Newforma Blog

Thought you'd like to see this...

2012-01-26T11:57:00.001-05:00

If you’ve known me for any length of time, you’ve probably received a newspaper or magazine clipping from me. I might star or underline the important passages, or even slap a sticky note on it…just to ensure that you get my point.

So it’s with great interest that I’ve been reading about the concept of content curation for the internet. Search engines and news aggregators can round up vast quantities of web tumbleweed, but there’s no value assigned to any one piece. I am quickly overwhelmed by drivel when I’m just trying to locate something authoritative, informative, or just plain entertaining to read. I need a friend with a yellow highlighter to point me to the good stuff!

Curators take on the role of trusted advisor on the internet. They find, group, and organize the most relevant web information on a certain topic. And the best curators also explain the trends or insights that link the pieces together.

Say that scuba diving is your latest hobby. When you find a clever blog on diving that directs you to a handful of fantastic articles and photos every week, you’ll quickly become a devoted visitor and feel like you’ve found a new best friend. No more floundering around on Google anymore.

I believe that Newforma Project Center (NPC) becomes a type of "curator" for our customers as they grow into the product. NPC’s immediate value is in searching and rounding up your project files. It's a relief to put your hands on important email within seconds.

Then, our customers expand into document control and contract management, and that’s where NPC’s power to interconnect issues really shines. For instance, my field engineer may dump 30 photos onto the network from his camera. Locating them with the File Search is good...but I really want to know which photo is important and why.

With NPC, I can see the date/time/location stamps on the photo files, and I can assign keywords to sort them by subject matter. One of those photos might be linked to an RFI about a field condition, which could lead me to a revised drawing, and finally to all of the email conversations that surrounded the team’s new direction. NPC pulls to the surface the most critical pieces of project information, and then gives me all of the related data that creates context and meaning. Thanks, my electronic friend!

I’ve considered starting up my own website and trying my hand at web curation. But it sure doesn’t have the same satisfaction of wielding my scissors against newsprint. So, to my Newforma friends reading this blogpost, email me your address and I’ll "snail mail" you my favorite articles…one paper clipping at a time.

New Newforma hires bring huge talent and interesting hobbies

2012-01-06T12:40:00.038-05:00

Wake up and smell the coffee takes on new meaning with the addition of Stephanie Murrell to the Newforma roster. She enjoys roasting her own coffee beans and offered up her secrets during the interview process.

Stephanie joins our team as implementation and training consultant. She has 10+ years' experience in sales, training and implementation, business development, and account and project management. In addition to being tech savvy with a background in space planning and design, she is also well connected in the Kansas City business and AEC communities.

And we can't wait for the next company potluck because it turns out that Greg Moore, who joins Newforma as a technical consultant based in Portland, Oregon, is a bit of a foodie and amateur chef specializing in Northwest cuisine.

Besides being king of his kitchen, Greg's also an AEC technology specialist with 19 years' experience in IT, 11 of which have been AEC-specific. Greg is also very familiar with Newforma Project Center, having served as IT director at SRG Partnership, Inc., a Newforma customer!

We're also pleased to welcome Mary Pinard to Newforma as our new implementation manager. Mary has 10 years' experience in post sales implementation in the telecommunications industry. She has worked closely with sales to implement global networks and products, setting expectations of project timelines and requirements.

When Mary's not at Newforma you'll find her working in her garden, cooking (not baking!) and enjoying family time. She's also the grandmother of three cats, three mice, two goats, two hamsters, one sheep (due to have a baby in April), one rabbit, one gerbil, a gecko...and a partridge in a pear tree! We're kidding about the partridge!

Mary is convinced her daughter is the next Dr. Doolittle and luckily for Mary, her daughter is the one busy cleaning cages and feeding this menagerie of animals. Mary does, however, have a VIP parking spot at the vet's!

A huge welcome to Stephanie, Greg and Mary!

Newforma is a great place to work and we're hiring so visit www.newforma.com for the latest job postings.

Newforma welcomes Joe Esposito to our board of directors

2012-01-04T11:47:00.024-05:00

Newforma is excited to welcome Joseph Esposito to our board of directors.

Joe brings a wealth of experience to the board, with more than 30 years of finance and operations experience, specializing in growing and developing businesses.

He is currently chief financial officer at VoxVue Corporation, a healthcare technology consulting firm. In addition, he is an advisor and investor at MyRozi Corporation, an internet platform and Facebook application for personalized healthcare planning, and a business development advisor with Ascentage Group.

Prior to his current positions Joe’s resume includes an impressive line-up of accomplishments with SolidWorks and Polaroid.

And, Joe is no stranger to being on a board of directors. He currently serves on the board of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education and is a member of its policy committee. He is also chairman of the advisory council to the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning school district accountability and assistance.

Joe attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served as a U.S. Army Captain in Vietnam. He also has strong ties to Boston, having received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Boston University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.

We’re all relieved to hear that Joe, his wife and grown children are all huge New England sports fans, especially the Red Sox and Celtics. This is much to the dismay of Joe’s extended New York family but he says it makes for lively holiday and family gatherings.

Welcome aboard, Joe!

Season's Greetings from Newforma

2011-12-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

As 2011 draws to a close, we’d like to pause a moment to thank all of our customers, partners and friends for the part they played in making the year memorable. One of our great satisfactions is in the relationships we form with people in the course of business.

As is our custom, in lieu of mailing greeting cards, we're donating to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organization that gives hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

To understand why we've chosen this organization, you might enjoy reading the stories of some Make-A-Wish children and youths at www.wish.org/stories/recent/.

Our wish for everyone is a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012!

— The Newforma Team

Newforma Customer Receives Top Honor

2011-12-14T11:33:00.011-05:00

Newforma congratulates Steve McDowell, FAIA for being named AIA Kansas City Architect of the Year. Steve has led Berkebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell (BNIM) Architects with a spirit of generosity that is embodied in the firm's work and commitment to designing beautiful, healthy and sustainable buildings and communities for our clients.

McDowell, who is the “M” is BNIM, is the Director of Design, and viewed as an innovator and explorer, using his workplace as a laboratory for exploring ideas related to site, environment and technical investigation. He believes in a lively exchange of thoughts to stimulate exploration and sustain innovation.

He maintains that good design is about people,

their health, productivity and lifting the human spirit

through design.

His work is setting new standards in high performance design, including two Living Building projects: The Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, NY; and the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA.

Under his leadership, BNIM was named number 3 on Design Intelligence’s list of the Top 5 U.S. Firms that are role models for green and sustainable design.

Huge congrats to Steve McDowell from Newforma!

Newforma to Exhibit at IPD eConference

2011-12-09T10:29:00.019-05:00

Visit Newforma's booth at the IPD eConference, all from the comfort of your office, home or local Starbucks! The Integrated Project Delivery e-conference takes place Tuesday, December 13, 2011 from 11 to 3:30 ET.

Registration is free and although you won't be able to load up on stress balls, water bottles and other cool show giveaways, come visit the Newforma booth to learn more about how our project information management solutions work with IPD.

Chat live with Susan McDowell, our Director of Construction Solutions.

Plan to attend our webcast from 2:00-2:30 pm ET on 'PIMs role in IPD' presented by Jim Forester, Newforma founder and senior technical advisor.

We hope to 'see' you on December 13th. And just think, you won't have sore feet from walking miles on a show floor...it's all virtual!

Heck, you can wear your slippers if you want! Register now for the IPD e-conf and the Newforma webcast.

Newforma User Conference - Nugget 2012 in ‘City of Cowboys & Culture’

2011-11-29T13:11:00.034-05:00

Dust off your cowboy boots and don your ten gallon hat, we’re headed to Fort Worth Texas USA for Newforma’s 2nd Annual User Conference and we can’t wait! Registration is now open for Nugget 2012 taking place September 17-19, 2012 in Fort Worth Texas, a city known for its western heritage and unrivaled entertainment and hospitality.

This is your opportunity to spend 2 ½ days gaining tips, training, and valuable networking with other Newforma users and Newforma team members.

Take advantage of Early Bird Registration ($995) by March 31, 2012 and you’ll save $300! Another great way to participate and save is to become a speaker. Contact us for a speaker application at nugget2012@newforma.com

We guarantee you will come away from Nugget 2012 more knowledgeable and efficient with Newforma software.

But don’t take our word for it, last year’s event earned rave reviews and accolades from Newforma customers from across the globe. Here’s what a few attendees had to say…

“Very impressive. Very timely. Very much in keeping with the spirit of Newforma and well presented.”

“It was good to see other people using Newforma similar to how we at ESD use it for submittals and RFIs.”

“I am very pleased with this conference and the Newforma staff. A very positive experience and I hope to attend future conferences.”

“Great ‘one on one feel’ to presentations and discussions. We appreciate you listening to our comments & suggestions.”

Here at Newforma our customers are our number one priority. We want nothing more than for you to be successful with our software. So, you can be sure we’ll make Nugget 2012 an incredibly enriching and worthwhile experience. You have our word.

For more information and to register visit http://www.nugget2012.com/

Newforma cures the flat files blues

2011-11-16T13:38:00.001-05:00

While we find today's comic from Architexts extremely funny, it might hit a little too close to home for many non-Newforma customers.

You see, with the comprehensive search capabilities of Newforma Project Center, we eliminate the problem of finding project information by full-text indexing of all project files, including emails and their attachments, to make finding a specific document, or the mention of any term in all documents, a split-second search.

We really can make it that easy. I think one of our customers summed it up nicely in this quote:

“Newforma Search is a really powerful timesaver, and the brilliant part about it is that we were able to take advantage of Search without any change to our project files and without any disruption of our ongoing project work.”

- Adrian Doheny, Project Manager, Hart Howerton

While some firms may cringe at reading this comic, our customers like Kurt Johnson at HGA, can sit back and have a hearty chuckle.

By the way, if you're interested in learning more, you can watch the webinar we did with Kurt by clicking on the following link:

"Rising from the dead files: managing archived projects"

Don’t take our word for it

2011-11-14T09:35:00.001-05:00

At Newforma, we’ve said for years that good search trumps good filing. Now a team of IBM and Microsoft researchers have validated our position with delightfully geeky data.

In a recent Lifehacker post, “Email Folders Might Actually Decrease Productivity; Just Search for Old Messages Instead,” Whitson Gordon summarizes the findings elegantly:

The problem, IBM says, is that people are relying too much on their inbox to show them their to-do list. In the end, though, finding those emails by digging through folders took 58 seconds, on average, while merely searching for them took 17 seconds.

The advantage of searching for information instead of browsing for it goes way beyond saving 41 seconds. As the report says, searching can make the difference between success and failure:

Did a reliance on folder-access predict success, or was search a stronger predictor? We found that people who relied on search were more likely to have successful finding sequences (r(356)=0.15, p<0.005). None of the other behaviors [folder access, sorting, and scrolling] correlated with success.

We would go a step further and say that not only is search a superior finding strategy for your own email, but it’s your only hope when looking for email or other project information filed (or misfiled) by team members.

As Newforma’s Bob Batcheler put it:

It doesn’t even begin to address the cost of trying to find stuff by relying on a filing system when someone has MISFILED the item you are looking for!

Read the research, “Am I wasting my time organizing email? A study of email refinding,” at the website of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Newforma - Uniquely serving the AECO Market

2011-11-03T15:26:00.012-04:00

We recently launched Newforma Punch List, and I am reflecting on the road we traveled from the first Punch List discussions. Some themes keep popping into my mind:

Newforma is in a unique position. We are the only company I know of with customers across all aspects of project design and delivery.
Punching (or “snagging” in the UK) is a tedious process.
For construction companies, time really is money.
Project complexity is on the rise. At the same time owners expect their project faster without sacrificing quality.
Our customers want to do business with fewer technology companies.

