Too Many Apps for Your Project's Good?

by PHOEBE WU | March 15, 2016

Is your project in app overload?

As more and more contractors and architects transition to paperless solutions, they are relying increasingly on multiple applications to get their jobs done. Although these numerous apps are all meant to streamline processes individually, together they can complicate matters, especially when there are many teams and stakeholders involved.

It is an all-too common scenario to have each project team member relying upon a different app. And virtual or not, when players on the same team are not on the same page, that's a problem.

What's the problem?

Using too many apps can cause many problems, including:

Training Gaps. The more apps that are used, the more training is required. With a larger team, it's tough to ensure that everyone is fully trained in every technology and it takes time and resources to train them;

App Integration. Integration between multiple apps can be difficult, especially if the apps are created by different firms. Information might not transfer from one app to another;

Redundancies. Working on the same platform can help increase efficiency and prevent problems from arising, such as working from the wrong version of a document or an outdated plan. Most of all, using the same platform ensures that the entire team has access to the same resources and information — reducing time wasted and rework.

For an in-depth look on apps in the built environment, and possible solutions when problems arise, visit Autodesk BIM 360 for more.