How to Effectively Implement New Construction Management Software

The construction industry is steadily digitizing and adopting new technologies. Implementing new construction management software offers massive advantages. Yet, it can be seen as a challenge to many businesses.

Adopting new construction management software requires a change in existing systems. If the roll-out of the new software isn’t planned carefully, it could create a lot of confusion and stress within the organisation.

Follow these steps to help make implementing new construction software as smooth and rewarding as possible.

Create a Needs Document

One of the best practices in adopting new software is to create a detailed needs document right at the start of the process. Do this before you introduce the new construction management software.

Start by making a list of every person within your organization who will use the software. This should include the regular daily users, as well as anyone requiring data from the use of the software. The list also needs to cover exactly what functions you need in the tool.

You can use the needs document as an important reference for which features you should implement from the start and what areas of work need the most focus. A clear needs document can help to guide a smoother implementation of the new construction management software. It helps to assign responsibilities and identify pain points.

Maintain Realistic Expectations

Yes, implementing the construction management software will boost your company's productivity. But, you do need to be aware that the software probably won’t lead to overnight success. Thinking that it will can place an unnecessary amount of pressure on employees. It could also lead to disappointments or misconceptions about the software.

Make sure that any new construction management software is implemented with realistic expectations for long-term success. It’s best to monitor the productivity increase in phases, instead of at once straight from implementation.

Avoid Micromanagement

When putting new software in place, managers need to avoid micromanaging the process. The software probably won’t help with minute-to-minute tasks straight away. Instead, managers should view the new software introduction as a more large-scale and long-term process.

Keep in Control of Your Scope

A new software solution for managing a construction project can have loads of enticing and exciting features. However, this doesn’t mean you need to implement all of them straight away. Going too fast too soon could turn the software implementation into a big mess.

Instead, keeping focused on the original scope is important. Start by prioritising the most important features your business needs. Once they are comfortably in place, then you can start to increase the scope of your software use. By covering your core needs first, you will be able to set up a stronger basis for the new software.

Staying organised is essential. And, avoiding scope creep will have a major impact on the overall implementation of your new software.

Assign Teams to Move the Software Implementation Plan Forward

When implementing new construction technology, you should carefully assign the right team to move the software implementation forward. Dropping all your employees into the deep end at once can cause stress and impact productivity. Instead, focus on the most important uses of the new software, and start by having the most relevant people use it at first.

Create a Positive Adoption Process

Effective software implementation should be proactive and positive.

As a business owner or team leader, you may understand the benefits of the new construction management software. However, this doesn’t mean that your team necessarily shares this enthusiasm. They’re comfortable with their old processes so new software implementation may be seen as a challenge.

This means that you need to encourage adoption over just implementation. Focus on highlighting the benefits of the software and try to make the new software a positive experience.

Focus on Continuous Improvement

Even with a leading software solution, you might not get everything right straight from the start. Any new system requires some getting used to, meaning you can expect some speed bumps along the way. 

Instead of focusing on achieving perfect use of the new tool as soon as it is implemented, rather focus on a continuous flow of improvement. Your construction management software should be a long-term solution. So, focus on improving your software use a little more every day.

Conclusion

Once you’ve found the right construction management software, pay close attention to how it is implemented. The software adoption process is critical for its success.

Follow the processes above as you embrace the new construction management solution. This will make implementation more seamless and effective.