Understanding Different Value Perspectives

This is the second post in Viewpoint’s new blog series by Richard Scott focusing on the Value of Mobile Field Technology.

Successful Construction Starts with Usable Data

I was once told that successful construction is about effective communication and as the Field View product has evolved, this perspective has always been at the forefront of our strategy and development. That’s why when people declare, “It’s all about the data,” I emphatically respond, “Oh no, it’s not!” Data becomes useful when it is given context and has structure, or when it has transformed into usable information. “Ah, so it’s all about the information, then?” you ask. Well not quite; it’s about how that information is used to achieve the desired goal. And, in construction, that’s usually measured in terms of product quality, delivery, safety, environment, and cost. However you set about achieving these goals will be relative to your perspective, either operational or business.

The Operational Perspective
Since 2001, the Field View team has been focused on delivering benefits to the community that work within the bounds of the project. These are the people that I often refer to in terms of hard hats and muddy boots. They are the Project Managers, Construction Managers, Site Managers, Site Engineers, Quality Control Engineers and Safety Managers. These team members are primarily interested in how Field View can improve their day, allow them become more productive and provide better visibility into a project’s performance. These team members are tactical and would prefer to spend time out on the jobsite dealing with operational project issues rather than in the site cabin managing paperwork. Field View delivers productivity improvements that they appreciate and value; time savings, collaboration and project control are of the utmost importance.

The Business Perspective
With impressive feedback coming from the operational teams, it wasn’t long before Field View began to attract the interest of the broader business teams. We started talking to CEOs, CIOs, COOs and Directors who had a different view on the information they needed and the value it would bring to an organization. They talked to us about delivering process control and consistency, data integrity, business intelligence and a requirement to integrate with other business systems. They were looking at a bigger picture and wanted to know how Field View could be used to support the strategic interests of the enterprise as a whole. In 2008, we began the process of completely re-engineering Field View to address the needs of the enterprise community.

So how does Field View provide tangible value to both of these distinct groups? The answer lies in the history and experience built into the development of Field View. In my last blog post, I shared the lengthy history of Field View and the reputation we have earned. Field View is the result of 15 years of feedback and collaboration with the construction industry – listening, learning and innovating every day. Today, our enterprise customers have chosen Viewpoint to be their strategic technology partner and they realise that the value Field View brings to their business is actually greater than the Operational Value + Enterprise Value. Our Enterprise partners refer to Field View as a “Business process re-engineering tool.” I could not have defined Field View better myself and I think that demonstrates the power and versatility of Viewpoint’s products and services.