Architects, engineers, contractors, design-builders, subcontractors, and owners across the globe use Newforma solutions to win, manage, and deliver projects. We have a unique insight on project delivery across all of these roles. While most solutions will claim they work for everyone, the reality is they either focus on Design, Construction, or Operating.

At the very beginning of our quest to capture information at the jobsite, we spoke with folks in every role to get their perspectives. We quickly realized that Punch List is the top issue folks wanted solved. Everyone agreed the process was tedious, error prone, and (although critical) not something they looked forward to doing.

I heard that we needed to make our solution incredibility simple. One of my goals was that tablet training should take less than 20 minutes—a goal I am proud that we achieved!

Any amount of time that construction companies can squeeze from the project schedule reduces the possibility of late delivery penalties. With IPD contracts on the rise, the goal is not just avoiding penalties, but tapping into bonus pools for additional profit. An integrated solution like Newforma Project Center that streamlines all project processes (including punch list) is a key tool towards optimizing the project schedule. Electronic submittals are another example where our products can save both time (cutting down review cycles) as well as money (eliminating shipping costs).

With projects increasing in complexity while also tightening timeframes, it’s clear that teams must rely on technology to stay in control. Punch List is just one of many processes that involve every company across the project. During the final intense phase of a project, it’s critical to have the punch list effectively coordinated since it’s the last hurdle crossed on the way to project closeout…and final payment.

Every time I participate in a customer or prospect meeting, I repeatedly hear about “technology overload.” There are too many solution providers offering bits and pieces of project information management.

Our customers demand that Newforma help reduce this complexity. Punch List, along with other field management tasks, is simply additional project information. So customers ask and expect Newforma to provide solutions to capture this information. After all—we are the Project Information Management solution for the AECO market.

A flurry of comments about missing PIM

2011-11-02T15:25:00.008-04:00

At the time of this writing, New England is recovering from an October snowstorm (dubbed “Snowtober”) that knocked out electrical power for millions. When these things happen, we come to appreciate afresh how much we value having lights, heat, hot water and internet connectivity. A similar phenomenon, albeit on a much smaller scale, has been happening in the comments we’ve been receiving from our website. In the the past several month there have been an increasing number of inquiries for more information about products that have included remarks from ex-users who would like to have access Newforma at their new employer and be a part of the Newforma user community again.

Here is a sampling of some of those comments:

“I have used Newforma in my previous office. I would like to introduce it to my new company.”

“The previous company I worked for uses Newforma and I thought it was an amazing tool.”

“I used Newforma with my previous employer and think that it would be helpful here.”

“My previous firm implemented NewForma. [At my new firm] I was asked to suggest a document management system [such as] Primavera Contract Manager. After hearing more of their wants and needs - I knew Newforma was the answer.”

And my favorite: “I used Newforma at a previous firm and miss it terribly...”

One of the key metrics that we track in our subscription-based business model is the number of customers who renew their subscriptions year over year. I am proud to share that number; it is 99%. However, it is even more gratifying to hear someone say, “I wish I had Newforma software again!”

Naturally, we’re happy to do all that we can to make sure that everyone gets to use our software.

DBIA, Newforma and confessions of a tradeshow junkie

2011-10-24T21:34:00.017-04:00

I admit it. In years past, I have been a candy-scarfing, koozie-snagging conference attendee who zipped through the aisles of tradeshows on my way to redeem my drink coupon. But now I’ve experienced the other side of the booth, and I have a changed perspective.

Dustin Anderson, Dan Conery and I attended the Design Build Institute of America (DBIA) annual expo in Orlando last week. This was my very first tradeshow as an exhibitor, and I sure learned a lot!

For instance, tradeshows have an interesting behind-the-scenes economy. Who would have thought that you rent the square of carpet that marks your booth? And I’m so glad I brought my most comfortable shoes. Not because I was standing a lot at the show, but because it surely was 2 miles from my hotel room to the exhibit space on the opposite side of that enormous complex.

I also learned that Newforma has developed great name recognition over the past 5 years. It seemed every person I met had used Newforma in some capacity—either directly as our customer, or as a team member receiving Info Exchange transfers.

I was glad that we had plenty of time to talk with our visitors at the show. We had the laptop queued up so that we could give a quick overview—or an in-depth product demonstration—to people who were new to Newforma. Current customers stopped by too, and we could show them the newest features and get feedback on their priorities.

The next time that I’m an attendee at a tradeshow and you are an exhibitor, I promise that I will stop by your booth. I’ve learned that meeting each other in-person is the most valuable part of a conference, so I’ll be sure to visit with you for at least 10 minutes…on my way to redeem my drink coupon!

Making Dollars and Sense – Newforma’s New VP of Finance

2011-10-21T11:12:00.007-04:00

We’re excited to welcome Joe Santiago, our new VP of Finance, to the Newforma team. Joe brings topnotch expertise and a proven track record with venture-back high growth organizations. Joe is skilled in the areas of financing, reporting, revenue recognition, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning and international operations having managed the finances at a variety of companies including Cedar Point Communications, Telcordia, and Granite Systems. Joe's experience traveling and living abroad in Singapore complements his understanding of doing business globally. Joe also worked at Ernst & Young and is an accounting graduate of Bentley University. Newforma is growing and with Joe at the finance helm the sky’s the limit.

Speaking of growing, you too can become a member of the Newforma team! We have several openings right now including a Customer Support Specialist in the UK, a Product Designer and Software Engineers. Check out “Careers at Newforma” for more information.

Newforma named Innovation Rocks! Award Winner for October

2011-10-20T06:04:00.012-04:00

All of us at Newforma are excited to be recognized as the October “Innovation Rocks!” award winner! Innovation Rocks! is an initiative sponsored by the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development in coordination with Rock 101 (WGIR-FM) to celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of New Hampshire innovators.

I thought the comments were pretty much spot-on when it came to describe why Newforma was chosen:

“Newforma shows how a relatively young New Hampshire company can have significant market impact,” said New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Interim Director Chris Way. “It’s only been a little over six years since the First Edition of their Project Center software was put out in limited release, and now Newforma’s software is being used by 49,000 licensed users in 620 companies across 10 countries to manage 650,000 projects. That’s innovation that works.”

This award means a great deal to us. Even though Newforma products are being used by industry leading Architecture, Engineering, and Construction firms on projects all around the world, it is especially rewarding to be recognized in your home state as a leader in innovation.

I also personally like the connection with both the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development and Rock 101. I grew up in New Hampshire, and I’ve seen firsthand all the great things that NHDED have done for the state, and of course, Rock 101 was my go-to station for the best Rock and Roll!

We really appreciate the award and are very proud of the recognition. However, as is the Newforma way, we won’t rest on our laurels. To quote classic rockers Bachmann Turner Overdrive, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet!”

The Newforma Punch List tablet app: why we started with Android; where we go from here

2011-10-11T16:53:00.010-04:00

We built the first version of our mobile punch list app for Android® tablets instead of the popular Apple product, the iPad® mobile digital device (as is its legal name).

Why start with Android? Newforma Vice President of Customer Satisfaction and Construction Solutions Dan Conery answers that question and others in a quick conversation.

Q: So, why release on the Android platform first?

Dan: We knew an application for disconnected information capture at the jobsite would require apps for both the Android and iPad platforms. Since this is our first solution on the 10.1 inch form factor, we wanted to make sure we nailed it before we scaled it. So we had to select one to start. Two reasons drove the decision:

We have many customers who either have standardized on the Android or who had not made a decision on which tablet platform to roll out within their organization.
The 8 megapixel camera on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 allows for more detailed images than the iPad camera, which is less than 1 megapixel.

Q: So, you plan on support both iPad and Android?

Dan: Of course, one cannot be serious about supporting our industry and not support both of these platforms.

Q: Why would the camera resolution matter?

Dan: After talking with several of our existing customers, pictures came up over and over again as a critical component of a Punch List solution. You know the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”? One senior executive with extensive field experience told us that he wanted to be able to read the label on an electrical outlet on a picture of an entire wall. This expectation means camera resolution is important.

Q: Will Punch List work on a phone?

Dan: Our first release will not scale down to the phone. It quickly became clear that access to the floor plans and detail drawings was an important part of the punch process. Trying to review a floor plan on a phone is not a good experience. The 10 inch tablets are a perfect combination of mobility and screen resolution.

Q: Will you be releasing phone applications in the future?

Dan: We will evaluate all form factors: phone, tablet, laptop, and desktop, as we continue to develop field solutions.

Q: So, when will the iPad version of the Newforma Punch List app come out?

Dan: Although it is too early to provide a specific release date, I can tell you we are already in the development process with our iPad solution.

Q: What has the reaction been so far in our early testing of Newforma Punch List?

Dan: Better than I could have imagined. In field tests with one of our early customers, their informal comment was that they were moving through a building with our Android tablet app twice as fast as they were using their current electronic punch list process.

Q: How do you compare yourself to other Punch List solutions on the market?

Dan: We went for simplicity. As with all of our solutions, folks like to use them because they are quick to learn. It takes less than 30 minutes to get up and running, and that includes the time to learn how to use the tablet.

Watch Your Language, or DAM It

2011-09-29T14:08:00.019-04:00

Let’s wrap up our serialization of Doris Pulsifer’s article, “Watch Your Language: Five Information Management Terms I’d Like to Replace.” Doris has shown why terms such as “archive” and “document type” do a disservice to the ideas those terms represent.

Today we will pick on “document management,” a term that made sense in the dusty past of the 1990s, but is out of date today.

Term No. 5: “document management” is really “digital asset management”

Paper-based definition: “Document management” was really about keeping track of all project documentation (e.g. drawings and specifications) through basic workflow management. Documents were worked on sequentially. People took turns revising drafts of letters and issuing updated copies of plans.

Digital 1.0 definition: Workflow engines captured the rules set to govern the linear sequencing for handling paper-based documents. However, because businesses must constantly adapt to changes in staff, priorities and external forces such as economic conditions, rules often become obsolete as quickly as they’re formulated.

Digital 2.0 definition: Databases allow information to flow between people and departments as needed, without the restrictions of a strict sequence. The term digital asset management, which until now has been relegated to the management of images and video files only, actually deserves a much larger definition. This macro definition of digital asset management encompasses all of the knowledge captured in the firm’s global repository. Use of this knowledge evolves as the business evolves.

Note that experts in digital asset management – DAM – treat it as a broad-based term applicable to all digital files, not just to pictures and videos. This perspective is not surprising, given that all people understand the importance of their work more than the world usually does.

Similarly, Doris asks us to recognize that common terms corral our thinking along common lines, and that uncommon success demands that we think in broader terms.

Doris Pulsifer, the leader of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill’s knowledge management team, published “Watch Your Language” at the website of the American Institute of Architects.

Navigating Fragmented (yet Connected) Knowledge

2011-09-27T14:43:00.008-04:00

Collaboration is essential for society to move forward. So says Matt Ridley in a Wall Street Journal article From Phoenicia to Hayek to the ‘Cloud’ this past weekend (http://t.co/QC3sSxEs).

Here’s a little piece of what he had to say:

“Human technological advancement depends not on individual intelligence but on collective idea sharing, and it has done so for tens of thousands of years. Human progress waxes and wanes according to how much people connect and exchange.”

Whenever merchant ships plied the Mediterranean Sea in past eras, the entire region prospered. But when trade was disrupted due to marauding pirates or the Dark Ages, social progress faltered and often even moved in reverse. The self-isolation of China and North Korea contributed in no small part to their people missing out on revolutionary developments that swept the rest of the world.

Sure, this is an oversimplification. Bubonic plague and brutal political regimes certainly play key roles in these historic shifts. But haven’t you experienced this idea firsthand when a workgroup comes up with an idea that none of you could have dreamed of alone? The organic interaction of teamwork and the contribution of each person’s knowledge create something larger, something inherently more valuable than any solitary effort.

