“Progress” in construction is the amount of completed work that has been performed towards the goal of project completion in a defined period of time. When checking the progress of a project (what has changed compared to the plan and what the current status is), there is nothing better than being on the jobsite every day.
Controlling progress involves extracting information from project data. Most contractors don’t have the luxury to be at every site all the time, so using data-integrated 360° images enables them to compare what changed in the field from one moment to the other. Putting two images side-by-side to illustrate the difference between two points in time within a project (progress) is very powerful to quickly communicate what has happened, what decisions were made and how much work was completed. The process of extracting this information from imagery project data, such as construction photos or BIM model visualizations, is called “visual progress control.”
Progress control is a vital record and an opportunity to collect valuable data about a project. There are five reasons every project should have quality visual progress control.
Consistency and Precision
Tech-aware managers are now reducing the opportunity for inaccuracy by field engineers with a phone camera by investing in 360° cameras that connect to easy-to-use reality capture apps to make sure a perfect match, every time.
Data and Platforms
Top-quality progress control methods aren’t just about having an accurate historical account of the project, they’re also about harvesting the data needed to make informed decisions. Rather than filing photographs, uploading them to a cloud platform that adds a layer of structure by organizing images by location and time can unlock new, useful insights while providing a more holistic overview of what is finished, and what is still to be completed. Having a single online location for this detail allows everyone onsite to easily sync, creating harmony in busy and complex environments.
Safety
Viewing progress remotely isn’t just convenient—it can help reduce the opportunity for injury when it comes to dangerous sections of a construction site. The fewer people onsite, the lower the risk. Having an interactive virtual representation of the physical area means that safety training and risk education can be completed before more junior colleagues ever step foot on the jobsite.
Adaptability and Usability
Good visual progress systems should be easy to use and accessible through a variety of different devices to ensure constant remote accessibility of key information (e.g. smartphones onsite). Constant technological advancements of standard 360° cameras mean that viewing the site feels like a high-resolution experience. Technology is most useful when it’s user-friendly—in this case, that means helping construction projects keep on schedule without unnecessary technical roadblocks. These days, there are super intuitive, cutting-edge solutions that use computer vision algorithms to automatically recognize typical parts of a build—like drywall—lifting some of the administration away from workers so they can focus on getting the job done.
Cost-Efficiency
Quality visual progress systems are cost efficient. While data structure and analytics allow project managers to channel resources where they’re needed, good progress tools also alleviate the burden of repetitive, low-skill tasks on skilled workers. The enterprise-grade security and compliance found with quality technology can also prevent costly errors and accidents. It’s no exaggeration to say that the financial risk of not having this kind of tracking in place is greater than the cost of the investment over time.
Visual progress systems are currently being used on construction projects globally. Like most new technology, it’s about perfecting the imperfect for maximum gain with minimum fuss. Mostly, it’s about having the reassurance and peace of mind that valid, consistent and secure data exists to underwrite everyday actions and decision-making onsite.
