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Businesses use paper for many reasons, and that is no different in construction projects. There is a new way to do business that eliminates the demand for paper. This new method is called electronic data interchange, or EDI. EDI allows businesses to communicate with each other electronically, without the use of paper. EDI reduces costs Continue Reading
You and your team have finally made it! Your new state-of-the-art baggage handling system (BHS) is finally complete and ready to be commissioned. But now you must face the onerous task of completing the closeout for the project and obtaining spare parts. This could be anything from requesting operational manuals, training staff, testing all the Continue Reading
“What is this and how long has this been here?” This is the question the FAA Safety Certification Inspector poses to you during your Annual Safety Certification out brief in front of your team, boss, and possibly airport board members. You know what it is. It’s a high voltage transformer box located just inside the Continue Reading
June 13, 2022 The most important step in the data lifecycle process is data integration. Construction data seems overwhelming until the documentation is integrated so that it can be easily retrieved and understood. When we move to a new city, into a new home, or start a new career, we are effectively taking all our Continue Reading
Construction is a complex and highly competitive industry. The general contractor, owner, project architect, and subcontractors must take proactive measures against costly claims and litigation. One of the most important tools to defend your construction claim with documentation is creating an environment of full documentation throughout the project. Proper documentation in place, ensures you can Continue Reading
I attended a conference in Nashville this week. General Contractors look at me like I am an alien or a villain, and me speaking on behalf of the trade creeps them out. The dreaded eye roll, attitudes, and the shrug of the shoulder. And you think that will stop us from continuing to help spread Continue Reading
20,000 leagues under the sea ride Walt Disney World was so fun as a child. I remember being alarmed to see the top of the boat after I stepped out of the ride, I felt like I was 20,000 feet under the water. Just like construction, it appears to be a well-organized machine. As one hospital Continue Reading
Put your money where your mouth is. We have all heard this saying before, kind of like, “ I double dog dare you!” Who really puts their money where their mouth is, especially in construction? As- Builts, warranties, meeting minutes, and audit ready drawings is where you can find the money. We decided to do Continue Reading
Those who have been on projects with MySmartPlans, know how smoothly a project will run! Those intelligent people work to get us on every project they can. But when we are not included on your project, we hear the complaints! We hear how your current system doesn’t work. After a superintendent meeting, (for a project Continue Reading
The least desired comment in construction is, “don’t worry, I will handle this.” In a world where our moms would coddle us and say, “it is going to be okay,” just tell your children it will be ok. Unfortunately, in construction where “grownups,” live, work, support their families, this is the worst thing you want Continue Reading
Yes, I copied and pasted this text! The good old finger pointing game. I have attended several workshops talking about eliminating finger pointing in the construction industry. Impossible? literally another IDEA of what is impossible, the game is finger point to draw attention away from the issue. Yesterday I was in a meeting with an Continue Reading
I am asked to be on several panels, and keynote speaking sessions. My success is sought after. Questions include: How did you do that? Did you fund raise? How big is your sales team? How did you come up with this idea? All the answers start with, I took massive action. I know the challenges Continue Reading
I was raised by an innovator, my father fixed everything with a radiator hose and clamps. I thought this is how it is supposed to be, I did not question, just try to fix anything broken with a radiator hose and clamp. Today I have learned that the status quo and radiator hoses are a Continue Reading
Our history of managing over 1300 projects, we hear stories all the time, this is one from yesterday! “It has been a pleasure working with MSP on the ATB project. Early on in the project MSP saved the college $120,000. A subcontractor was making a claim against related to civil site work. Our state project Continue Reading
Do you ever wonder, how did we get here? Worse, do you create a story to make it ok? Construction is a brutal industry, UNLESS you organize, create accountability, and build to defend. Construction litigators, “the good guys”, recommend MySmartPlans. The good guys love having their hands on the smoking guns! We collect all the Continue Reading
One changed document that is not supported in transparency is the “bad apple”. As an owner of a construction project, you want and need facts, not the song (The Osmonds – One Bad Apple). MySmartPlans is the “gatekeeper”, the third-party custodian. We have seen it all, we have witnessed firsthand how one bad apple can Continue Reading
Can you ever think of a time when you felt you had to do something, and you hoped it would be okay? Your job? Had too many drinks and drove? Uneven partnerships? We have all be there, we don’t think it will happen to us, we think we are immune for some reason. Construction is Continue Reading
We have heard it all, but this one takes the prize for told ya so! The general contractor told the owner, we have it handled. We track all changes through email, we are all friends, we have been in business for over 45 years, and we know what we are doing! Lucky, this project had Continue Reading
Miscommunication issues are common in construction, yet few projects are willing to prepare for the challenge. A large general contractor shared this embarrassing story with us. They semi laughed, saying that “they sued the architect and lost! This was an expensive oversight.” See the project had a change order come in and 400 HVAC duct Continue Reading
The phone rings, it is the lawyer for the construction company trying to get to the bottom of the issue, you take a deep breath and take the call. The Ribbon Cutting ceremony, the day everyone on the project has been waiting for. The pictures, the big scissors, hard hats, suits, ties, dresses, and shiny Continue Reading
You have got to be kidding me! NOPE here is a list of the top 10 “reasons” the gatekeepers for large projects, have said no to organized document delivery. 10. We don’t care; it is what it is. – General Contractor 9. Wait, you are telling me we can’t change documents? – General Contractor 8. We like the chaos; it
MySmartPlans for the NNSA National Security Campus Development Project – An Amazing Success Story Written by Douglas Benton, Project Manager for GSA Heartland Region In 2006 the National Nuclear Security Administration and the U.S. General Services Administration began their partnership to modernize the NNSA manufacturing plant in Kansas City, MO. The government determined that it would be best to build
Unorganized documents can pile up and become overwhelming and costly to manage. According to a McKinsey report (2016), cost and schedule overruns are the norm in the construction sector. It is estimated overrun in capital expenditure to infrastructure projects average above 130% of original quoted capital and twenty months beyond scheduled completion. How can this continue to be tolerated? The
Construction is the only industry in the world that status quo is accepted, undelivered projects, the ability to walk away from a project. The Great Hall Expansion Denver Airport project is a perfect example, if you ask anyone on the project the answer always changes as to why the renovation has been pushed back years. Documents hold the key to
The lonely phone call, “I wish we had you on this project.” It is never too late to organize, deliver facts and build without the looming fear of pre-discovery, the looming fear of losing everything. You might think this is just a problem for you. The truth is, the general contractor (GC) is also struggling They act like big man
1500 Projects, mega projects to small hospital remodels; we have supported them all. Like Uber*, we are streamlining construction. Can you even imagine such a thing? Like Uber, I am sure we all thought there had to be a better way, can’t you just hitch a ride? Hitchhiking was a thing of the past. Hitch a ride, thank the driver
Have you met the CEO of MySmartPlans, Shelley Armato? If you cannot remember, then the answer is NO. If you said yes, you will have a vivid picture in your mind of her passion, her resilience and her care for the world. Shelley has three missions: family, peace of mind and the ability to succeed. As I was interviewing her,
Honestly, for every project, I am amazed at the length of behavior to get the “Real Number.’ This is a personal experience I witnessed. Large Hospital build, one billion in budget, Owner brought us on the project to protect from litigation. Our first meeting was with the General Contractor (GC) at Capitol Grill*, all the dressings, round table in the
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