I am reminded of efforts to trap “corporate knowledge” inside Lessons Learned databases, or to lock up project information in tightly-controlled ERP systems. In this article, Ridley refers to economist Friedrich Hayek’s theories when he says that central control of knowledge is futile because true value is found in “a distributed and fragmented system of localized but connected knowledge.”

This is an apt description of Newforma Project Center. NPC is an unobtrusive tool that helps teams find the knowledge that already lives within the interactions between team members: email conversations, design evolution contained in updated drawings, decisions recorded in meeting minutes. The information may be dispersed around the network in various formats, but NPC can find it and show the context that gives it value. Newforma Project Network takes this discovery a step further by facilitating the connections between the companies that form the full project team.

Cumbersome, structured document management systems are destined to drain the life out of project teams. We need to let our project information breathe and give our teams space to interact and connect.

Then we can trust Newforma to be the tool that explores "the space between." Between our companies, between our people, between our brains--this is where the magic takes place!

Bar bets and knowledge management

2011-09-21T10:25:00.020-04:00

In 2009, Google surmised that smartphone users were whipping out their iPhones to settle bets over such diverse topics as which body part is most amputated, who starred in what movie and how many ounces are in a half pint. They dubbed this search trend the Bar Bet Phenomenon.

This trend bodes well for the future of AEC knowledge management. Seriously.

Think of it: For knowledge to be propagated in an architecture, engineering or construction firm, people need to be in the habit of searching for information they do not already possess.

Imagine you are working on a stairwell for a school in Poughkeepsie. Imagine you need to know the fire code or lighting specifications or structural steel load capacity. If someone in your company has already documented the answer to your question, you can cut your workload by opening that intelligent file and reaping the harvest of its knowledge.

This is the sort of thing Doris Pulsifer thinks about in her role as leader of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill’s knowledge management team. I’ve been revisiting her article, “Watch Your Language: Five Information Management Terms I’d Like to Replace,” and this week’s installment addresses the topic of bar be—I mean, knowledge management.

Term No. 4: “central filing system” is really a “global repository”

Paper-based definition: The central file was the place office librarians created to store anything and everything that came their way. Once filed, information was unlikely to ever again see the light of day, because so few people knew where the information existed, and it was hard to retrieve if you were anyone other than the librarian!

Digital 1.0 definition: To replace the central filing room, document management systems create digital vaults – highly structured electronic filing repositories – to store corporate information and control access. Users were required to follow strict filing hierarchies to allow information to be retrieved when needed. The firm’s knowledge was safely locked away!

Digital 2.0 definition: Good search trumps good filing. When you have flexible tagging and index-based search capabilities, anyone in the office can – and will – benefit from the collective knowledge of your organization by searching a global repository for whatever information they happen to need at the moment, just as they might ask a colleague, “What do you know about this challenge I’m facing?” Importantly, information is no longer restricted to those who already had knowledge of it. Instead, it benefits everyone in the organization and can be re-used to help advance the business.

The key to recycling knowledge in a firm, then, is good search capabilities – and the habit of using them to seek not just what you’ve forgotten, but what you never knew! Doing so could help you win more than bets.

Expanding our reach to the Middle East

2011-09-20T13:46:00.016-04:00

Rob Kirk joins the Newforma roster as business development manager for the Middle East and knows firsthand the blood, sweat and tears of being a former practicing architect and project manager.

Rob’s worked on his share of notable projects including the Centro Hotels by Rotana brand, the Bahrain City Centre and Index Building (shown below), and the Mall of the Emirates (shown below) but just as important is Rob’s project delivery experience. He’s dealt with the tedious, frustrating and often confrontational aspects of project work and as a result is a huge fan of Newforma (which I’m sure helped him in the hiring process!)

Rob recently commented that “Newforma differs from other systems I’ve used because you get all the benefits of accessibility to project information without having to do much up front. You have all this information at your finger tips so you can make better use of it; you become more knowledgeable about the project, make more informed decisions and produce better designs. And here in the Middle East it’s not unusual to have project teams spread across not only different countries but often different continents. As you can imagine this creates unique challenges making an effective PIM solution even more important.”

Rob is based in the United Arab Emirates and is responsible for the Middle East-North Africa region. It’s not all work and no play though for Rob. He loves spending time with his two children enjoying outdoor activities including sailing, windsurfing, and relaxing at the beach in Dubai (who wouldn’t, it’s gorgeous!) Contact Rob via the Newforma Middle East website at www.newforma.ae and welcome him aboard!

Adding Humanity Through Connectedness

2011-09-19T10:40:00.010-04:00

In the grizzled world of construction, I get used to conversations being extremely pragmatic and matter-of-fact. So one reason that I enjoy Lean Construction Institute’s workshops is that I’m challenged to re-examine how project teams interact. And sometimes these discussions can even strike an emotional chord for me.

Just such an occurrence happened last week at the CURT/LCI Summit in Buffalo when Will Lichtig of The Boldt Company opened the session with an overview of Lean Construction’s main principles. I’ve heard these ideas several times before, so it should have been a simple review for me…a time to slurp down my second cup of coffee before we got to the meat of the day.

Suddenly I heard Will talking about the idea of “Increased Relatedness,” and it actually tugged on my heartstrings! I’m paraphrasing Will, who was quoting someone else:

“In our projects today, so often teams start out as complete strangers...and finish as perfect enemies.”

Is it possible that we could structure our projects differently to deliberately create a less adversarial environment?

We need to build true personal relationships that crisscross the self-imposed boundaries between companies and roles. It’s knowing each other as individuals that enables teams to weather the inevitable storms that will surely brew between the first conceptual estimate and the final punchlist item. That could be as easy (or as difficult) as front-loading the staffing of a project to create time for the team to gel as a unit before the pace gets frenetic.

So to shift back from the metaphysical to the practical, I wonder if a piece of software (like Newforma Project Center) can contribute to Increased Relatedness. Sure, nothing can replace co-located project teams and spending hours face-to-face in the Big Room with stacks of Last Planner sticky notes. But more often teams are coming together from multiple companies, geographies and time zones.

I believe that technology can play a large role in shrinking those distances, creating networks between co-workers, and smoothing the bumps in the road. Then we are able to concentrate more energy on building the authentic relationships that are the secret sauce to any high performing team.

Here at Newforma we'll be keeping Increased Relatedness top-of-mind to drive more humanity back into the most basic of human interactions: teamwork!

The Tech 2.0 phenomenon, or chuck that paper and give me electrons

2011-09-15T15:44:00.009-04:00

Software predictably takes us through two stages of whatever task we’re trying to accomplish. The first stage replicates tasks we were performing with paper. The second stage allows us to perform tasks that would only be possible with electrons.

Consider software used to design structures. Initially, computer-aided design software replicated drawing as it was being done on paper or mylar. But now it is likely you are using software that permits you to design in three dimensions. Try that with paper!

A similar progression is happening with the software used to manage project information. You might start by using it to file email electronically, rather than print emails and file them in drawers. But before long you’re using it to view product documents and manage action items in the field, using your smartphone. You just could not do those tasks with paper.

SOM’s Doris Pulsifer thinks about these sorts of issues a lot, and wrote about it in an article at aia.org, “Watch Your Language: Five Information Management Terms I’d Like to Replace.” She takes the position that our language can prevent us from discovering and utilizing these Tech 2.0 advancements, and proposes some changes to overcome that barrier.

I've been posting excerpts from Doris’ article here at the Newforma Blog. Here's term No. 3: “project folders” are really the “project repository.”

Paper-based definition: A project folder originated as a manila folder that served as a single location in which to aggregate any and all information that pertained to a specific project. Hard-copy duplicates were made when information needed to be used for different purposes or by different people.

Digital 1.0 definition: Digital files are saved in an electronic folder with, not surprisingly, graphic icons that look like manila folders! As with paper-based information, digital files require correct filing for future retrieval. Typically, far too many duplicate copies of those files exist in multiple locations on the company’s computer network.
Digital 2.0 definition: The project repository embraces all project information wherever it resides, whether in drawings, documents, emails or their attachments. Using project information management (PIM) technology, people who need subsets of information from the project repository can assemble collections of project-related files in “virtual” folders. SOM has adopted a PIM solution that supports this concept of virtual folders in the form of document sets.

This expanded thinking is highly utilitarian in an age when project teams and the files they’re manipulating are scattered across time zones. A project repository does not depend on physical colocation.

I’ll post another of Doris’ observations next week. Or see the full article here.

Doris Pulsifer leads the Knowledge Management department at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM).

Why a “document type” is really an “intelligent file”

2011-09-08T16:03:00.007-04:00

More from Doris Pulsifer’s article at the “Practicing Architecture” area of aia.org, “Watch Your Language: Five Information Management Terms I’d Like to Replace.” Doris leads the Knowledge Management department at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), so she’s always thinking about information and the ways people turn it into knowledge.

Term No. 2: “document type” is really an “intelligent file”
Paper-based definition: Documents were all on paper and their “type” was defined by the role they played. Quick notes to share with offices or teams were memoranda. Correspondence with clients and external team members took place via letters. Drawings on large sheets of paper were plans.

Digital 1.0 definition: First-generation digital files mimicked their paper origins, replacing letters with DOC files, memos with e-mails, drawings with DWG files, and so on. These file types were still defined by their purpose and output, because most often they would be printed or plotted.

Digital 2.0 definition: Intelligent files are complex file types which accept embedded file types such as pictures, tables, nested drawings or hyperlinks – even movies! Architects can embed specifications, material types and properties inside a drawing file, engineers can assign values and embed calculations. In order to capitalize on the new possibilities at hand, we need to start thinking of a file as being an “intelligent container” – an intelligent file – rather than a specific document type.

Note the last sentence above: “In order to capitalize on the new possibilities at hand, we need to start thinking of a file as being an ‘intelligent container’ – an intelligent file – rather than a specific document type.” Doris is saying that the language we use to describe something influences the way we use it. Do you agree?

Could calling a file a document limit its use to the ways we may use paper? People may not put pictures in a paper document, nor link to information on the web. So we may not think to do so even when that document exists as electrons, and may never be printed on paper.

We’ll explore this idea further in coming posts.

Why “archive” really means “business records”

2011-08-26T16:26:00.006-04:00

A while back, SOM’s Doris Pulsifer published an article at the “Practicing Architecture” area of aia.org that she called “Watch Your Language: Five Information Management Terms I’d Like to Replace.” The ideas she presents are so good we want to revisit them here. Check out the first term Doris would replace:

Term No. 1: “archive” is really “business records”

Paper-based definition: “To archive” information is to sequester it, out of the way, in storage. Paper files were typically shipped in boxes to an off-site location. Retrieval was manual and very time-consuming, hence seldom done.

Digital 1.0 definition: Stored files are recorded on back-up tapes or burned onto digital media, and filed in a cabinet or off-site location. Same process as before, but different (magnetic) media.

Digital 2.0 definition: Business records are kept spinning on storage disks, indexed, searchable and instantly accessible.

Makes sense, right?

Visit the American Institute of Architects website to read all of “Watch Your Language: Five Information Management Terms I’d Like to Replace.”

If you prefer to digest these ideas in a series of bites, we’ll post the other four terms ripe for redefining over the coming days.

My Grand Experiment (Part 1)

2011-08-20T22:40:00.006-04:00

Although I am no Apple fanboy, I did preorder the original iPad, and I have to say I LOVE my iPad. However, beyond media consumption, my iPad has not "broken through" to become an essential part of my day-to-day workflow - until now. This breakthrough came as a result of a thought experiment that I took on during a recent vacation (itself the subject of another upcoming blog post).

