As the EPC industry moves steadily towards digitisation and we’re seeing the emergence of an ever-increasing array of digital project management systems and Project Management Information systems (PMIS) in project management, it’s interesting to look back at how the trend began, namely with project collaboration tools and platforms. One could even argue that the need for better collaboration between stakeholders was the catalyst that triggered the move to digital project management systems in the first place, and understandably so, because if documents are the lifeblood of construction projects and information management are the nervous system, collaboration is the heart, linking together the various players and processes and moving pieces. So obviously, software systems that address collaboration and communication are a priority for EPC organisations looking to improve project outcomes.

Let’s understand why such software is becoming essential in the modern world.

First of all, digital project management systems bring everybody onto the same page and keep them there for the duration of the project. This is no small feat, considering how many goals, schedules, requirements, budgets, timelines, etc., are involved and how many changes each one can go through over the project’s lifecycle. Without good communication across all teams in all time zones across all working platforms, not to mention all cultures and customs, the project could easily get stalled. Worse, you could end up with misunderstanding and conflict. In fact, it would be hard to overstate the value of a PIMS in project management in general and in collaboration specifically.

Next, consider the benefits of digital knowledge sharing, both in the past and the present. By knowledge we mean not just the tangible information or data being used in a project, like its drawings and specs and schedules and other technical data, but the intangible information about the industry or the partner companies or even the process of project management itself. Take for example lessons learnt, reports and templates that were refined over the course of several projects into an ideal format and now can be customized in future projects without having to recreate from scratch – that sort of thing – and that kind of knowledge is invaluable in helping managers make decisions and think on their feet and can eventually set up a proactive work culture.

What about problem-solving?

It’s no secret that project run into delays more often than not and managers are constantly firefighting.

A good digital project management system will certainly empower managers at every level to think more like problem-solvers, and for two reasons: the removal of mundane tasks that occupy most of their time and the support of having accurate data at their fingertips. Freed of the drudgery of day-to-day tasks and armed with accurate information, managers will then be able to plan and resolve issues, should they arise, effectively and efficiently. And as a side-effect, team morale will also improve, which would indirectly impact manpower and hiring policies down the line.

Those are just a few benefits an EPC company stands to gain when it switches to digital project management software systems.

Now let’s take a look at exactly how such systems produce the results they do.

The most benefit point a good PMIS in Project Management (or any kind of modern digital project management software, really) provides right off the bat is in how it stores and disseminates data. Consider: these software typically use a Centralized data storage system and/or a centralized platform to process the project’s information, which ensures that very member of every team has to process information in a tightly-controlled environment that is virtual, secure, and easily accessible from any location through any digital device.

In other words, say goodbye to cumbersome email threads and phone calls and e-meetings; now your friendly PMIS can take care of the day-to-day tasks of updating versions, recording transactions, sending transmittals, etc., and do all this in the background with very little human effort. And this is just the foundation. Every other useful feature or function is built on top of this inherent data-handling computing power. Like for example automated reports, automated ie system-driven notifications and alerts and reminders, automatically-managed correspondence tracking and archival, the assured enforcement of all the required quality procedures – the list could go on but suffice it to say that almost any project task or activity will be changed for the better once you switch to a digital PMIS.

And that brings us back to collaboration, the heart of project management.

To sum up, a PMIS or digital project management system would link every stakeholder together online in real time, which is the next best thing to being physically present in the same room at the same time – and what could be a better way to collaborate?