how they approach tracking projects and meeting compliance requirements in a world of increased infrastructure finance and standards of federal reports. The panelists shared the different ways to take advantage of the technological tools at their disposal to streamline the process of administration and fulfillment of contracts. More specifically, the panel discussed issues with offline systems, efficiencies gained by adopting the cloud, how to improve transparency for project stakeholders, and methods to integrate digital systems with traditional survey tools.
In this article, we’ll share some of the highlights from the panel discussion. If you are interested in watching the entire webinar, you can watch it here.
Panelists included:
- Peter Schirmer, PE, Project Manager, BL Companies
- Howard Weissberg, PE, Assistant Director of Public Works, City of Middletown
- Brian Ennis, PE City Engineer, City of Meriden
What are the most common challenges with paper or spreadsheet-based record keeping?
“You’re a robbery at the office or a spilled cup of coffee for missing 6-7 months of work.” – Brian Ennis
Both Ennis and Schirmer discussed the precarious nature of paper files, especially in terms of storage. Not only is a large pile of paper more likely to be damaged or misplaced, but if a situation arises where the project manager needs to locate a specific record, it can be a time-consuming and is filled with paper. “If a contractor files a claim, we’re now going through 1200 days of written paper reports,” Ennis said. Specifically, in Connecticut, teams must follow a four-volume method with retention laws that are much easier to track and store in a digital environment.
