Manual integration processes can be costly and inefficient for businesses. Manual management of document-based collaboration with other teams contributes to the increase of delivery time by up to 32% (Gauntt, 2022). This article highlights the negative consequences of using manual processes for information sharing, and how automation can improve collaboration and reduce costs.
The complexity of manual workflows
Manual delivery processes are complex, time-consuming and require significant effort from a document controller. They typically involve the following steps:
Open a browser
Log into the CDE
Find the relevant documents
Download the files
Wait for the files to be packed and downloaded
Find the files on the local machine
Unpack the files, if necessary
Open the files to check for corruption
Go back to the browser
Open the other CDE
Upload the files
Wait for the upload to complete
Go back to the first CDE
Find each file and view its metadata
Copy and input the correct metadata from the first CDE into the second CDE
Save each file
This process can lead to inconsistent workflows and stalled progress, decreasing productivity and collaboration between teams. In addition, manual processes can introduce security risks by downloading information onto local machines, where it is open to security breaches.
Furthermore, the workload for the document controller increases as the volume of documents increases. Additionally, this takes them away from other value-added tasks that they could be performing such as checks to ensure the integrity of information containers.
Reduced information quality
Manual processes lead to the loss of metadata and important historical provenance required for delivery as a part of an increasingly compliant and regulated building industry. The loss of metadata can affect the ability of downstream users to find and use the information, reducing its overall quality and value to your organisation.
Increased cost
Manual delivery processes require significant effort and time, leading to increased costs and reduced productivity for all actors depending on the information container’s exchange.
The Solution: Automation
Automated integration solutions can reduce the time and effort required to transfer documents between CDE solutions, while maintaining the quality and consistency of the information. This allows teams to focus on value-added tasks and ensures that workflow bottlenecks are minimized.
In addition, automated solutions can provide traceability and provenance for shared information, reducing the risk of data leaks and enabling downstream users to find and use the information more easily. Automated integration can also improve the overall quality of the information by ensuring that metadata is properly maintained and transformed between CDE solutions.
Overall, the use of automated integration solutions can provide significant benefits for businesses that need to share information across teams and CDE solutions. By leveraging the power of automation, businesses can improve collaboration, reduce costs, and ensure the security and integrity of their shared information.
References
Gauntt, M. (2022) Right First Time Mega Project Delivery. Available at: https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/Class_Handout_CI500847_ClassHandout-CI500847-Gaunt-AU2022.pdf (Accessed: 07/12/2022)