The thought experiment was to seek out a few, very specific, high value use cases that the unique features of the iPad might be able to address in my day-to-day work life and to see if I can find my killer app for the iPad among those use cases. I am happy to say that I have found several such use cases, which I will describe in this ongoing series of posts under the title, "My Grand Experiment".

This thought experiment began with the challenge posed by a two-week vacation and "the look" that my wife gave me as I informed her that I was going to carry my laptop on our planned cruise. That look quickly inspired me to consider leaving my laptop at my office and to carry something more portable and less obtrusive. She is so accustomed to seeing me reading on my iPad, I figured why not carry that and see if it can serve my day-to-day requirements?

My conclusion, so far, is that it can, to a remarkable degree, including solving some nagging productivity issues that I have never found a reasonable way to solve with my laptop or my smartphone. This series of posts will share what I have learned so far, in the way of iPad apps, accessories, and workflow tips and techniques that are rapidly transforming my personal workflow and productivity.

Next Stop Hebron, Kentucky – Home of the United States Playing Card Company!

2011-08-18T15:04:00.001-04:00

Susan McDowell, Newforma Director of Construction Solutions will attend the Lean Construction Institute Target Value Design event, August 24 in Hebron, Kentucky at the Doubletree Hotel. In fact, Newforma is sponsoring the cocktail reception on August 23 from 6-8 pm, so look Susan up if you plan to attend, she’s buying! There’s also an impressive line-up of presentations including Newforma customer Todd Henderson of Boulder Architects, who will present Boulder’s use of Target Value Design on several projects as well as in other design aspects. Check out a recent article highlighting how Boulder Architects practices lean construction using Microsoft Excel and Newforma Project Center.

Newforma will be attending several upcoming LCI events. We’ll keep you posted on our whereabouts.

Webinars on Wednesday - Introduction to Newforma Project Analyzer

2011-08-05T06:26:00.006-04:00

This coming Wednesday, our live webinar will be featuring a hot new product - Newforma Project Analyzer!

Newforma Project Analyzer is our answer to one of the largest challenges faced by design firms across the globe – visibility for Executives and Project Managers into resource utilization and profitability for every project within their firm. Not only can Newforma Project Analyzer provide real time visibility into a projects status but also the ability to calculate extremely important “what if” scenarios for improved decision making.

This is going to be a great webinar and we hope that you can join us!

When: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM EDT

Where: Online, simply click here to sign up!

Webinar Topics to be Covered:

PROJECT | FIRM REPORTING: Dynamic, real-time, interactive data that's highly visual

SCHEDULING: Powerful yet simple scheduling in a graphical format

BUDGETING: Integrated solution allowing for "what-if" financial scenarios

STAFFING: Quickly identify project team members & maximize proper mix

TRACKING: Monitor performance from multiple perspectives

See for yourself why this is the hottest new product in the market! Sign up today!

Todd cuts 70 minutes from triathlon personal best!

2011-07-28T16:00:00.008-04:00

At last weekend's 2011 Ford Ironman Lake Placid competition, Newforma Co-founder and Director of Sales Todd Kozikowski cut one hour, 10 minutes and 27 seconds from his 2010 time at the same venue.

After swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles, Todd is resting and tending to Newforma duties.

“The energy from the crowd was unbelievable,” Todd said. “Thousands of people come out to cheer people on. But now it feels great just to relax with my family.”

In addition to achieving a personal best time in the triathlon, Todd raised more than US $2,500 for David’s House, a residential facility for families of pediatric patients at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth.

To see pictures of Todd during the race, including a video of his crossing of the finish line, visit this page.

Quick update: Todd K's Ironman

2011-07-24T16:18:00.008-04:00

At a time of day when most of us are putting our feet up or thinking about starting the coals on the grill, Newforma Co-founder Todd Kozikowski is deep into the marathon portion of his triathlon competition at Lake Placid, New York.

You can follow Todd’s progress by entering his name in the “Athlete Tracking” field here. You'll see Todd competed the 2.4-mile swim in one hour and 15 minutes, and the 112-mile bike ride in six hours and seven minutes.

For background, see this blog post, or visit Todd's dedication page at the website of David’s House.

We’ll post pictures (or links to pictures) when the race is done. For now, go Todd!

Man of iron, heart of gold

2011-07-21T14:46:00.018-04:00

You may not be aware that Newforma Co-founder and Director of Sales Todd Kozikowski is a triathlete, more commonly (and more descriptively) known as an “Ironman.” That means Todd competes in a race that demands him to swim 2.4 miles, bicycle for 112 miles and run for 26.2 miles.

That’s right. Todd covers 140.6 miles in a day. For fun. He's doing it again this Sunday, July 24.

Todd's motivation this year is not all about fun and games, though. He has dedicated this year’s event to a cause that touched the Kozikowski’s lives recently, as Todd describes here:

Nearly 14 months ago, Laura and I welcomed our baby daughter, Elena, into the world. Elena was born with a few minor complications and spent a brief period of time in the neonatal intensive care unit at Elliot Hospital in New Hampshire. During that time, I felt the world had stopped and the only thing I wanted was for our baby to be healthy. We were fortunate because Elena fully recovered and left the NICU after only a few days. But, I couldn’t stop thinking about the parents and children who spend their days, weeks, months, and even longer in this environment.

Todd discovered a facility that provides housing for families visiting children at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Children's Hospital at Dartmouth. It's called David's House. In this short reflection, Todd tells why participating in an Ironman competition is easier than enduring what many David's House residents undergo.

This year, Todd invites us to join him — not on the Lake Placid Ironman course this weekend (thank goodness), but in his desire to support David’s House.

Please make a donation here, writing “Todd K” in the “Name of Person to be Acknowledged” field.

And please revisit the Newforma Blog in the coming days as we report more about Todd’s 2011 Ironman competition!

Newforma Project Analyzer - Project planning, resource management and reporting for project managers and A/E firm executives

2011-07-13T11:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we announced the availability of our newest product, Newforma Project Analyzer. This is an awesome product that provides project planning, resource management and reporting for architectural and engineering project managers and firm executives in a dynamic, interactive, highly visual format. It pulls live project data directly from your financial system to facilitate what-if scenarios and real time decision making concerning project scopes, budgets, and staffing for individual projects, groups of projects or the entire firm.

The idea behind the solution - Our solution was born out of the real life challenges that our customers face every single day. Customers having to work with multiple spreadsheets dispersed around the firm makes it difficult to assemble the necessary information at an executive level to make adequate decisions. In addition, the firm is left with varying processes delivering varying quality among the project management team. The need to continually communicate with the accounting team to get visibility into even the most routine sets of data creates frustration and inefficiencies.

Here are some of the quotes we heard along the way:

“Every one of my project managers has their own spreadsheet for planning and managing their projects.”

“I know the information my project managers need is in our financial system; I just wish they could get to it in real-time to use it more effectively as they are making decisions.”

“We make money on 80% of our projects, but that 20% is killing us!”

“There is no standardized way to review and assess the health of each and every one of our projects on a regular basis.”

“Our billing process always bogs down in the project managers’ review of invoices.”

“Why can’t every job be as profitable as the projects done by Jim’s team? How can we replicate his process?”

Newforma Project Analyzer solves these problems and more! Here are some of the key features and benefits of the Newforma Project Analyzer:

Standardize project management - Newforma Project Analyzer encourages the development of standard project management and reporting processes across the office or the entire firm, increasing transparency, reducing risk and increasing profitability.

Improve decision making - Newforma Project Analyzer improves decision making by providing A/E project managers the tools to schedule, plan, track and report project financial performance. It also allows A/E firm executives to have the information at their fingertips to view graphical projections that illustrate the impacts of various scenarios.

Achieve broad adoption - Newforma Project Analyzer achieves broad adoption because it presents real-time project information in a highly visual manner that makes it easy to learn and easy to use. It is also easy to implement and easy to administer in a single office or across multiple offices.

Monitor & control project performance - Newforma Project Analyzer provides the tools that allow you to quickly and visually assess the performance of projects against budget, then drill into any area that warrants closer examination.

In summary, Newforma Project Analyzer is geared to deliver visibility and tools for both the project manager and firm executives. Information that the project manager routinely manages for purposes of tracking and controlling their projects is available in real-time for the executive team to roll-up into a firm view to facilitate projections and forecasting.

If you want to see a quick overview of the product, we have a 3-minute demonstration video on the Newforma Project Analyzer product product page or you can schedule your own personal presentation by emailing us at answers@newforma.com or calling us at +1-603-625-6212 Option 1.

Prouty Ultimate 2011 - Ride, Jesse, Ride

2011-07-08T17:02:00.012-04:00

Our CEO, Ian Howell, was able to capture this live action shot of Jesse Devitte cycling through the streets of Goffstown, NH as he started on his journey towards completing the 200 mile bike ride in The Prouty Ultimate. Jesse, a Co-Founder & Founding Investor of Newforma, is supporting a great cause with his ride. He and Team Borealis have combined to raise over $86k for The Prouty and their support of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center.

If you're interested in supporting Jesse and Team Borealis in the The Prouty, it isn't too late. You can visit their team page and make a contribution. It is all being done for a great cause!

As for Jesse, so far, so good. He has passed the day one challenge and survived the grueling first 100 miles (99.02 according to his Garmin) to cross the finish line with a smile. In fact, he was able to finish his ride in just under 8 hours! Nice work Jesse!

For those data driven folks out there who like to see some numbers associated with his ride, here are the stats, courtesy of his Garmin device. Check out the elevation gain. Pretty impressive!

And, for those people who like to see some colorful charts & graphs, here are some nice eye-candy visuals on his ride. Those hills from 40 to 60 miles look pretty tough!

Tomorrow is another day, and another 100 miles to go, but I'm sure Jesse will tackle the ride like he does everything, with gusto! Good luck Jesse!

Tomorrow is also the start of The Prouty for Team Borealis members who didn't go for The Prouty Ultimate. We wish all of them the best of luck as well. Happy Cycling Team Borealis!

Support Team Borealis - The 30th Annual Prouty

2011-07-06T11:30:00.009-04:00

This weekend a number of our friends will be participating in the 30th Annual Prouty, a fund-raising bike ride through New Hampshire’s scenic White Mountains. It was 30 years ago that four Cancer Center nurses rode 100 miles to honor their patient, Audrey Prouty and raised $4,000 for research at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center.

This year, the total donations have already reached $1.4 Million and more donations are rolling in by the minute. This is a great event where the proceeds support Cancer Center researchers and clinicians who are working on innovative ways to prevent, diagnose, treat and hopefully, one day, cure cancer.

Newforma is proud to be a supporter of Team Borealis for the 4th consecutive year. Led by Jesse “Double Century” Devitte, Team Borealis has raised over $70,000 through the outstanding efforts of 68 people and they are close to achieving their goal of $100,000. Jesse, who is on our board of directors and is a Co-Founder & Founding Investor of Newforma, has committed to riding the full 200 miles that comprise the Prouty Ultimate. Not bad for a guy who rode only 25 miles in his first Prouty 4 years ago! We wish Jesse and the rest of his team the best of luck!

If you would like to help support Jesse and Team Borealis, please visit their team page.

Happy Cycling Team Borealis! Keep your wheels on the pavement!

Show of hands: Newforma users at RTC 2011

2011-07-01T09:51:00.014-04:00

Newforma Chief Product Officer Allen Preger sends this report on last week's Revit Technology Conference:

The Revit Tech Conference (RTC) made its debut in the United States last week in lovely, laid back Huntington Beach (a.k.a. Surf City), California. Newforma was there as an exhibitor, sponsor and curious observer!

Carl Bass of Autodesk welcomed the group with an opening speech on the possibilities of infinite computing and projects like Photofly, Zeon and “Augmented Reality” in the Autodesk labs that will soon be productized to exploit the promise of “zero-cost computing.” The conference then divided into its format of 4-5 parallel tracks that ran across the three days.

