Construction companies of all sizes find themselves in need of enhanced project management tools.
There are a number of construction management software platforms out there, ranging from cheaper or freemium platforms to those designed for large companies working on complex projects. All of them are designed to help project managers to manage a project from end to end so that they are completed on time and on budget.
When choosing software, there are a number of elements you need to consider, from cost to complexity. Here are some of the main things you might want to consider when choosing the right construction project management software for your business.
Features
No one system has every feature that you might need, so you will need to choose the one that has the most useful features for you.
Make a wishlist of everything you need it to achieve as a bare minimum, then list the features that are nice to have, but not essential. By doing this, you’ll be able to see at a glance how well a particular product will fit in with your way of working.
Support – how well supported is the software? Are you expected to have your own software and computer support services or is this included in your subscription cost?
Real-time synchronization – is the system cloud-based an able to be accessed in real-time by all those who need it?
Reporting capabilities – reports are vital for analyzing projects both as they are in progress and after the project is complete.
Security – you’re going to be working with a lot of sensitive and confidential information. Ensure the software you choose has good security and is compliant with any relevant data protection laws. Will your data be backed up, so that if there is an issue, you won’t lose all of your data?
Data visualization – being able to convert your schedules into visuals such as Gantt charts is absolutely key as it allows people to be able to see and understand the information almost instantly, compared with trying to read it off a list.
Issue tracking and alerts – issue tracking can help streamline your project by flagging issues to the right people at the right time, allowing them to be fixed at an earlier juncture.
Scalability – you need a system that scales up as your business does without becoming cost-prohibitive. If the software pricing is run on a per-user basis, then a large project could suddenly eat into a lot more of your budget. When you choose a software that meets your needs now, at least research how much it will cost if you suddenly had to scale up.
Key takeaways
Good construction management software should be intuitive to use, easy to visualize, export, and report information on and, ultimately, make your project management easier by streamlining the entire process.
Many software companies will be happy to provide a free trial of their product, and there may even be opportunities to negotiate on pricing at the end of this.
