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CONSTRUCTWARE USER REVIEW: HEERY

When Heery International Inc. took on simultaneous construction projects in Brunswick, Ga., and Artesia, N.M , the firm knew it needed an online collaboration solution to keep the two sites on track, on budget and on time. Before beginning the projects, Heery investigated its construction software options and selected Constructware's Web-based project management software.

"At the time it was the only online application service provider (ASP) available. We wanted an ASP because of all the locations everyone was situated in," said Don Green, executive associate at Atlanta-based Heery. "We looked at Prolog, eBuilder and Primavera Expedition. Prolog and Expedition were not Web-based applications at the time, and eBuilder did not provide a robust menu of modules."

Although the return on investment was difficult to quantify, Green credited Constructware's online depository for improved project documentation, paper-free processing and accountability, all of which simplified and sped up the construction project.

"Theoretically, if you can process paperwork without physically producing paper -- through printing, mailing, faxing, and so on -- and keep it in a central depository for all team members to access, it would have to save you time and money and increase accuracy," he noted.

David Varner, a construction manager in Heery's Charleston, S.C. office, agreed. His office is using Constructware to create and track the reams of paperwork associated with its school building clients.

"I now have better standardization of forms, as well as automatic tracking of all documentation and communications related to a project I am working on," Varner said. "I find the server-based storage, which allows for easier user access and updated records, and the automatic tracking features particularly useful."

Green rated Constructware a perfect 10 out of 10. Varner, meanwhile, rated the product a 7 out of 10. He said he'd like Constructware to simplify the upload process for large files and ease up file-management restrictions.

What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?
 
How long have you been using this tool?
 
Where did you obtain it?
 
How much did you pay?
 
How are you using this product?
 
Why did you pick this product?
 
Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one? What was it you didn't like about them (or made    this product better)?
 
Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?
 
Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
 
Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this    tool?
 
What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
 
Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
 
What would you change about the product if you could?
 
Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
 
Who would you recommend use this tool?
 
How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
 
Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
 
Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
 
How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
 
When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
 
Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?

What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?
Green: Heery International is a 50-year-old full-service architecture, interior design, engineering, facility planning and management, construction management and program management firm that serves commercial, government and institutional clients.

Green: We bought Constructware in June 1999.

Green: We bought it directly from Constructware. (Autodesk subsequently acquired Constructware in 2006.).

How much did you pay?
Green: We have an enterprise agreement. I believe that we charge our clients $795 per user per year for licenses.

How are you using this product?
Green: We use Constructware to help us manage the paperwork generated by the projects we manage for our clients.

Varner: I am using it to document and communicate regarding our K-12 construction projects.

Green: At the time it was the only online application service provider (ASP) available. We wanted Web-based project management software because we had staff in several locations.

Green: Yes. We looked at Meridian Prolog, eBuilder and Primavera Expedition. Prolog and Expedition were not Web-based applications at the time, and eBuilder did not provide a robust menu of modules. Over the years, we continued to use Constructware on a limited basis, along with Prolog, but last year, we decided to use Constructware as the default construction Project Management Documentation Control tool for our group because of its features.

Green: There is an online depository for all project documentation that is accessible 24/7 for all project team members who have permission to access the information. Everyone has the same information, and there is an improved sense of collaboration as a result of this.

Varner: I now have better standardization of the forms, as well as automatic tracking of all documentation and communications related to a project I am working on.

Green: The first program where we used Constructware involved two projects – one in Brunswick, Ga., and the other in Artesia, N.M. The owner's representative was located in Fort Worth and Atlanta. The program manager was in Atlanta, and so were the architect and contractor for the Brunswick project. The architect and contractor for the Artesia project were located in Albuquerque, N.M. With all the main players scattered across the country, we used Constructware to help keep the team all on the same page. If we hadn't used Constructware, we would have probably gone with something like Prolog or just done things with Excel spreadsheets and Word documents. If you do something like that, then you don't have all the data in one location so it takes longer to search for items and there's no accountability. With Constructware there's a date stamp whenever you go in and view any documents, so you can see when and at what time someone looked at a document.

Varner: Since I am a new hire, I have not yet had enough experience. However, based on my usage to date, I anticipate creating and using great documentation with this tool.

Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this tool?
Green: This is tough to quantify. Theoretically, if you can process paperwork without physically producing paper -- through printing, mailing, faxing, and so on -- and keep it in a central depository for all team members to access, it would have to save you time and money, and increase accuracy.

What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
Green: The best features for us are team collaboration, accountability and a useful menu of pre-designed modules created specifically for construction project management and documentation.

Varner: I find the server-based storage -- which allows for easier user access and updated records -- and the automatic tracking features particularly useful.

Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
Green: For a power user, yes. For an occasional user, no.

Green: I would introduce pricing based on the type of user that will access the system. For small projects, this product is too costly to use for more than three or four users.

Varner: I would make it easier to upload large files, as well as simplify and ease up on some of the file-management restrictions.

Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
Green: Absolutely, but they are there in case we want to use them. For example, I use Microsoft Excel every day and I would guess that I only use 5% to 10% of the features available in the application -- but I know that if I want to use the rest of them I can.

Varner: Yes, because I am a new user. I plan to learn them all, though.

Who would you recommend use this tool?
Green: I would recommend Constructware to construction program or project managers.

Varner: It would be good for contractors, owners and architects.

How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
Green: The user needs to be familiar with how to use a computer and with tasks such as how to save and attach files.

Varner: You need minimal experience.

Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
Green: No, since I consider myself to be an experienced user.

Varner: No.

Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
Green: I contacted them many times when I first started using the application and found the response time to be excellent.

Varner: No.

Green: I have used it occasionally, but I prefer to contact the help desk for a quicker response.

Varner: Yes, it is helpful.

When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
Green: There is no need to upgrade. Any upgrade is done automatically and seamlessly.

Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?
Green: 10.

Varner: 7.