Technology

Portal Power Improved communications, reduced costs through electronic collaboration: Web-based collaboration is delivering value in project planning and control

by Michael Lamb

Michael Lamb
What’s great about a Web-based project portal is the opportunity it opens for real-time collaboration.

The question of clear communications is central execution. In survey after survey of owners, communications is cited consistently at or near the top of areas needing improvement in project delivery. So it is not surprising that Web-based project collaboration increasingly is viewed as essential, particularly on high-value, long-term projects. The availability of on-site Internet access and the advancement in communications applications offer the promise of improved project efficiency and reduced costs.

Yet technology is only part of the solution. What’s great about a Web-based project portal is the opportunity it opens for real-time collaboration. It provides the foundation for a culture where you can have an immediate understanding of your clients’ needs and where you are able to deliver high-impact solutions quickly because of that greater understanding.

Case in Point

In early 2004, we were preparing for a line-design project that would add eight miles of 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line to an existing network.

We discovered that the traditional methods of project communications would not sufficiently meet the companies’ needs. So together we began to develop a Web-based portal solution.

While engineers are accustomed to communicating with clients electronically, large documents, which frequently include drawings and photographs, can present a challenge. They are often exchanged via FTP sites,  which can be cumbersome.

Alternately, a project portal offers an easy-to-navigate online gateway to project reporting, scheduling, procurement and logistics support. It is built on a private network (or extranet) that includes a public section available to all users, and a private area for authorized users. These customizable Web sites ultimately increase productivity by eliminating duplication of effort and reduce costs by enabling real-time, collaborative engineering.

We, worked to establish the requirements for the project portal, then developed the portal.

Project Central Portals make it possible for us to be more responsive with clients on a company-wide basis. The technology ultimately will lead to a more successful project.

Providing an anywhere, anytime work environment, the portal gives stakeholders access to the same information and features they would have if they were working in the same office, including:

Depending on the requirements of a specific project, a full range of additional features can be added to the template, such as RFP guides, workflow and email approval processes, and cost management functions. The cost to customize a portal has minimal impact on the project budget.

A Project Central Portal is a Web site that serves as a single gateway to key information related to a specified project.

Adding Value

In addition to augmenting communication during the course of a project, a few of the many benefits Project Central Portals deliver include:

 

Michael Lamb, is director of e-Business & Internet Services for Black & Veatch Information Tech-nology (BVIT). You may contact Michael Lamb at Black & Veatch at (913) 458-2000.