There is an endless number of things that contribute to the success or failure of a construction project. That’s why our industry continues to improve the project management tools we have. Stakeholder management is one of those areas that can be time-consuming and sometimes difficult to execute efficiently. For most design and construction projects, the needs and goals of the stakeholders are very diverse. Managing all those needs while keeping a project on track is not something to be taken casually. Successful projects create happy stakeholders who become repeat stakeholders.
What role does technology play? It starts with converting your technical designs into a format that is easily shareable and understandable by your stakeholders. Start creating your digital progress record by adding your 3D models, so that your stakeholders can virtually step inside their project in 360°, right from their web browser, from anywhere, on any device connected to the internet. When that digital progress record includes your BIM models and 360° photos instead of just unstructured 2D photos, stakeholders can better understand what you present to them and grasp the full context. Whether it’s the late stages of construction or early concept design, a digital 360° view opens your project to more meaningful stakeholder collaboration.
Taking Communication and Collaboration to the Next Level
The digital progress record evolves through the project phases, accumulating more detail to facilitate communication and collaboration. If your stakeholders struggle to interpret what your drawings convey, you run the risk of misunderstandings, delays, and poor decisions. Compare that to a 360° perspective, which everyone can accurately interpret. You reduce your risk, can manage your stakeholders’ needs more efficiently, and make more confident decisions.
The way you use the 360° photos to communicate with your stakeholders will depend on their specific needs, but some standard practices are being used in the industry today.
Get Buy-in and Commitment
Even before winning a project, converting your concepts into 360° photos helps potential clients see your vision. Once a project begins, the tools can also help them visualize the impacts of key design decisions. Tools like side-by-side comparisons with split screen are an effective way to compare what you see in the drawings to either early-stage 360° renderings or actual onsite conditions in real-time.
Instant Remote Site Access
Provide stakeholders with access to a URL for instant access to 360° photos. Managing various jobsites within your company or region is facilitated from the Dashboard, which serves as your central point of access with an intuitive user interface for account and project administration. Secured with advanced technology like single sign-on (SSO), even large companies can easily manage all departments, cost centers, teams, or regions within one environment from their web browsers.
Document Issues via Annotations
Virtual job walks allow teams to document issues, annotations, and stakeholder feedback directly within 360° photos, turning observations into actionable items for Quality Assurance and collaboration. Annotations created in the 360° environment ensure everyone understands next steps, while virtual walkthroughs serve as powerful tools for progress meetings; daily, weekly, or milestone-based. All annotations are spatially organized, making it easy to verify specific items, from window installations to major project revisions. Plus, syncing annotations with Autodesk Construction Cloud® or Procore® Observations simplifies issue management and keeps your digital jobsite fully integrated.
Historical Documentation
Over time you establish a 360° history of your project’s timeline. This not only demonstrates project progress but also allows you to backtrack to early stages without relying solely on drawings or memory. For example, you may want to confirm what was behind a wall before it was finished or where support structures were placed. This information is invaluable during the project, for as-built documentation at client turnover and potentially with dispute resolution if needed.
Building Your Digital Jobsite: A Simple Process with Huge Impact
Creating a digital jobsite by integrating your BIM models with 360° photos leverages your technical design work into a jobsite perspective for stakeholders. Your 3D models can be imported into your digital jobsite and tagged to their correct position on the floor plan. In later stages, actual 360° progress photos will be captured and added. This opens the possibility to compare site photos and 3D models side-by-side, connecting the current status of construction with your design.
Getting Started with Construction Progress Management, Powered by 360° Photo Capture
Using 360° photo technology is an exciting progress for the design and construction industry. Increasingly, it’s being applied in meaningful ways that deliver real ROI for you and your stakeholders. Getting started is as easy as 1–2–3 and you will immediately get a feel for the ease of use and application in your business. Once you, your team, and your stakeholders try using virtual job walks during your regular meetings, it’s likely that you won’t turn back.
