In this episode of HxGN RADIO, Hexagon introduces HxGN SMART Build, a solution that helps overcome the challenges inherent to complex construction projects.
Welcome to HxGN RADIO. I’m your host Veronica Miller.
Every construction project is unique. At each phase, there are problems to solve and challenges to face which put the project at risk of going over time and over budget. Hexagon is introducing HxGN SMART Build, a solution that helps overcome the challenges inherent to complex construction projects. In today’s episode we are talking to Mirko Stock who is the Chief Operations Officer at Hexagon Ventures.
Thank you for joining us today.
Thank you, Veronica, for having me.
Now what is this solution called HxGN SMART Build?
Okay, in a nutshell, it is pioneering extremely simple, but yet, very powerful platform that will help construction companies to safely deliver their project on time and on budget and thereby help construction companies to improve their profit margins. We are trying to address some of the key problems and challenges that the construction industry is facing. If you look at how they work today, you know, very often the tool set that they’re working with is not adequate. In many cases, it is very complex. The base planning that they’re using, in some cases, even the most, they’re using their flawed inaccurate. It is very limited and, in some cases, there is even no coordination during the pre-construction phase. People on site, which can be many hundreds of thousands, they have to live with unclear work instructions or plans. And then, of course, in most cases there’s pretty limited, almost zero, feedback loop from the construction site back to the office. All of that ultimately leads to a situation where it is extremely difficult for the general contractor to actually establish accountability which has a very bad impact on profit margins. So this is what HxGN SMART Build is trying to address.
So it’s closing the gap of that feedback loop.
Absolutely, yes.
And now is SMART Build more oriented to the contractor or to the project manager.
That is a very good question. It is oriented towards everybody who plays a role in the planning or execution of a major construction project. So really, the only function that we’re not covering is the actual design. You know, there are kind of established design solutions out there that do that. But pretty much everybody in the project, whether it will be a planner, a cross engineer, the people in the field that do the lay out, plumbers, everybody. Everybody ultimately is a user of SMART Build.
Now, I understand that there are other products in the market for the management of construction projects. What is so revolutionary about SMART Build?
Yeah. There are many, many solutions out there. I think what is revolutionary here is a couple of things. So we are leveraging decades of experience that we have, especially on the Process Power and Marine side of the house, executing some of the largest construction projects that have been executed on this planet, primarily in oil and gas. And we are leverage in that experience, that subject matter expertise that we have build over the past 20-25 years, and bring that right now to the construction market on the most modern Cloud based technology. So it’s a Cloud based solution, software as a service. And the revolutionary thing really is that we provide all of these capabilities as one big integrated solution. And what this will is to establish clarity, connectivity and simplicity. And when I say that it means that the people that are working in the project will have access to the information, in dependency of what their role is, they would have access to exactly the tools and capabilities, again in dependency of what their role is. They are not working in isolation in silos anymore, but basically everyone is connected. So everybody is working upon the same integrated, high quality and consistent set of information. And last but not least, it is extremely simple. So we have put enormous effort and focus on designing that solution from a UI and user experience perspective. So that everybody who has a role on the construction project can actually benefit from the solution and really actually enjoy using the solution.
Now it seems a lot of Hexagon’s solutions are so focused on that user friendliness. Is that something that’s unique to Hexagon?
I would definitely say it is one of our competitive differentiators. We always put the context of what specific people need in the forefront of our thinking, and we try to kind of design our solutions in a way that it becomes like really, really intuitive for people to apply them in their day-to-day work so that they don’t experience that as disruptive. So I would say yes I think that’s pretty unique.
If you had to summarize what are the benefits of using SMART Build?
Oh, do you want hear all of them? [laughing]Okay, I think we have a little bit of time.
On a high level, we’ll end up on time and on budget and we will improve the profit margins of the general contractors. Now if you break that down a little bit more in detail: you will end up with more accurate estimates and budgets. With a much more seamless flow of reporting back from the site to field officer. You’ll be able to kind of immediately react to things that go wrong. You will be able to immediately adjust you plans, react to unforeseen events. You will a very, very clear view on what is going on with the project from a financial perspective, progress, cost variances, value and you will be able to really establish that accountability and that responsibility that this industry is really lacking so far. We will also make it much easier for the individuals to collaborate. So people will actually be able to collaborate much faster, and they won’t even realize that they are collaborating. So effortless, the collaboration with SMART Build will be. Last but not least, I think the key thing to mention is people need different types of information, in dependency of what they’re doing, and that is what SMART Build is doing. It gives the people exactly the information that they need, exactly at the right point in time, in dependency of what they’re working on. So if I would have to kind of summarize it: What SMART Build is doing? It gives a pure line of sight of the entire project including planning, execution, handover of the final digit asset to the owner. You will end up with a connected project, updated at real time, connecting people, plans, data,
To our listeners you can learn more about HxGN SMART Build at hexagon.com/innovation. Tune into more episodes from HxGN Radio on iTunes, SoundCloud or Stitcher Radio. Thank you for listening.