Everybody I spoke to said they really were getting a lot out of the sessions. Not surprising when you consider the list of experienced speakers and the choice and depth of topics offered.

Location is everything and that proved true not only with the event city but also the Newforma booth. We were located amongst the food and drink, allowing for great opportunities to connect with a number of existing customers and many new prospects between sessions. This was the perfect audience to discuss our latest product, Newforma Add-in for Autodesk Revit. Product Manager Chris Hawkins and I were kept pretty busy demonstrating and discussing Newforma’s new Revit-focused functionality.

Most everyone that attended said they would try to make it back next year. There were also lots of good networking opportunities in the exhibit area and social functions, which included an “Aussie-style” BBQ on the lawn with views of the Pacific. (Yes, Ian, there were plenty of shrimp on the “barbie”!)

Check out Dave Light’s blog for photos and his observations on some of the RTC technical program content. Click here for Dave’s comments on Day 1 and here for Days 2 and 3.

Another highlight was the closing event, which Newforma sponsored. Prior to introducing the closing speaker, Screampoint President Paul Doherty, I had a few minutes to introduce PIM (project information management) to this audience of BIM experts. When I asked how many in the audience knew about PIM, it was somewhat encouraging to see so many hands shoot up. When I followed up to ask how many were Newforma users, or had used Newforma at their prior job, it was awesome to see all those same hands shoot up again! RTC2011 was well done and very worthwhile for us. Looking forward to next year!

Blazing new trails: Norbert Young joins the board

2011-06-29T14:20:00.001-04:00

What does a board of directors do? Look at the members of most successful companies’ boards and you’ll find people who’ve been where the company wants to go. Directors provide direction!

Newforma’s board of directors has gained a new member as we expand in several new directions. We are further refining our project information management solution to meet the needs of general contractors, design-build companies, large specialty subcontractors and construction managers per the recent announcement of our Construction Solutions Team. We have just added a full-time, Dubai-based sales representative for the United Arab Emirates. We have grown from being a single-product company to now having four products, with a fifth to be released next month. And we are in the process of evaluating the best strategy for establishing our presence in the Asia Pacific region.

Norbert W. Young Jr. is uniquely qualified to help as we blaze these new trails. Norbert is a management consultant, a former McGraw-Hill Construction president, a construction company executive and a professional architect. So as we continue to develop new products, enter new geographic regions and better serve the construction market to grow our company, Norbert is a great addition to our Newforma team.

When you're blazing new trails, it's good to have a guide along who has a keen sense of direction.

This word cloud of the Norbert Young news release was created by Wordle.

Library overdue

2011-06-27T15:48:00.008-04:00

From Newforma Chief Product Officer Allen Preger:

Check out this “Architexts” cartoon about the firm that does not have Newforma Project Center, and therefore cannot use keyword search to instantly find any CAD or PDF file from any project they have ever done:

architexts.us/2011/06/27/detail-library/

A brief but good discussion follows the cartoon, too!

Good news on the job front: architects & engineers are hiring and so is Newforma!

2011-06-23T08:45:00.008-04:00

While the economists and politicians continue to debate on the overall status of the economy, the architectural and engineering employment has grown for the seventh consecutive month. This steady growth, albeit slower than we would all like to see, is definitely good news for the AEC industry. According to “Last Word” published by the American Council of Engineering Companies, and citing statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment total for architects and engineers exceeded 1.299 million in May. This is well above the recessionary low of 1.273 million recorded back in October 2010.

This data correlates with the feedback we’re hearing from our conversations with our customers and potential customers in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. Slow but steady growth seems to be phrase everyone is using.

While we are on the topic of employment, Newforma is continuing to grow, and we have five immediate openings for employment. We are looking to hire a Director of Sales Engineering, a Product Designer, a Product Marketing Manager, a Senior Web Application Engineer and a Training and Implementation Consultant. If you are interested in a joining an amazing team here at Newforma, or know someone who might be a great fit here, please visit our website and apply!

Nugget 2011 – A Look Back

2011-06-17T13:48:00.009-04:00

It is hard to believe that more than a month has already passed since we wrapped up the last session of Nugget 2011, our first annual user conference. It was an amazing event that brought together a wide range of our customers from all across the globe. While our newly released Newforma Project Center Eighth Edition was one of the focal points of the conference, the real stars were our customers and their interaction with the Newforma Team. You can’t have a great user conference without great customers, and our customers are the best in the business.

There was great dialogue between customers and with the team from Newforma on various topics. Thought-provoking questions were asked and answered. Tips and tricks were shared over delicious meals and best practices were discussed over cold beverages. We even gave our customers a sneak peak at a new product in development, Newforma Project Analzyer.

All in all, Nugget 2011 accomplished everything we wanted it to and it was a total success from our perspective. But you don’t have to take our word on it, here are some of the quotes we received from our customers:

“Very impressive. Very timely. Very much in keeping
with the spirit of Newforma and well presented.”

“One of the best "best practices" presentations”

“Looking forward to making mobile available
to my users and external team members”

“Exciting stuff, can't wait to use it!”

“Great information and excellent presentations!”

“All panel members were very insightful!”

“Awesome, knowledgeable presenter”

“Well prepared, energetic, great support for Q&A”

“Great "one on one feel" to presentations and discussions.
We appreciate you listening to our comments & suggestions.”

“Your Newforma staff are smarter than the average bear.”

We realize we’ve set the bar pretty high for the next event, especially since all the attendees said they plan on coming back next year. However, we love challenges here at Newforma and the planning is already underway for an even better Nugget 2012 conference. We hope to see you there!

P.S. For those Newforma Customers who missed the event, all is not lost. We did record the audio and Powerpoint presentations of the sessions and have made them available for purchase. Simply call me, Steve Bracy, at 603-625-6212 x304 and we’ll be more than happy to provide them to you. But next year, you’ll want to be there in person!

Nugget 2011 - Day One - A HUGE Success!

2011-04-28T10:02:00.008-04:00

Wow! Day 1 of Nugget 2011. If you weren't here, you missed it! A great keynote from John Miller, author of QBQ!, on the transformational power of personal accountability; a high energy look at What's New in Eighth Edition of the Newforma PIM solution with Allen Preger; a trip down memory lane with Ian Howell; a great panel discussion with Ron Heims of RDG, Brad Horst of EYP and Susan McDowell of Haskell that prompted lots of questions and discussion; and great in-depth sessions by Newforma Services team members that also prompted lots of questions and discussion, all presided over by MC Dan Conery.

By far for me, though, the best part is the great interaction that is going on with and among our customers. More photos are available at: http://bit.ly/kGlUFG

Nugget 2011 - Day One, T -1 hour and counting!

2011-04-27T08:55:00.003-04:00

April 27, 2011 – Slept in – recharging my batteries – up at 5:30am. It’s going to be a big day today. Before I head out this morning, I thought you might like to see the view from the hotel.

The tall building is the Trump International Hotel and Tower. The black slab tower to its right is the headquarters of Perkins & Will and just to its right you can get a peek at the iconic Marina Towers Condominium complex. It’s a gray day here in Chicago today, but we’re all going to be so busy with Day 1 of Nugget 2011, no one will know the difference. Pre-conference sessions sessions begin at 9am. Onward!

Nugget 2011 - T-1 day and counting

2011-04-27T08:51:00.002-04:00

April 26, 2011 – Well, it was an exciting day, even before Nugget 2011 began. Today was a travel day with 23 Newformants converging on Chicago in preparation for Nugget 2011. Unfortunately, the continuing rough weather throughout the Midwest made for lots of travel delays and an accident at Midway caused a number of flights to be diverted from that airport. Fortunately, no one was injured in that accident and none of our Newformants were on that flight, although Tony Page was originally scheduled to be on it! Hopefully, none of our customers were on it either.

But the stories abound…. Aaron Kivett and Rick Saladino were diverted to Milwaukee. Dan Conery and Renee VanDyne were diverted to St. Louis and drove from there. Google maps says it’s a 5hr 13 min drive; Dan says it’s 4-1/2 hours – you decide! In true Newforma tradition, all of them made it to Chicago in time for deep dish pizza at Pizza Due! A few people are still unaccounted for at this writing, including Ian Howell and Chris Burns, but we have every confidence everyone will make it in before we kick off the product validation sessions at 9am and the opening lunch at noon! Right, Ian?

The Newforma Add-in for Autodesk Revit

2011-02-11T17:27:00.005-05:00

We admit it: We’re fired up to see the excitement caused by the announcement of our new product, the Newforma Add-in for Autodesk Revit.

The Newforma Add-in for Autodesk Revit adds a toolbar to the Revit ribbon menu that provides access to key functions connecting Newforma Project Center to Autodesk® Revit® Architecture, Autodesk® Revit® Structure and Autodesk® Revit® MEP.

Two bloggers have voiced their anticipation of the product. (Its release will coincide with that of Newforma Project Center Eighth Edition, coming in the second quarter of the year.)

The first blog post we spotted is from Clark Morgan’s “NavisWorks and Design Technologies,” a blog for the discussion of NavisWorks and collaborative technologies used in the world of BIM.

Clark is the BIM integration manager for Newforma customer BergerABAM.

Following Clark’s blog post was a mention in Steve Stafford's “Revit OpEd” blog.

Steve consults in Revit training and implementation as the CEO of AEC Advantage, Inc.

Thanks to Clark and Steve for the shout-outs!

Why it’s exciting

The Newforma Add-in for Revit connects Newforma software for project information management – PIM – with Autodesk software for building information modeling – BIM.

Why is such a connection important? Because it provides a superior method to manage the information inside the model, while also unlocking it from the model for use by the broader project team to drive adjacent or downstream processes.

For example, space planning staff can develop room programs using spreadsheets that are tied to elements in the model without having to interrupt Revit modeling staff. And everyone else on the team can tap this rich spatial data through the Spatial Index in Newforma Project Center for use with punch list, action items and more.

Another example concerns document control and revision management: Using the Newforma Add-in for Revit, sheet information and PDFs published from Revit can be linked to the new Document Control activity center to render order from the chaotic flood of drawing deliverables on a typical project. If you’ve ever wondered who got what version of a sheet, when, and how, the Document Control activity center has you covered.

Sort, filter and search through thousands of elements from multiple models without using Revit

Newforma Chief Product Officer Allen Preger has been exploring the possibilities of syncing WHOLE building models with Newforma’s new Building Information Management activity center. He synced the MEP, structural and architectural models of a project. Allen says it took about 15 seconds, but then he could sort, filter and search through 17,000+ elements from three models – from within Newforma Project Center!

Allen could also add and edit properties associated with any of these elements and sync them back into the model.

The screen shot below shows a grouped view, with a piece of equipment highlighted that has an Action Item and Supporting Document related to it:

Want to see for yourself? We’ve produced three animated overviews of what you can accomplish using the Newforma Add-in for Revit in regards to the management of sheets, spaces and related items. Select one or all of the videos from the Newforma Add-in for Autodesk Revit overview page.

SharePoint and Newforma Project Center: managing information, curating knowledge

2010-10-18T10:46:00.012-04:00

Part 2: Why not use SharePoint to manage project information?

A conversation with LMN Architects Director of Information Technology Tim Rice, AIA

Read Part 1, "What's the Difference?" here.

Note from Allen Preger, a Newforma founder and the company’s chief product officer:
“After talking about the different applications for Newforma Project Center and SharePoint in our last blog post, I asked LMN IT Director Tim Rice why he isn’t using SharePoint for more functions.”

ALLEN PREGER: With its flexibility, why hasn’t SharePoint been adopted for project-specific information management or collaboration?

