Technology and big data are revolutionising the construction industry. This guide will give insights on how to leverage this data and implement positive change, moving business above competitors.

1. BIG DATA
BIG GAINS
L E V E R A G I N G B I G D A T A I N T H E
C O N S T R U C T I O N I N D U S T R Y
F O R

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Introduction................................................................................................3
What is Big Data?......................................................................................5
The Changing Landscape of Construction.......................................6
Implementing Change with Big Data.................................................7
Tracking Equipment and Assets..........................................................8
Reducing Risks...........................................................................................9
Speeding Up Project Completion......................................................10
Site Organisation....................................................................................11
APE Mobile Revolutionising the Construction Industry..........12

3. INTRODUCTION
Implementing change in the construction industry via big data
There's no industry that deals with more data than the construction
industry:
Keeping track of material costs, allocating resources and ensuring projects
are completed within budget requires a great deal of number crunching.
Yet, when you hear the term "big data" thrown around, construction may
be one of the last industries that comes to mind. Banking, healthcare and
retail industries are well-versed in the importance of utilising big data, but
for industries under the large umbrella of manual labor, the significance of
technology isn't as obvious.
Many managers are still largely unaware of the immense assistance
technology can offer their business. From reducing paperwork and
material waste to saving time and money, construction businesses are
seeing tremendous benefits as they get acquainted with cutting-edge
technology.
What is big data?
The changing landscape of
construction
Implementing change with
big data
KEY TOPICS
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4. INTRODUCTION
Implementing change in the construction industry via big data
A survey of construction companies by software vendor Sage in 2014
found that:
57%
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48%
41%
14%
want consistent, up-to-date financial and
project information.
want to be warned when specific
situations occur.
want forecasting, allowing them to
better prepare for best and worst-case
building events.
want online analytics to see for
instance precisely which factors are
affecting profitability and by how much.

5. WHAT IS BIG DATA?
Data equals information
In a nutshell, data equals information -- an abundance of information.
But for businesses both big and small, it also equals power. Working
with large data sets enables you to see new patterns, make associations
and most importantly, make changes based on these new insights.
Essentially, big data allows you to move your business away from
guesswork and uncertainty and toward clarity and problem-prevention.
For small business owners, it may be difficult to come to the realisation
that you need additional tools and technology. Big data has made a name
for itself as a complicated and sophisticated tool that only massive
corporations with highly educated tech professionals have access to.
However, this is rapidly changing as more affordable, user-friendly apps
become available to all kinds of professionals on a daily basis. No longer
do you have to be a tech whiz to utilise advanced tools -- you can learn
almost immediately from the comfort of your smartphone or home
computer. In addition, time-saving apps designed specifically for
construction businesses are now at your fingertips. So there's no excuse
not to dive in.
According to Gartner, Big Data is
comprised of high velocity, high
volume, and high variety data,
which he calls 3V’s
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6. THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE
OF CONSTRUCTION
Where the construction industry is currently at
Construction firms are slowly emerging as big data users, finding that
real-time and cloud-based apps are actually becoming a necessity rather
than a luxury. With so many different hands and minds behind a project,
it serves construction businesses to have a neutral zone where everyone
can review the facts and get a bird's eye view of a project. The simplest
way to create this meeting place is through a digital tool.
John Jacobs, CIO for JE DUNN, referenced this issue in an interview
with Forbes, stating, "We have a complex process that we go through to
build a building. We need access to 2D and 3D data, financial data,
corporate data, documents, schedule elements, weather - all this has to
be linked and it's a complex web." So what are the concrete ways a
construction app can propel your business to a new and more efficient
level?
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7. IMPLEMENTING CHANGE WITH
BIG DATA
Breaking big data down to actionable tasks
As software and technology becomes more complex, the need to break
tasks down into actionable steps is key. An intuitive construction app
can do just that by guiding users through a system that simplifies
various business processes.
A study by one software company found that construction workers
predominantly want financial and project details delivered in real time,
along with warnings about the likelihood of certain situations. Both of
these needs can be fulfilled with a quality tool that offers up-to-the-
minute pricing changes and predictive analytics. With more data,
forecasts and reports become more accurate, while levels of risk are
identified more quickly.
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KEY TOPICS
Tracking Equipment
and Assets
Speeding Up
Project Completion
Site Organisation
Reducing Risks

8. TRACKING EQUIPMENT
AND ASSETS
Big data offers a more promising way to keep track of valuable tools.
You can prevent losses and damage by keeping a close eye on your
equipment without having it right next to you. Site managers can speed
up project completion time by knowing where all of their equipment is
and how fast it can be transported to and from work sites.
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9. REDUCING RISKS
Commercial construction companies
may have fewer transactions than
other comparable enterprises, but
they are often responsible for a
larger number of stakeholders and
subcontractors. For this reason, big
data is an asset that can help you
choose partners and suppliers that
are more reliable from the start.
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10. SPEEDING UP
PROJECT COMPLETION
What if your estimated date of completion could magically migrate to a
few weeks sooner? For some businesses, this has already become a
reality with the simple introduction of a construction app. Bumping up
completion dates on multiple projects can be revolutionary to the
health of your business -- not to mention your bottom line. Employees
can avoid stress and rushed procedures, and you can surprise clients
with your efficiency. Digital tools allow you to keep your entire team in
the loop, sharing critical information and reducing human error. A
construction app will also close the awkward communication gap that
exists when architects, engineers and other involved parties are in
different areas of the world.
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11. SITE ORGANISATION
Safety is a primary concern, yet
difficult to strategically enforce.
Surprisingly, a construction app
cannot only organise your digital
work space but also your physical
work site. When you're challenged
to work in a tight space with a
plethora of physical constraints,
your company can generate data
that combines GPS coordinates and
traffic information to uncover the
optimal route for travel. This saves
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time and allows your workers to conserve their energy and mental
stamina for more important tasks. In addition, project managers stay
organised with full details on a project, including safety and workforce
data that allows them to monitor compliance with ease.
With forms and data consolidated in one cloud-based location, managers
can reduce headaches and say one final goodbye to tedious data entry.
From permits to incident reports and time sheets, all paperwork can be
safety tucked away and accessible from any device. Team members are
empowered to log in to an intuitive interface, find information and upload
information as needed.

12. APE MOBILE
REVOLUTIONISING THE
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
See how your business can benefit from APE Mobile.
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VIEW DEMO
Digital site form identical to your current paper form
Full offline access to projects
Geolocation marking
Drawings and red line mark up
Integrations with several applications and a robust API
Insights to understand what's happening on site
Approval requests
Fully auditable with record of every transation
14 DAY FREE TRIAL
We enable insights - whilst eliminating paper - without disruptive change