Journey to the next dimension | Archive Titles

Paths of progress: six of the best
	BAA	Bovis Lend Lease	HBG	Mace	Midas	Pearce
How do you communicate with external members of project teams?	Mainly through collaborative portals. Email also plays huge part	All teams and most subcontractors linked by email	Collaborative extranets and a huge amount of email	In early stages, nearly always by email	Email is common, project portals for retail sites	Extensively use email and project extranets
How many of your projects use collaborative extranets?	17 鈥� all the big ones	Nine, using Asite, BIW and ProjectNet	All the bigger projects	Use extensively. Would promote on any 拢5m+ project	Almost all retail projects (51 completed or underway)	About 70% and expected to grow
How many of your projects use a document management system?	Use features in extranets. Only Terminal 5 has dedicated system	None uses a true document management system	Subset of project extranets	Linked to extranets	Use the facilities in BIW鈥檚 Information Channel extranet	Own extranet does document management and archiving. Any paper documents scanned in
To what extent do you use e-procurement?	Use ERP system for purchases	All projects link to internal system, but only three use external portal	Stalled while SAP ERP system is being rolled out	Limited degree. Subscribe to Asite	In process of developing. Actively looking at Tradex and Ramesys	Email details of works package to subbies
How big a problem is it getting broadband/comms into sites?	It isn鈥檛. Just have to run cable from the airport鈥檚 wide area network	Not a problem in large conurbations, but not used elsewhere	No problem. Run broadband to 40-odd sites in the last three months	Broadband is painful. Lead-times are slow. A struggle every time	Broadband a bit of a pain	Broadband on 80% of new projects. Availability and line quality can be an issue
What IT achievement are you most proud of?	Oracle implementation, BAA collaborative extranet, taking lead in collaborative tools	Electronic management of drawings	Broadband roll-out and pushing project extranets	In-house project management system	Becoming proactive about IT. Can now keep up with clients	Introduction of Pearce extranet, a virtual private network and replacement of ISDN with broadband
Where will your IT enablement be in two years鈥� time?	Common data environment, 3D object tools	Driving down costs, improving efficiency	Will have deployed SAP	Hand-helds for snagging and quality management	Cheaper broadband will make cabling up sites viable	Hand-held devices for snagging data, pre-construction virtual modelling, integrated design

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