Reminder to self: don’t build faster horses...

Ever worked really hard - on the wrong thing?

We got an email from one of our favourite trailblazers, Steve:

Steve was looking to integrate his take-off estimation data directly into his project management solution in order to automatically create the project budget.

It makes perfect sense - on the surface…

And we stayed on the surface—that was a mistake.

And we worked really hard to make the integration work. Mistake #2.

I hate the word “integration”. For me, it means:

• seemingly good (but actually bad) idea, that won’t make anyone happy…

And here we are. Here is how we got here.

Steve is a growth, oriented business leader—in our lexicon a trailblazer. Self-proclaimed:

Maybe you can identify with the sentiment.

Our critical mistake here was getting missile-locked on the technology outcome.

The “#@\$!” integration.

Had we gone deeper it would have been obvious why Steve “wanted” the integration. He didn’t really want an integration (who does really?).

What we wanted was:

• Accurate budgets available immediately at the outset of the project.

• Having the project get out of the gate on the right foot.

• Avoiding being four weeks into the project and your actuals to budget already a disaster.

• Chasing the project until the end—hoping it turns out ok.

Improving operational visibility, project information. That was the business objective. That is what he wanted. A better shot at profitable projects. So he could aggressively grow his company.

Not the ”#@\$!” integration!

(are you picking up my frustration?!?)

Business Results via Project Information Operations

It's a lot more fun for everyone when we get it right!

When we’re collectively hitting the “business results bull’s eye!"

A story from another of our favourite trailblazers, Terri.

We started working with Terri's organizations streamlining data flows from field labor to finance.

By “streamlining”, what we mean is that we reduced manual data movement and data entry by double-digit hours - every week!

Right away we have a business outcome with the elimination of low-value, soul-sucking work. People are happy! Win!

But wait, there’s more!

Through the improve data flow, that labor data was now stored, staged, and available.

We were able to spin up a concise and compelling weekly operations overview - every Monday morning rather than (maybe) at the end of the week.

This new information asset - the weekly operations overview - became the centrepiece for the weekly leadership meeting.

Cheaper, faster, and better.

All tangible contributions to the bottom line. Meaning more profit.

And more still…

Once a paradigm has shifted, it opens new ways of seeing things, new opportunities.

Terri’s team is now actively engaged in designing and architecting new project information assets that moves their construction operation forward.

Improve operations at every step.

Learning the “Faster Horses” Lesson

Sometimes the learning is delivered as a punch to the face. And we took a good one on the chin. We hate disappointing clients.

So if we find ourselves chasing technology outcome - we’re off track. Even when our clients ask us.

Especially if our clients ask us.

We’re the experts in data elevation and project information operations. I can say this with confidence because we invented both.

Improving project information operations (with the technology already in place) is the direct line to improving project profitability.

It’s our mission—our duty—to guide our clients to expanding profit margins by harnessing data.

To make their project information cheaper, faster, and better.

People run construction projects. Information makes them profitable.

What’s the real business result hiding behind your current tech headache?

Share it with us by hitting “reply”.

Best,

Chris

Founder & CEO, Aedo

P.S. Our apologies Steve.