Original article by Andy Holtmann on Dexter + Chaney

This is the third installment of a five-part series on how innovative technologies and software are helping project managers streamline processes to build faster, smarter projects

All battle plans are perfect—until the battle begins. Construction project managers probably relate to that statement more that anyone. A construction project can be planned out down to the very last nail, but even in the best-planned project, something always goes awry.

Original article by Andy Holtmann on Dexter + Chaney

This is the second installment in a five-part series on how innovative technologies and software are helping project managers streamline processes to build faster, smarter projects.

While the lifeblood of the construction company is the construction project, the lifeblood of the project is the people working on it. Hire bad people to manage and build the project? The results will be poor. Hire smart, talented folks with expertise and the results will be good. Hire forward-thinking, open-minded folks ready to try new things and take calculated risks? The results are likely to be even better.

With construction booming again after the recent recession, there is plenty of work to be had. The talent pool for skilled construction professionals, however, is woefully shallow right now. A Bureau of Labor Statistics report in December of 2013 noted that the construction industry could face a shortage of 1.6 million skilled workers by 2022¹.

Article written by Moira Alexander and appears on CIO.com

With all the project management and collaboration tools available today, it's important for companies to carefully evaluate which ones will best meet their needs today and in the future.

The right tool for the right job goes the old adage, but knowing exactly what criteria you should consider and how to go about evaluating each of the project management (PM) tools at your disposal can be time-consuming and even frustrating. So we've taken some of the legwork out of it by offering some key considerations, broken down into three primary categories that should be included in your evaluation.

We'll start with the business model, strategy and needs.

Article written by John Chaney (CEO and co-founder of Seattle, Washington-based Dexter + Chaney) for Construction Business Owner.

How companies are turning to millennials & technology to bridge the skilled labor gap

The economy is performing well, construction projects are back in full swing and jobs are plentiful. But where are all the workers? That’s a question that has been asked frequently over the last couple of years, as skilled construction laborers, project managers and subcontractors have left the industry—either retiring or moving on to other roles in order to survive the recent recession. Fewer workers are returning to the industry, and training new generations of laborers could become a daunting challenge. It has become one of key issues for the industry to address for the present-day and long-term health of companies.

Higher Yearning

According to a June 2015 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of available jobs jumped significantly from the previous year, adding more than 273,000 to companies’ payrolls. However, the talent pool is taking a hit as a whole generation of baby boomers—the largest segment of construction workers in the past 3 decades—has begun to retire.

It's easy to identify why construction ERP systems are advantageous for executives and accounting departments, but how can they benefit project managers? In this podcast, Dexter + Chaney’s Wayne Newitts and Mark Schwartz discuss why project managers should embrace ERP software and why it will make their jobs easier.

Key takeaways from this podcast:

• 1:35 - Wayne asks: "Why do you need ERP software in the field?"
• 2:35 - Mark explains that software is meant to make your job easier.
• 3:00 - Conversation moves to mobile software, accessible in the field.
• 4:34 - Mark talks about the disadvantages of just using spreadsheets and why an ERP system saves time.
• 5:49 - The main advantage for the project manager is the automatic sharing of information.

In this podcast, Dexter + Chaney’s Wayne Newitts and Mark Schwartz have a conversation about construction accounting and why your company may need an ERP software package. Many companies are still using multiple systems for business that may or may not easily share information. Construction ERP systems help consolidate your business so that all departments are sharing information seamlessly.

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems are business management software, usually comprised of integrated applications, that are used throughout your company for nearly all aspects of daily business—including data storage, data management, information collecting, business management, accounting, inventory, human resources and more.

Original article by Curt Westberg on Dexter + Chaney

I have run into about as many theories of equipment costing as there are companies, but one of the major decisions an equipment-intensive company faces is the decision to attribute costs to the piece of equipment, or to the jobs where the equipment is used. There are three basic ways that I have seen this done in the industry.

Article written by Wayne Newitts and originally appeared on the Dexter + Chaney blog

This is ultimately a blog about construction software, but stay with me as I put on my “Top Gear” hat and take you on a trip through an automotive analogy.

I remember first learning how to work on cars a number of years ago, a number that is becoming disturbingly large. This was back in the day when owning a timing light was pretty standard and checking the points, plugs and condenser was pretty routine. Opening the hood of my ’72 Nova, I could actually identify just about everything I saw there.

Fast forward to the much more recent past when I thought I’d teach my daughter a thing or two about car maintenance. Open the hood of her 2006 “Dad’s tired of driving me everywhere” car, and, well, I see the battery, master cylinder, umm, think that’s the alternator…but mostly I see a big block of plastic with two computer ports.

So I told her to just get the oil changed every 3,000 or so, check the tire pressure regularly, and I went to sit under a shade tree to reminisce.

Article written by John Chaney and originally appeared on the Dexter + Chaney blog

Just about every contractor today has some form of business and construction management software playing a vital role in keeping projects moving and revenue flowing. Odds are, you’ve worked with or at least entered data into some of these systems. However, when your company outgrows its current software or the software fails to meet specific needs, it may be time to start looking at what new solutions are on the market.

Article written by Krista Lambert (Director, Engineering & Construction Strategy, Oracle Primavera) and appeared on the Oracle EPPM Blog.

Tales of the Unexpected

Expect the unexpected. That’s a mantra every construction manager could do with heeding. But it’s easier said than done. The one thing we don’t want is the unexpected.

The bigger the project the harder it seems to keep it on track. In the US, the Big Dig, which involved rerouting and tunnelling Boston’s Central Artery to the heart of the city centre, was set to be finished by 1998. In December 2007 the project was finally finished, with a cost overrun of 190 percent at $14.6 billion, much of which was attributed to unexpected changes.

Such is the complexity of these mega-projects it’s tempting to think that overruns and cost inflation are inevitable. Certainly change is unavoidable in a project of this scale and length. But how you manage change, can make a big difference.