Effective collaboration powered by AEC Project Delivery

AEC firms are evolving – digitizing workflows across their business and pushing the industry forward. The evolution affects how they perform services and opens the door to new opportunities. They end up like a solution provider, delivering engineering solutions.
 
AEC firms deliver results to their clients by way of projects. Teams form for the project and then dissolve at delivery. During the project, the coming and going of people creates challenges.  Administrators and project managers must control access and security. They ensure that information is accessible based on the role and project phase. Project data and reports must be available to the client at or before handover or close-out.
 
Clients and their agents expect to be included in the AEC process earlier and easier. They need to be involved in decision making, and geographic information systems (GIS) technology is a proven platform for collaborating. This way of working between firm and client requires that the AEC company give access to private knowledge about their project. And yet, the information must be secured and protected to prevent client data from being misused.
 
Solution
 
This demand for secure collaboration during and post-construction drives teams to find repeatable solutions that align with their current systems. To support this, Esri introduced the AEC Project Delivery subscription.
 
Collaboration and content sharing have always been at the core of Esri's ArcGIS offering. An AEC Project Delivery subscription builds on this with a stand-alone ArcGIS instance specific to a project or engagement.
 
Scenario Example
 
Following is one example that engineering firms may experience with a client, whether it be a utility, a public entity, or a private owner. In this example, the client requires capturing, inventory, documenting, and analyzing its capital assets. The firm wishes to enable transparency and create a connection between the client and the project's digital representation.
 
In this case, the client wants to oversee the schedule and ensure the data meets their standards. The owner wants to be sure the information collected meets the requirements to prevent rework. The engineering firm and the client also want to ensure the firm maintains data securely throughout the entire project. These requirements are where AEC Project Delivery comes in.
 
For this example, the engineering firm requests an AEC Project Delivery site from Esri. Once set up, the firm's administrator runs a script to configure the site to align with its data collection project standards.
 
Permissions are granted to the users outside of their organization, allowing access to the AEC Project Delivery site. The firm determines its access model and invites users into the project environment; they configure the site and begin sharing content.
 
The site includes a wide range of media and content - text, images, videos, CAD, BIM, and more, supporting the client and other stakeholders' needs. Maps and links show the areas being worked, color-coded based on status. A dashboard gives details of the project's progress, health, and safety metrics. View controls filter the project enabling non-technical users to interact with the content without any CAD, BIM, or GIS training. Sites created for a project such as this example often links to the critical project contacts, further connecting project participants.
 
This AEC Project Delivery approach enables architecture, engineering, construction, and consulting firms to digitally deliver their services. They can tailor the content to appeal to their clients and ensure the highest quality project delivery. Improvements occur across the project lifecycle, made possible through effective communication and collaboration powered by AEC Project Delivery.
 
Next Steps
 
AEC Project Delivery is a compelling offering AEC firms need to include in their digital bag of tricks to change how they deliver service-based consulting.
 
For more information on Esri's AEC Project Delivery to amplify the value of delivered project content watch this on-demand presentation and visit the product page.