TIM RICE: There would be way too much overhead involved in making SharePoint dynamically flexible enough to manage project-specific information. To give you an idea, we have over two terabytes of active, project-specific data currently being managed by Newforma Project Center. This data all resides in project-specific file shares, which, by the way, supports the way our teams work with CAD, BIM and other graphics-intensive tools to create all that information. I couldn’t fathom changing the process by which we manage the project information we create and consume.

Conversely, we currently manage less than one gigabyte of data on our SharePoint site. As a 100-person professional services firm, I don’t see how we could support scaling our SharePoint site to manage all of our project-specific information and processes. While Microsoft is to be commended for designing SharePoint to be highly-customizable, thereby providing a high degree of flexibility, someone has to provide that customization. It’s a great collaboration platform for ad hoc sharing of project knowledge, but I could never imagine building out SharePoint to support the file types and work flows of our industry.

ALLEN: On the topic of collaboration, have you considered using SharePoint as a project portal for external clients, consultants and agencies?

TIM: As I mentioned, we like the way SharePoint fosters internal collaboration, but I would not be comfortable opening it up to external companies and trying to manage permissions and accounts.

Out of the box, Newforma Info Exchange does everything we need it to do in terms of file transfers and collaboration with external teams.

We have over 1,900 external Newforma Info Exchange accounts, each one created and managed through Newforma by our users. External team permissions and notifications are all handled by Newforma on a per-project basis. Password generation and reminders are all automated. I can count on one hand the number of times I have had to walk someone through the process of adding a team member or downloading information from the site.

Managing 1,900 external SharePoint accounts would be a logistical challenge, to say the least. And even if we could administer this, I am not sure how we would provide the 1,900 SharePoint client access licenses (CALs) for these people.

Click to read Part 1 of this conversation, “What’s the difference?”

LMN Architects Director of Information Technology Tim Rice, AIA, has been an architect since 1979, managing CAD and IT systems since 1988. He has provided firm-wide leadership for the firm’s BIM initiative and is responsible for implementation and integration of new technologies into all aspects of LMN project delivery. LMN has been a Newforma customer since 2006.

SharePoint and Newforma Project Center: managing information, curating knowledge

2010-10-14T22:01:00.032-04:00

Part 1: What’s the difference?

A conversation with LMN Architects Director of Information Technology Tim Rice, AIA

Note from Allen Preger, a Newforma founder and the company’s chief product officer:
"I recently caught up with Tim Rice to discuss how LMN Architects uses Newforma Project Center and Microsoft SharePoint. Here’s the first part of our conversation."

ALLEN PREGER: Could I ask you to summarize how Newforma and SharePoint are used within your firm?

TIM RICE: For us, the distinction is very clear. To manage project-specific information or processes, we use Newforma. On the other hand, SharePoint is the platform for our intranet knowledge communities where employees can post and share knowledge of a more general nature or access basic resources like Design, Sustainability, HR or IT.

ALLEN: Can you give me some examples of “project-specific information” and “general company knowledge”?

TIM: Project-specific information includes everything that is in our active and archived project folders. It includes drawings and other documents, as well as project email. We point Newforma at these project folders to manage all of our project-specific information, and rely on its AEC industry specific search features to quickly locate project information. We also use it for project management since it has tools we rely on to manage existing processes for action items, RFIs and submittals. Our project managers and contract administration staff in particular have found it to be indispensable, and beyond the initial configuration of company and project settings, we utilize it as an “off-the-shelf” application.

Lastly, we have been able to replace our existing FTP server with Newforma Info Exchange, which provides a managed web environment that everybody in the firm can use to communicate and exchange files with consultants and clients.

Our knowledge communities in SharePoint are used to manage other categories of company information. As our intranet platform, it provides a repository for company policies, procedures, forms and the like. There is a company news section that is regularly updated, as well as a number of themed sections where people are encouraged to share interesting project stories or technical information on various topics like building performance and materials. With its integration with Microsoft Office, it’s easy for users to contribute content and our graphically-oriented designers like its presentation style.

Shown: A user-uploaded project case study from LMN’s SharePoint-based Intranet site.

We have also used SharePoint as an aggregator of information from other systems. For example, many of our project managers or senior principals are uncomfortable navigating through our accounting system to review project budgets, billings and costs, so we built pages and queries to present that information in SharePoint.

Shown: A project financial summary accessed through LMN’s SharePoint-based Intranet site.

ALLEN: Have you got any examples for us that demonstrate the complementary nature of the project information you manage in Newforma and the company knowledge you manage in SharePoint?

TIM: Sure. We have a master project list on our SharePoint site that is fed from our accounting system and provides links to Newforma as well as a SharePoint page containing general information about the project. Recently, we have begun collecting energy use data for our completed projects. The goal is to compare actual energy use with what was projected during design and in so doing enable us to design better buildings. For that to happen, this information, which is project specific and therefore resides in the project folders managed by Newforma, must be readily available. This is an example of the sort of project data that we want to be able to surface through SharePoint in the context of our master project list.

Next: Part 2 of Allen's conversation with Tim, who tells why he's not using SharePoint to manage project information.

LMN Architects Director of Information Technology Tim Rice, AIA, has been an architect since 1979, managing CAD and IT systems since 1988. He has provided firm-wide leadership for the firm’s BIM initiative and is responsible for implementation and integration of new technologies into all aspects of LMN project delivery. LMN has been a Newforma customer since 2006.

Why project administration needs to be easy

2010-05-24T14:00:00.003-04:00

Highlights from a recent conversation with Cromwell Architects Engineers Chief Operating Officer Daniel K. Fowler, AIA

If you’ve tried in vain to institute strict project administration procedures at your firm, you probably know the simple reason: Your colleagues would rather be doing their “real” work.

This reality was driven home to us in a recent conversation with Dan Fowler, the chief operating officer of Cromwell Architects Engineers in Little Rock, Arkansas.

“Our CA managers spend their entire days doing contract administration,” Dan said. “That’s their job, so they follow the procedures we set up in Lotus Notes. But everyone else has to do actual project work, and they consider administrative tasks to be secondary. We found it difficult to get project people out of “doing mode” and into a mindset to use the tools for data management we had developed.”

Dan’s remarks pretty much capture the sentiment we’ve heard in scores of AEC firms, which may be summed up as, “We got into this business to design, engineer and build things, and that’s what we come to work to do. We don’t want to spend our days filing emails, logging transmittals, responding to RFIs, tracking submittals and generating reports.”

The exception occurs when filing, logging, tracking and reporting are super-simple to do

“Newforma Project Center grabbed us right away because it has core components that have been specifically developed to help firms like ours,” Dan said. “For example, file sharing – Newforma Info Exchange – is great right out of the box.

“We had been struggling with our FTP site and the way we exchange files with clients, business partners and government agencies,” Dan said. “FTP was cumbersome and hard to navigate by us, let alone by people outside the office. The demonstration of Newforma Info Exchange made everyone say, ‘Let’s get it just for that.’”

Dan had similar things to say about Newforma Project Center’s contribution to filing email, finding information in any file type, managing files and more.

“One reason the Newforma software has been so easy to adopt is because it provides an immediate return on effort and allows us to continue using our existing work processes,” Dan said. “For example, we use the same processes to file email with Newforma Project Center that we used with Lotus Notes, which is to either put a project email address in the Cc line, or drag and drop the email to a project folder in Notes. Nobody has to learn a new process.”

And that’s how you get project workers who are not full-time managers to do the “paperwork” that every job demands. Make it so easy that it doesn’t seem like a distraction from the work they woke up that day to do.

Reflecting on Newforma’s beginnings 6 years ago

2010-05-06T08:29:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Cinco de Mayo 2010, was Newforma’s 6th birthday. It was on May 5, 2004, that we closed our Series A funding.

The idea of starting a new business actually started a full year earlier, in May 2003, in the offices of Borealis Ventures in Concord, New Hampshire.

I wasn’t there, but as the story goes, several participants left that meeting saying “No thanks, and don’t call me again.” Others, including Bob “Batch” Batcheler (now Newforma’s VP Industry Marketing and Product Management) and Larry Nuttall (now a partner with the Ascentage Group) , were inspired enough to commit to doing some more research and to start talking to potential customers. Soon after, the instigator of the whole adventure, Jesse Devitte (our initial investor and current Board member), recruited Todd Kozikowski (NE Region Sales) to help. Next, they roped in Jim Forester (Senior Technical Advisor) and Allen Preger (Chief Product Officer) during what started as a casual conversation on a sun deck out in California. They then arm-wrestled Dave Plunkett (VP Engineering) to consider leaving his job at Autodesk.

So Newforma was started without any technology, not even a prototype – but with a founding team that was highly qualified to analyze the state of the AEC market to identify opportunities. Our founders sought to add value by creating a new class of software application to meet business needs that were not already being met by existing vendor solutions. Part of the process was to lock themselves in a conference room at an Embassy Suites in Las Vegas with only a small porthole window for a couple of days, after which AEC1 became a registered Delaware company with 7 founders: Batch + Larry + Todd + Jim + Allen + Dave + Jesse.

That is also about the time that I got a phone call asking if I would review the AEC1 business plan to provide input/feedback. This soon became a second full-time job, consuming nights and weekends. After exchanging lots of redlines I recall flying from California to New Hampshire on a very cold Dec 27th in 2003 to work for the next two days with the team on finalizing the business plan in the very same Borealis conference room where it had all started back in May. In January, I was asked by the founders if I would consider becoming interim CEO to lead the fundraising effort and start pitching the business plan to potential investors. Somewhere along the line I resigned from my VP role at Citadon, sold my house in San Francisco, packed my family into a Jeep and drove 3,000 miles across the country all the while pitching VCs in the hope that we would get funded.

I wanted to share this story with you to help you imagine just how excited (and relieved) all of the founders and I were on May 5, 2004, when our first round of funding closed and we actually had a bank account with a credit balance and we could all look forward to our fist pay check.

Wind the clock forward to today and we now have 50 employees, 460 customers, 40,000 users and a second-generation Seventh Edition product that has just been released. At this writing, we have over 1,100 servers deployed that index and share information on more than 350,000 projects. Along the way we have created: project information management (PIM) as a new software category in the AEC market, and we have established Newforma as the leading solution provider in that category.

In addition to thanking everyone on the Newforma team for their important contributions toward achieving these terrific milestones, my genuine appreciation goes to our partners and customers. To all the architects, engineers, construction professionals and IT executives who have shared their detailed requirements with us, provided feedback on product design ideas, validated our product functionality and volunteered to test our software; and to our partners, who have integrated their products with ours, we owe a birthday toast to you all!

What an amazing ride so far - - with still more fun, new challenges and lots of opportunity to provide even more value to our customers ahead !!

Resources for Knowledge Management

2010-02-19T11:37:00.011-05:00

As recommended by Bob Batcheler and Christopher Parsons in their Newforma webinar, "Project information management (PIM) for integrated project delivery (IPD): PIM and knowledge management"

Resources – To Learn More

Blogs – especially the Newforma – KA Dialog

Newforma blog - http://newforma-blog.blogspot.com/

KA Blog - http://knowledge-architecture.com/blog/

KA Connect 2010 - http://www.ka-connect.com/

Great Reads!

The Wealth of Knowledge http://amzn.com/0385500718

Made to Stick http://amzn.com/1400064287

Checklist Manifesto http://amzn.com/0805091742

Company Websites

Newforma – http://www.newforma.com

Knowledge Architecture – http://www.knowledge-architecture.com

Newforma Dialog #1 – Part 4: Disaster Prevention and Recovery (PIM and KM Style)

2009-11-24T07:51:00.001-05:00

This post is the fourth in an open dialog with Chris Parsons of Knowledge Architecture. Here are links to Part 1: Knowledge management is squishy, Part 2: PIM is like a bunch of boxes, and Part 3: Information Disasters vs. Knowledge Disasters … for reference.
_______________________________

Chris,

In your latest KA Dialog post, you summarized the challenges we each face as:

Managing information artifacts is a challenge of abundance.
Managing knowledge assets is a challenge of scarcity.

