4 Ways Subcontractors Can Reduce Risk

Risk is tangible for specialty contractors every day on a project. There are ways to reduce that risk, and field collaboration is a big part of that. You can improve your success on projects by using construction management software, like the products on the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform.

Following are 4 ways subcontractors can reduce risk.

1. Collaboration:

Give your crew tools that make things more predictable, including software tools that are mobile-friendly and easy to use. Providing essential construction project information to field workers in real time ensures they are working on the same plan set with the most current version of drawings. Always using the latest versions of drawings and documents is ultimate collaboration and one of the best ways to avoid rework. Using mobile devices, workers can initiate submittal requests, manage reviews and approvals, and have access to approved submittal information.

Team coordination and project management can improve with centralized construction meeting minutes. For best collaboration, everyone should understand results of meetings: commitments made, links to references like documents and drawings, issues and RFIs, and the history of meeting records.

Learn more about Autodesk Construction Cloud in the free Applied Software, Graitec Group eBook: The Importance of a Common Data Environment.

2. Tracking:

Keep your projects on track with better communication and collaboration. Progress can be tracked, and equipment status can be checked from any location. Issues, RFIs, checklists, submittals, and assets can be managed and tracked even when not connected to the internet.

Activities can be sorted and leveraged with custom views and filters. Schedule data can be integrated using a Cost Management tool to correlate cost to time and forecast cash flow.

Project responsibilities can be clarified for each step of the RFI process enabling accountability and tracking through to resolution. RFIs can be connected across project lifecycle and linked to other tasks. Submittals can be coordinated and managed in a single submittal log. They can move through the review process with actionable responses. Progress can be tracked with markups. The field and office can be connected when field teams have the ability to track progress directly in sheets from a mobile device.

3. Data

Maintain project data and reduce the risk of data loss to minimize disputes. Share selected data with general contractors (GCs) as needed, including real-time access to the latest schedule. A platform like Autodesk Construction Cloud will enable you to import schedules from Primavera P6, Microsoft Project or ASTA Powerproject into Autodesk Build. Project stakeholders can then access and collaborate on schedule information in a centralized environment. Field workers can view and collaborate on the schedule and communicate changes to the office faster.

4. Closeout

Make sure your project closeout is organized, with all documentation required by the GC. As you perform commissioning and resolve defects, you reduce your risks. You can generate accurate, comprehensive final documentation organized by folder for easy navigation. Project documents can be downloaded as a hard copy for the most current record, while hyperlinks, photos and markups remain live, linked and editable. Operations and ongoing facilities management are made more efficient, and your company will be positioned well for potential future work.

As you take advantage of Autodesk Construction Cloud to collaborate, track projects, maintain your data, and organize project closeout, you’ll reduce your risk and improve your company’s success on projects.