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The Challenge
In 2004 Rockwell Development, located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, was spending a large portion of it's time using Microsoft Project to create task lists and then creating schedules in a Windows-based calendar program. Calendars were distributed to employee and contractor personnel so they would know both when and where to report for their job tasks. The process was both time consuming and subject to data entry error. When errors occurred on the schedules, personnel did not report to job sites as expected, which created impacts to the overall construction schedule.
Moreover, all business processes were essentially manual processes (e.g., scheduling, design, accounting, subcontractor and realtor interfaces, etc.). As a result, efficiency was an issue in generation of business reports, such as sales reports and design plans. This was due, in great part, to data consolidation problems. Because of the heavy employee work load and the need to optimize employee time, Rockwell severely limited their client's ability to customize the buildings. Standard building plans were used and clients were required to select from the standard plans.
The Insei Solution
Paul Johnson, owner of Rockwell Development, determined that an IT solution was necessary and approached Insei who is known for meeting project deliverables within the confines of an approved project plan.
To construct business software that would reflect the Rockwell business needs, Insei built a team that defined and created the new software from a customer oriented point of view. The team included Rockwell stake holders and subject matter experts as well as Insei's highly skilled and disciplined technical team. Small iterative development cycles, per Rockwell 's needs, were defined and implemented. The first iterative release of the web-based software occurred within months of the first team meeting and was used by Rockwell to create building designs as well as define and schedule construction tasks. By the summer of 2006 the Rockwell software included additional modules for subcontractor, project manager, sales, realtor, and accounting functions as well as supporting hand-held devices. In 2007, the purchase order module for the Rockwell software will be released.
"We have been able to triple the number of home constructions while lightening the work load on individual employees."
Greg Hansen, Rockwell General Manager
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The Positional Advantage
The Rockwell case is a testament to client centric software developed in small iterative cycles under industry standards.
Today Rockwell experiences very few construction problems or errors related to subcontractor performance. The software allows subcontractors to obtain information about their jobs, job tasks, and schedules online. The subcontractors have ready access to real-time data so they know when a job is put on hold or a design change is made. Similarly, project managers obtain job information online and they know that the subs are doing the same. The project manager is now able to manage the work rather than spend their time tracking down, correcting, and disseminating job information.
Rockwell sales and accounting have experienced commensurate benefit as the software assists in the management of client customizations, costs, closings, and escrow. Realtors go online to view buildings available for sale. In addition to building information such as cost, location, square footage, and renderings, the realtor is provided with construction status information, which allows the realtors to better serve their buyers.
Finally, because the software has streamlined and consolidated Rockwell business processes and ensured the integrity of their business data, employee productivity has skyrocketed.
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Critical Needs
A solution that would automate business process thereby increasing positional advantage.
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| Technologies |
| - | Cold Fusion |
| - | MySQL |
| Results |
| - | Software that accurately reflects the needs of the business |
| - | Significant decrease in construction errors |
| - | Optimization of employee resources (e.g., Project Managers can supervise more than three times as many projects.) |
| - | Ability to offer client customizations |
| - | Improved client satisfaction (e.g., customizations, schedule integrity, etc.) |
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