I think we agree that having too much can be as serious a problem as having too little. Think flood vs. drought, for example. Or information glut vs. knowledge paucity. But permit me to tackle the two questions from your latest post head-on….

Question #1 – “Can Newforma Project Center help firms to transform information artifacts into knowledge assets?”

Response - Yes, it can. Enabling AEC information workers to capture information as it is being created, to organize and classify it as a by-product of creating it, and enabling them to find it when they need it, is a significant contribution to getting more value from that information. In my mind, that is a significant step toward transforming information into knowledge. But I emphasized the phrase, “help firms to”, to make a point. Some in our industry seem to be looking for a solution that can “automagically” render order out of chaos and knowledge out of completely unstructured information. The fact is that an investment of judgment, abstraction, and synthesis is required to complete such a transformation.

At the end of the day, knowledge is in the eye of the beholder, or perhaps, more accurately, the value of knowledge is in its application, and the application of knowledge is a distinctly human task. So, at Newforma, our focus has been on leveraging the time, effort and brainpower of the beholder – the person, the AEC information worker - who has to deal with all of that information. Freeing their time from the grunt work of managing information gives them greater opportunity to synthesize that information, infer the patterns the information reveals, and apply the resulting knowledge to the higher order creative problem-solving challenges they face.

Question #2 – “Could Newforma help firms to prevent knowledge disasters?”

The process wonk in me is screaming that effective prevention of knowledge disasters requires some serious root cause analysis. But even without that, it is clear from feedback from our customers that they believe Newforma Project Center is helping them prevent knowledge disasters through better management of project information. Our recent postings of real life customer stories on the Newformant user community website includes several examples where having the right information delivered to the right person at the right time provided valuable knowledge that averted disaster.

Newforma is also helping firms mitigate the consequences of knowledge disasters. A few months ago, one of our sales team members visited a new prospect, meeting with them in a conference room which was stacked with dozens of laptops and desktops. It turns out the impetus for the meeting was the prospect’s realization that all manner of critical information was stored on those computers which had been previously assigned to a number of staff members who were no longer with the company. Assembling all of that scattered information and enabling others to find the information they needed after those knowledge assets had walked out the door was more than ample justification to purchase Newforma Project Center.

The challenge, as this last example illustrates, is that effective management of project information and institutional knowledge requires some forethought and upfront investment. Industry leaders invest in people, processes and tools for the long term that are going to build and preserve their core competencies – the elements that truly distinguish their firm and make it unique. That is why firms like HOK, Perkins+Will and SOM invest in initiatives like buildingSMART, in people like chief knowledge officers and company-wide BIM gurus, in processes that explicitly train their up-and-coming project managers, and lead the way with enterprise-wide implementations of tools like Newforma Project Center.

So, Chris, the question to you is, as you build your business, how are you investing in building KA’s knowledge assets? Or are the cobbler’s children running around without shoes?

Batch

_______________________

Chris Parsons is founder of Knowledge Architecture, an information systems and knowledge management consultancy that leverages technology to transform business processes and create strategic insights for architects and engineers. Also, Knowledge Architecture is a Newforma Partner proficient in technology audits, business process consulting, implementing the Open Asset digital image library management application from Axomic (another Newforma Partner) and is certified on work-flow integration between Deltek Vision and Newforma Project Center.

IPD Essentials: Multi-Partner Agreements #2

2009-11-03T18:22:00.002-05:00

Further to our discussion below about the role of multi-party agreements in supporting integrated project delivery (IPD), the AIA has just released its new Standard Form Multi-Party Agreement for Integrated Project Delivery (C191–2009)

A description taken directly from the AIA web page listing the IPD Family of Contract Documents reads …..

“AIA Document C191–2009 is a standard form multi-party agreement through which the owner, architect, contractor, and perhaps other key project participants execute a single agreement for the design, construction and commissioning of a Project. C191–2009 provides the framework for a collaborative environment in which the parties operate in furtherance of cost and performance goals that the parties jointly establish. The non-owner parties are compensated on a cost-of-the-work basis. The compensation model is also goal-oriented, and provides incentives for collaboration in design and construction of the project. Primary management of the project is the responsibility of the Project Management Team, comprised of one representative from each of the parties. The Project Executive Team, also comprised of one representative from each of the parties, provides a second level of project oversight and issue resolution. The conflict resolution process is intended to foster quick and effective resolution of problems as they arise. This collaborative process has the potential to result in a high quality project for the owner, and substantial monetary and intangible rewards for the other parties.”

This is an important new choice of contract for project teams that are considering IPD as an alternate project delivery process.

Newforma Dialog #1: PIM is like a bunch of boxes…

2009-10-23T01:18:00.001-04:00

This post is a response to an open dialog with Chris Parsons of Knowledge Architecture, started last week.

Chris,

Thanks for starting this dialogue. Yes, Knowledge Management IS squishy! But the challenge of Project Information Management is like a bunch of boxes…..

I have my own story to illustrate this lesson. It starts out a little bit “out there”, but bear with me; it does lead to an important lesson ….

My wife and I have accumulated a fair amount of “stuff” over the years, much of it stored in boxes, and we have moved around quite a bit, too. Somewhere around our second or third move, we realized that there were boxes that we had moved UNOPENED for the last few moves. We came to an important realization – if we had not opened a box in two or three moves, obviously whatever was in the box was of no great immediate value. Also, the number of boxes that we had, the failure to label them properly, and the lack of organization in how we stored them meant that, when we needed something that was probably in one of those boxes, we couldn’t find it without a lot of effort.

Now, every analogy has it limits, but it seems to me that our situation has great parallels to project information and knowledge management in many AEC organizations. Many firms retain so much information that the only practical alternative for them is to save project information offline in storage (CDs/DVDs in filing cabinets and paper drawings in boxes stored offsite by services like Iron Mountain). Many of those boxes NEVER get opened. And when the information is needed, the number of boxes and the failure to label and organize them effectively means that a tremendous amount of time and effort is required to find the information you need. In essence, all of that information is of very limited, immediate value.

This leads to an interesting potential thought exercise in promoting the value of project information and knowledge management in an AEC organization. I suggest you go back to the CIO in your story to ask, “What would be the impact of your firm losing all of the information associated with any one of your major projects over the past three years?” I suspect he would characterize that as a disaster, right? Then ask a follow-up question – “What would be the impact of being unable to find a key piece of information required to avoid a claim?” or “What would be the impact of hundreds of hours of skilled labor, from a project manager and IT support, required to find the information required to respond to a claim?” If he is honest with you, he will admit that the scenarios depicted in each of the follow-up questions is nearly as dangerous as the obvious disaster of outright data loss.

This leads to “Batch’s Box Theory of Project Information and Knowledge Management” and its corollary:

Theory: As the time and effort required to manage and find information goes up, the effective value of the information goes down.
Corollary: If you can’t find it when you need it, its value is zero.

We strongly believe in the synergy between what we do at Newforma (Project Information Management) and what you do at Knowledge Architecture (Knowledge Management), because of our shared belief that AEC organizations must manage their project information effectively in order to have any hope of transforming that information into knowledge.

Over to you, Chris!

Batch

e-Discovery Resources

2009-09-24T17:03:00.015-04:00

In our recent webinar on PIM and e-Discovery, entitled Capturing decisions as they're being made: facilitating e-discovery, I promised to provide links to several information resources that I have found useful on the topic of e-Discovery. Please note that some of these resources require you to register to access the materials, but registration is free at the time of this posting. Here they are:

The Sedona Conference is a nonprofit, “research and educational institute dedicated to the advancement of law and policy in the areas of antitrust law, complex litigation and intellectual property rights.” Their Working Group Series are some of the most readable, authoritative resources on the rapidly evolving area of e-Discovery and many other areas at the intersection of law and technology.

Their Jumpstart Outline is a great warm-up on the topic of e-Discovery; it will either reassure you that you have a handle on your record retention and discovery process, or, more likely, scare the hell out of you and motivate you to invest some time and effort. The outline is a sample of the type of questions your organization is likely to receive in the early stages of the discovery process. I suspect it would be intimidating, if you are not properly prepared in advance.

Other useful resources from The Sedona Conference include:

The Federal Judicial Center is where judges go to learn about this stuff, so it is also a very definitive source. The have many papers and other resources re: e-discovery. In particular, the pocket guide to e-Discovery is very readable and useful.

The Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) graphic shown in the webinar was developed by EDRM which “develops guidelines and standards for e-discovery consumers and providers.”

The websites of dedicated e-Discovery solution providers are also filled with case studies and whitepapers that you may find useful.

And, of course, there is always…

Coming in late October, 2009.

IPD Essentials: Model-based design

2009-09-22T10:31:00.004-04:00

State-of-the-art use of building information modeling (BIM) today encompasses creating a design intent model (e.g. Revit Architecture), a structural analysis model (e.g. Tekla), an energy performance model (e.g. IES), a constructability and quantity take off model (e.g. Vico), a space program model (e.g. Trelligence), a facilities management model (e.g. Archibus), a coordination model (e.g. Navsiworks), and more.

IPD project teams need to embrace the reality and the associated challenges of managing multiple purpose-built building information models (BIMs).

(As a quick aside, the “the great debate” of April 2003, hosted and moderated by LaiserinLetter editor Jerry Laiserin, speculated on the future role of BIM. Wind the clock forward and the vision of a federated project model has prevailed over the alternate concept of a single building model. It is fascinating to observe that while Bentley was promoting the correct vision in 2003, it has been Autodesk that has promoted the most commercially successful product.)

So much has already been written about the now-proven advantages of using BIM that I do not want to regurgitate them here. Suffice to say that BIM and its close relative, virtual design and construction (VDC), are both essential ingredients to achieving integrated project delivery (IPD). In fact, certain IPD contracts actually dictate that the project team must use BIM.

Instead, I want to offer you a different perspective. Adopting BIM is not just about training your staff on how to use a particular BIM system. Rather it is about transforming your firm’s best practices from being drafting- and document-centric to implementing new and still-to-be-refined model-based design processes. What exactly does this entail ? I think as an industry we are all still working out the full meaning of that question, but there are some key lessons that have already been learned that offer great guidance:

BIM is not synonymous with IPD – it is only one of 5 Essential Ingredients.
Two different approaches – either ‘sharing the model’ or ‘exchanging model views’ – are currently being used each with a different set of pros and cons.
The letter “I” is the most powerful part of BIM - should this information be locked into a proprietary file format ?
In the world of a federated project model it is important to focus on the purpose-driven exchange of project information between different purpose-built BIMs.
Virtual building models allow early prototyping and simulation as additional inputs to the design process.
Integrated project delivery remains a function of people, process and tools.
Model-based design is not just about geometry, but about arriving at a common understanding of the intersection of disciplines, the interaction of building fabric and systems and the involvement of everyone on the project team.

You are invited to join our conversation as we continue to explore these ideas in future posts on this Newforma Blog and on PIM in the UK, our sister blog authored by Tim Bates.

IPD Essentials: Multi-Partner Agreements

2009-09-14T08:24:00.004-04:00

At the 2007 AIA Convention, Jim Bedrick of Webcor Builders, and Tony Rinella, then of Anshen+Allen, delivered what I still consider to be a breakthrough conference session on “Innovative Project Delivery Models.” Together they presented an overview and comparison of the different delivery models being used successfully in other countries such as P3 (public-private partnerships), PFI (private finance initiative), performance contracting and project alliances.

This session was an acknowledgement of the problems and waste in the US construction industry being reported by NIST and a response to the combined voice of building owners who were no longer willing to accept and pay for the litigation, cost over-runs and time delays that result from traditional project delivery practices. Read more on this in our blog entry about how traditional project delivery models have failed, below.

