Traditional Information Management vs an Automated System
Traditional Information Management vs an Automated SystemA Traditional approach to Information Exchange
Task management is a crucial aspect of architectural practice, involving listing tasks and various steps such as creating documentation, sending out information, managing tasks, following up, and performing quality control. However, relying solely on conventional means like email and Excel sheets can lead to inefficiencies and consume valuable time. In this article, we will explore the typical workflow in architecture practice and shed light on the inefficiency issues associated with traditional methods. Moreover, we’ll discuss how embracing modern tools can streamline task and information management and improve overall productivity.
Creating Documentation: The most apparent part of any project is the creation of detailed documentation, such as architectural drawings, specifications, and reports. Traditionally, architects rely on desktop software and file-sharing via email, which can result in revision control issues, delays in updates, and difficulties in collaboration; even with BIM shared models, the document outputs have to be managed locally. These inefficiencies can lead to miscommunication, rework, and time wastage.
Sending Out Information: Once the documentation is ready, architects need to send out information to various stakeholders, such as team members, contractors, and clients. Email is often the primary communication tool for sharing files, project updates, and instructions. However, relying solely on email can lead to scattered conversations, overlooked messages, and difficulties in tracking important information. It becomes challenging to maintain a centralised repository of communication, leading to confusion and delays in task execution.
Managing Tasks to Complete: Sent information means generating tasks to be completed, be it getting confirmation of a construction detail, or receiving specifications, to ensure the progress of different project elements. Many firms resort to manual management methods like Action List Excel sheets or project management templates to track tasks, deadlines, and assigned responsibilities. However, these approaches are prone to human errors, lack real-time updates, and offer limited visibility into the progress of tasks. This can result in missed deadlines, inefficient resource allocation, and difficulties in prioritizing tasks.
Following Up and Updating Action Lists: To ensure that the project is progressing correctly, project architects have to track the status of tasks, monitor progress, and ensure that dependencies are managed effectively. With conventional means, following up becomes a time-consuming process involving multiple emails, phone calls, and manual updates. This inefficiency can lead to delays, lack of accountability, and decreased productivity.
Performing Quality Control: It is essential for all projects to follow Quality Control standards for every stage of the project. With conventional methods, all milestones for quality control have to be tracked back through emails and documents, with no time references of when each step has been achieved. If this process has not been carefully and manually followed through all the project, it might lead to a real struggle at its end stages.
Relying solely on conventional means of task management can lead to inefficiencies and time consumption. The creation of documentation, sending out information, managing tasks, following up, and performing quality control all suffer from challenges associated with these traditional methods. These challenges include version control issues, scattered communication, manual tracking, and time-consuming follow-up processes.
Orrekie is a powerful tool for keeping a project’s progress in check, using a shared space of collaboration for documents and correspondence, and automatic and trackable actions through the use of memos, turning this long and progressive operation into a live, flexible, automated work environment, that lets you turn from task management to proper Project Coordination.
From Task Management to Project Coordination
There is a necessary relation between correspondence, documents, and tasks, and Orrekie brings all together in the Memo System, to allow for an immediate and automated tracking of the project’s progress and recording of all the process information. But what are memos?
Memos are pieces of information sent by an internal member of the team to an external contact of the project or third party. A Memo has a Number (auto generated) and a Title (manual) that identifies it inside the project and includes a body of text and attachments.
The text of the Memo is meant to have a thorough explanation of the matter of the Memo, and any crucial information that needs to be on record; it is independent from the body of the email in which the memo will be attached when sent.
The attachments of a Memo can be selected from the Documents, Sets, Files and Photos uploaded in the project, and a list of all attachments will appear at the bottom of the Memo. These attachments will be available for direct download or under a share link depending on the total size of the files.
A Memo can be copied to any number of the contacts in the project, and custom receivers can be also added while sending the Memo.
Once sent, Memos are saved as tasks to complete in a project and can be reviewed at any time to check their content, attachments, and state in the Orrekie dashboard or in their respective projects to follow their progress.
By providing a shared working space for documentation and correspondence, Orrekie simplifies collaboration and streamlines information exchange and action tracking. From the five manual and time-consuming steps we just reviewed, Orrekie creates a compact shared flexible workspace, that automates this process to occur live and simultaneously, in three blocks:
Collaboration: Orrekie offers a centralised platform for seamless collaboration in document creation and revision tracking. Team members can update revisions of documents ensuring everyone has access to the latest version of project documents or create draft documents in preparation for in-progress information packages. This eliminates the hassle of version control issues and scattered files; with a shared environment, architects can easily collaborate, make revisions, and keep track of document changes in real-time, leading to enhanced efficiency and accuracy.
Information Exchange: The Memo System simplifies communication and turns memos into actionable tasks. When a memo is sent, it automatically turns into an action categorized by project and responsible team member. This streamlined approach ensures that information is effectively communicated, and tasks are assigned promptly and automatically, and are live tracked. Team members can focus on their assigned actions related to sent information and track their history, fostering smoother collaboration and communication across the entire project team.
Team Coordination & Quality Control: With all project members connected through the platform, it becomes easier to synchronize actions and track progress. By monitoring the status of assigned tasks, project architects and directors gain a comprehensive overview of project progress. Orrekie’s real-time tracking highlights outstanding and overdue actions, ensuring timely follow-up, preventing delays and highlighting issues before they become problems. This increased visibility and accountability enable teams to collaborate more efficiently, facilitating rigorous quality control processes and project success.
Orrekie’s automated project coordination tools provide architecture firms with a simplified and efficient approach to actions, correspondence, and document management, with a data mining component that backtracks potential issues. Offering a shared working space, Orrekie streamlines collaboration, communication, and document tracking, with the memo-to-action feature ensuring that information is effectively translated into actionable tasks, enhancing team productivity and coordination.
With centralized task synchronization and progress tracking, Orrekie promotes efficient team collaboration and supports quality control processes. By embracing its automation capabilities, architecture firms can streamline their task management, enhance communication, and improve overall project efficiency.