Discover how advanced technologies are shaping the future of capital project construction and Advanced Work Packaging

Established and emerging technologies are transforming the way we plan, design, and deliver capital projects. Today’s powerful technologies have the ability to make us more organized, efficient and competitive, but they can also cause confusion, mistakes and cost increases. In this article, we’ll explore some of the key technologies available today, and how they can impact your operations — for the better.

Before we begin, however, it is important to heed the words of Bill Gates, who said: “The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.” In other words, technology should only be applied to business systems that are already working effectively — as we always say at Concord^®, process before technology. That said, and taking into account that your company has invested in better designing and executing its AWP processes, here are six compelling technologies that could have an outsize impact on your AWP operations.

4D Technology and Playback

This powerful technology represents a major step forward in capital project oversight and execution because it allows us to simulate the construction sequence in a visual, interactive way. By adding time and schedule-related information to a 3D Building Information Model (BIM), project leaders can see precise, useful construction information at a glance. This is a great tool for confirming the Path of Construction (POC) and is an excellent asset on a project that is using the Advanced Work Packaging methodology.

Dashboards

Dashboards are a project manager’s best friend. Whether you’re using Advanced Work Packaging, doing Workface Planning or looking for status reports on your materials in the field, it’s a fantastic asset that can facilitate effective, efficient project delivery. A well-designed dashboard will tell you where you are, how many packages are in the field, how many constraints have been cleared, and much, much more . It’s an excellent visualization tool that can help with planning and decision making throughout the project lifecycle.

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)

Level-up your materials management with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, which give you the ability to track and trace project materials anywhere in the world. RFID tags work like a barcode to offer sophisticated, reliable insight into the status of materials. This real-time materials oversight directly supports Advanced Work Packaging by providing the data that materials managers need to implement a construction-driven procurement strategy.

Virtual Construction Model (VCM)

Virtual Construction Models (VCMs) give Workface Planners a detailed, interactive graphic visualization of field installations at Installation Work Package (IWP) level. This powerful tool supports high-level monitoring, on-the-fly updates and the ability to pull drawings out of the model for reference. VCMs are similar to a 3D model in that they show the project in three dimensions, however, unlike a 3D model, a VCM does not allow the Workface Planner to actually change the designs.

Wearable Technology

Wearable technology helps monitor and support safety and productivity in the field. In some cases this hardware may be worn on the wrist, in other cases it might be worn on the safety hat. Wearable technology can safely record the weather, the user’s movements and any falls or other physical incidents encountered by the individual. Concord^® considers this part of emerging AWP technology because it is used to improve productivity on capital projects. We are working on using wearables for productivity and safety measurement for AWP projects. If this is of interest to you and your company, please email us at info@tconglobal.com.

Information Management Technology

An integrated information management system provides unparalleled workflow support in part by allowing your organization to assign roles and responsibilities, track work product and maintain communication using notifications and other tools. The best information management systems provide document, interface and workflow management that helps a project team organize itself both before, during and after construction. It is central to a well-functioning Advanced Work Packaging project. The Concord^® team always begins by helping clients map their project information body to help identify the best technology procurement decision making framework.

Are you interested in learning more about how to use these technologies to improve your capital project execution outcomes? Contact us today, the Concord^® team is standing by to help.