Online project management systems continue to prove their value in the marketplace. Understanding the technology trends affecting the industry allows organizations to make informed decisions and grow more profitably.

It has been over 12 years since the first project-specific web site went live. Highlighted by Engineering News Record in their June 24,1995 issue, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission made history by consolidating all their project documents and correspondence into one centralized location, accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Considered “revolutionary” at the time, technology advancements and cultural changes have spawned a series of new trends in world-wide construction project management.

However, 12 years after launching e-Builder we continue to find organizations still managing project information using a mix of platforms, or letting others manage their data. Companies who continue to forgo some form of online project management tools and continue to use a combination of outdated, paper-based and software tools are at a severe disadvantage. My challenge remains to educate executives on the benefits on these systems. My experience has been that construction executives tend to rely on a bad experience, a reactive and unproductive approach. These can take the form of a delayed project that not only resulted in significant cost overruns, but also on lost revenue due to the facility not being ready on time. These firms are getting the 'double bogey' effect. Think of the money that a company like Wal-Mart loses daily when a store is not open, or a hospital without additional beds. These type of owner organizations are already using one system or another, and in the last couple of years there has been a shift to owners proactively running their own project management systems vs. letting their contractors control the data.

In the last five years, the industry has witnessed a definite shift from paper-based systems to web-based systems. And the results continue to support our findings: web-based, project management systems followed with thorough implementation help owners, architects, contractors and consultants manage their projects more effectively and profitably.
These available communication/management tools make it possible to speed up the time it takes to obtain the necessary approvals; design and construct projects; reduce or eliminate claims brought against the project team; communicate specific progress information to keep the public informed; control cost; and manage the critical project milestones.