Take the Office to the Field

Identifying digital tools is only half the battle—implementation requires thoughtful planning and analysis.

Mobility is one of the construction industry’s hottest buzzwords. Firms of all sizes are looking for ways to successfully implement mobile solutions on their projects. Contractors have long considered their mobile phones as yet another common jobsite tool, but today’s tablet computers may soon become an equally integral part of the site toolkit. By streamlining digital workflows, tablets—along with other software technologies designed for mobility—have revolutionized both construction project management and business efficiency.

To choose the right mobile device for a project’s digital needs, first determine which products offer a robust software package designed specifically for the construction industry. Project teams should also know which workflows they want to digitize before choosing a solution. Typical off-the-shelf technology simply will not fit the bill; just like any specialized jobsite task, efficient mobility in the demanding construction environment requires the right tools—and people—for the job.  

Tablets on the jobsite are prone to dirt, coffee spills and falls. Before starting a project, contractors should “ruggedize” their tablets against damage. A variety of hardware manufacturers have developed tablets specifically for field use. Alternatively, a rugged case for an iPad can help protect the device, making it field-ready.

Going Paperless
Using digital documents in the field requires an intuitive software solution that closely replicates the pen-and-paper workflows to which your team is already accustomed. Handwritten annotations in digital documents, either with a stylus or fingertip, demand a much smaller learning curve for team members. Additionally, your team should communicate through a file format that doesn’t require proprietary software and can easily be shared among project partners.

Creating PDF files is a great solution for digitizing workflows in the field. Given its ease of accessibility, PDF has become the industry standard for construction drawings, requests for information (RFIs), submittals, specifications and other project documents. A variety of free PDF viewers are available, making this lightweight file format highly consumable.

Implementing Digital Workflows
Identifying the right digital tools is only half the battle. Project teams should consider the following best practices when implementing hardware and software solutions on their projects:

• Determine the right workflows to digitize—PDF technologies and tablets can transform several phases of the construction process. Determine upfront which project workflows your team will digitize—RFIs, submittals, overall project tracking, the punch process, etc. 
• Set digital projects up for success—Not all PDFs are created equal. When converting CAD files, use a PDF solution built specifically for the design and construction industry. New PDFs should have scale and line merge features maintained, as well as native plot styles available to ensure that important CAD data is properly converted. Select a solution that provides optical character recognition (OCR) so that scanned PDFs can be made text-searchable. Add hyperlinks to details and bookmarks to important pages in digital plan sets.
• Determine the best method for digital document access—While attractive to many project teams, continuous Wi-Fi connectivity and real-time collaboration in the field are not always realistic goals. Jobsites are often remote, and even highly-connected sites can suffer connectivity outages. Decide how mobile team members will access PDFs before beginning a project by choosing a cloud solution, email or pre-loaded tablets.
• Create redlining standards—The ability to standardize on redlining tools makes it faster to add comments and also reduces miscommunication. An added benefit of digitally redlining drawings is that PDF solutions can automatically track the user, the user’s message and the time of the message, instantly adding in a layer of accountability that is impossible with pen and paper workflows.

Questions to Consider
Before investing in a mobile solution for your project team, ask yourself the following questions:

• Are my devices ruggedized for use in the field?
• Do I have a software solution designed specifically for the construction industry?
• Have I identified what workflows can—and should—be digitized?
• Can I ensure my devices will have online access from my jobsite(s)?
• Will my project team have the technical training to handle these new devices?

Digitizing workflows in the field can deliver speed, clarity and efficiency far beyond any paper-based workflow. However, introducing tablets and PDF software to a jobsite is a process, not an event. Seek feedback from project team members, provide training resources and only digitize additional processes if they make sense for your project’s size, scope and the technical skill level of project team members.