Our extremely fragmented industry has, to my amazement, rallied with a surprisingly unified response with 22 leading industry organizations, (including heavyweights such as AGC, CURT, ASC, ABC, LCI, etc) all endorsing ConsensusDOCS 300 as a new form of IPD contract. Separately, the AIA has published two new forms of IPD agreement – the “IPD Transitional Agreements” and the “Single Purpose Entity (SPE) Agreement.”

From our meetings with Newforma customers, we are also observing a new trend to establish Master Agreements between companies who desire to work together on multiple future projects. The Master Agreement captures all of the terms and conditions, agreed to in advance by both parties, that define a ‘trusted partner’ relationship. The idea being that a short, supplemental agreement can quickly and easily be prepared as necessary to document any other project-specific requirements on a case-by-case basis. Also, based on these Master Agreements, improved IPD work processes can be defined and implemented well in advance of the initiation of a particular project.

What do all these new forms of contractual relationship have in common? Principles include shared risk, shared profit, no disputes, collective obligations, greatly increased collaboration, fast (sometimes unanimous) decision making and everyone being incentivized to attain the design goals of the project. Experience to date (as was shared at the recent IPD Conference) strongly suggests that these principles motivate high performance by project teams, result in a higher quality end-product and generate increased profit for every stakeholder.

Please note, however, that there may also be some potential perils in accepting certain of the contractual liabilities that are contained in these new forms of contract. You should consult your own insurer and legal advisor about how these new agreements intersect with professional liability insurance (regarding negligence) and legal precedent (such as the limited liability of contractors established by the 1918 Spearin Doctrine). An analysis of this intersection by Schinnerer & Company is available here.

Having shared that necessary professional caveat with you, let me now also share my personal view – that Pablo Picasso probably got it right when he said “Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.” Shocking as it may at first seem, I strongly suspect that it will only be after we let go of legacy concepts like professional indemnity from negligence (in the case of architects and engineers) and limited liability (in the case of contractors) that IPD contracts will fully evolve. Look for future innovation both from Schinnerer (who reportedly is working on a new IPD multi-party policy) and from other insurers (who may offer project insurance to compete).

The bottom line on this topic: accepting greater exposure to risk, and stepping up to be fully accountable for project success as part of a trusted IPD team, can lead to increased reward.

Stand by for our next blog entry in this ongoing discussion, “The 5 essentials of IPD.”

The Cost of the Status Quo: Traditional project delivery models have failed

2009-09-10T13:20:00.003-04:00

The status quo of adversarial contractual relationships, E&OE (errors and omissions exempt) plans and specifications, claims for extras and issue resolution via construction lawyers is captured perfectly by the now infamous ‘change order boat’ image.

But these outmoded practices are slowly being replaced and will (in time) disappear. Little wonder that the use of design-build contracts as grown to more than 40% of non-residential design and construction in the US (up from just as reported by the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA). This reflects the willingness of a design-build firm to take full responsibility as prime contractor for a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) and a guaranteed delivery date along with the risk of significant penalties for late delivery.

Why ? Because owners are no longer willing to accept the finger pointing, risk avoidance, project delays, cost over-runs and litigation involved in traditional forms of project delivery. Witness the industry whitepapers published by CURT (The Construction Users Roundtable) as well as the results of the FMI/CMAA Annual Survey of Owners.

As a result our industry is finally seeking new and better ways to deliver high quality building and infrastructure projects, on time and within budget, more predictably and more profitably.

Leading firms are experimenting with integrated project delivery (IPD) methods defined by the AIA in their publication called “Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide” as: “A project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and maximize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction”.

For more about IPD as an emerging mainstream project delivery model, also read our blog entry below called IPD: 5 Essentials for Success.

IPD: 5 Essentials for Success

2009-09-01T19:35:00.006-04:00

Newforma helped sponsor last week’s inaugural IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) Conference hosted by Stagnito Media in Boston, attended by about 80 AEC professionals from 24 states.

The aim of IPD is, of course, to change the status quo! An IPD project team strives to meet seven important goals:

Deliver high quality projects on time and within budget.
Reduce errors and omissions
Invest in better team collaboration.
Manage more complex projects requirements (e.g. LEED certification).
Remove the “litigation phase” of a project.
Redefine traditional (i.e. adversarial) behavior.
Greatly improve the predictability and profitability of the project delivery process.

Leading up to this event I was privileged to be asked by Brad Horst, CIO of EYP, to join his panel of industry experts to share any observations distilled from the one-day agenda of presentations and informal discussion. Highlights for me were the project case studies by building owners such as Digby Christian of Sutter Health, John Moebes of Crate&Barrel, and Erin Rae Hoffer of Autodesk, who, together with members of their project execution teams, shared challenges and successes from their early implementation of IPD projects.

What I concluded from listening to the keynotes, attending various breakout sessions and engaging in conversation with numerous other participants is that there are (at least) five essential ingredients that must co-exist to ensure the success of an IPD project:

1. Enter into new forms of contractual relationships such as AIA Docs, AGC Consensus 300, IFOA (Integrated Form of Agreement as used by Sutter Health), etc.

2. Use model-based design that employs multiple special-purpose BIMs.

3. Manage documentation, capture decisions, agree on workflows and streamline processes based upon best practices.

4. Focus on more effective communication, team collaboration and information-sharing with full team visibility. (In short, provide transparency).

5. Build a different project team culture based upon a “trust but verify” relationship model motivated by shared risk with shared reward.

It is our intention of elaborate on each of these 5 essential ingredients for IPD success. Watch for future postings!

The Cost of the Status Quo: Architects and Engineers waste 20% or more of their time searching for information about their projects!

2009-08-26T09:07:00.005-04:00

Shockingly, in meetings with hundreds of firms, the response to this assertion has typically been undisputed or “at least 20%”. That’s one day per week of unproductive time looking for information that is “somewhere on the network”, not finding it and more often than not having to recreate it. The cause is well understood given the sheer volume of information being generated on every project plus the demands of the day job denying even the most diligent project team member the time needed to save everything correctly. Some firms have tried to address this problem by implementing either a document management system (vault) or Sharepoint (library) but very often with failed results. Principles regularly tell me that getting project staff to fill out their time sheets is difficult enough so therefore it is not surprising that they refuse to apply the time and discipline needed to follow the rules of a highly structured filing system or make the extra effort required to add meta-data tags to facilitate easy retrieval at a later date. So what is the alternative?

Firstly, the design process is iterative and the project information it creates is dynamic rather than static. Secondly, every member of the project team (including all of the external consultants) is an originator of different parts of the project data set. Therefore the problem is one of how best to manage unstructured project information which is always being shared and often being communicated on an ad-hoc basis. By defining the problem more accurately, Newforma has intentionally taken a different approach in developing its project information management (PIM) solution. To quote Ken Herold, Chief Knowledge Officer of HOK Architects, “a more pragmatic and much more affordable solution involves simply using Newforma Project Center to index all your project information to enable users to search any project in their office or even across the company wide network just like searching the web. The time savings creates more billable hours on a project or can be spent on other initiatives like being trained on BIM.” HOK deployed Newforma Project Center enterprise wide in July 2007 and continue to use the solution in all 26 of their offices worldwide today.

To learn more about why Newforma is committed to an 'indexed based search' approach to managing project information as the right paradigm for architects, engineers and construction firms, view our recorded webinar “For knowledge mining, reuse or recall – the value of full-text search”.

The Cost of the Status Quo: Introduction Procrastination? Hesitation? Fear of Change?

2009-08-17T12:51:00.004-04:00

We are all players in a design and construction industry in which more projects are completed late than on time, budget over-runs are the norm and excessive litigation prevails. Add to this the fact that a lot of firms are currently finding it difficult to retain the number of skilled professionals that they need on staff to perform their project responsibilities. Unless you enjoy paying ever higher liability insurance premiums, running jobs that end up costing you money or having even more sleepless nights, then the time has come to change the status quo!

As Newforma pursues its ambition to find new ways to help architects, engineers and construction firms streamline their work processes to increase efficiency and be more profitable, we enjoy the unique privilege of visiting with and talking to many leading firms, observing best practices and learning how these firms are innovating.

As a result, we have been able to identify seven areas where low impact project information management (PIM) technology can be applied to proactively change the status quo in your office; to significantly reduce your exposure to risk; to remove wasted effort; to protect your fee margin; and, to sleep better at night !

Look for seven more blog entries to follow on this topic as we explore the question: Can you really afford to delay being more diligent about managing your project delivery processes?

Alphabet Soup (or acronym hell ?)

2009-08-11T14:33:00.006-04:00

Do you get confused or just plain frustrated when you are reading the industry press reporting that AIA, CURT and AGC have formed the 3XPT Strategy Group, GSA has published an IFC based MVD requirement for BIM concept models, NBIMS is adopting IDM, CSI is supporting the IFD Library and promoting PPD, AGC has published agcXML, ICC is developing Smartcodes, AIA TAP recommends using MPS, NIBS is sponsoring COBIE, or by all of the references to IPD, LEED and VDC. If you are an international reader, just substitute your local variations such as Avanti, be2camp,CIB, CRC, etc.

Regretfully, here at Newforma we too have been guilty of speaking in acronyms on occasion. For example, in December 2008 we sent you an email blast entitled “PIM and the DNA for IPD” inviting you to join us for a free webinar …. when what we really wanted to talk to you about was email management as an integral part of the project delivery process and to show you how firms like yours are tackling out-of-control inboxes to mitigate risk by capturing email decision trails and to improving team communication.

Through this blog we will be making every effort to demystify much of the industry jargon rather than just pile on and add to your confusion. We aim to be diligent about explaining exactly what the most important acronyms stand for, convey a fundamental understanding and provide an informed opinion regarding the importance of the specific project or initiative. As a start down that path, the links provided above (for anyone who wants to take the time to explore them) have been carefully selected to point you to an authoritative source that explains who or what is behind each of the acronyms used as examples above.

If we do err again, please call ‘foul play’ to get us back on track :-)

An invitation to join us in a critical conversation…….

2009-08-07T18:37:00.018-04:00

Our industry is facing tectonic shifts in the way it executes building and infrastructure projects. Will integrated project delivery improve on time completion within budget ? Should building information modeling center around one massive model or be managed as a series of special purpose BIM’s ? Can new forms of contract like multi-partner agreements really change the adversarial behaviors of the past ? Which open data standards will prevail to facilitate the necessary exchange of project information? What best practices are being implemented by other firms that will give them competitive advantage? How do you take advantage of new software delivery models ? Are you managing your project information effectively and transparently ? Have you calculated the cost of the status quo ? Lots of issues remain that need to be addressed and resolved over time through healthy debate (no, not the healthcare debate!), bold experimentation, dedicated effort, ongoing perseverance and yes, also some failures.

Our intent in creating this Newforma Blog is to “host a conversation” by industry stakeholders to discuss each of these and other closely related questions that are facing us all. We look forward to sharing our thoughts and posting observations as our contribution to promote discussion and encourage an active dialogue via your comments.

Unlike the discussion forum on our user community site (which by popular demand is both product centric and technical in nature), and unlike our traditional whitepapers (that are both static and only provide a one-way communication), we are adding this interactive blog to explore the business issues, industry trends and technology that will shape new and improved best practices for architects, engineers and construction firms. Recurring themes will include project information management (PIM), integrated project delivery (IPD), work processes that support model based design (BIM), virtual construction, managing a federated project model, the purpose driven exchange of information, open data standards, change management for technology implementation and the cost of the status quo.

Our desire is to both inform and to learn from our mutual exchange of ideas. Ideally our contributions and the comments that they generate will stimulate and expand your thinking and offer you different perspectives and insights. We may even throw in a little controversy for good measure along the way!

So whether you just choose to read our blog postings or join our conversation, thank you for your interest and we welcome your participation.