Just over a week since my post mentioning the second running of the Construction Computing Awards 2007, I have just received an email from the organisers saying that online voting for the shortlisted candidates is now under way.
Looking at the shortlists from a construction collaboration technology viewpoint, almost every NCCTP member is represented somewhere (the exceptions are Aconex and Cadweb) though some are listed in somewhat inappropriate software categories….
- I would not say that ‘extranet’ technology would fall into the category of e-commerce, yet 4Projects and Sarcophagus (plus former NCCTP member CTSpace) feature there – alongside e-business trading platforms such as RedSkyIT’s and Causeway Tradex,
- Asite Workspace pops up in the project planning software category (as does Autodesk Buzzsaw),
- and Business Collaborator is in the Business IT Service Provider of the year shortlist (with BIW [my employer])
Document and content management software would appear to be a more obvious category, yet only BIW and Causeway feature (alongside six others: Union Square, Saybi, Archtype, Stortext, The Content Group and Tekton Group). Surprisingly, despite the widespread UK uptake of ‘extranets’, there is still no dedicated category.
(Sarcophagus’s Etenderer solution is shortlisted for Estimating and Valuation Product of the year, and 4Projects is also up for Product of the year and Company of the year.)
While I think the Construction Computing Show (running 21-22 November) has been a pretty good event – and will hopefully improve now that it’s being held at the Emirates Stadium instead of the Barbican – I still think the Awards lack some credibility (after last year, I have ignored them from BIW’s perspective). As I have said before (see here and in the comments here), I am not sure that online nominations and online voting are beyond manipulation (while it’s more work, I much prefer awards where each hopeful has to compile a persuasive entry, which is then evaluated by an independent panel of judges); and, given that awards dinners are devised to make a profit, there may be a temptation for organisers to juggle the categories to try and spread awards around and so sell more tables for the awards dinner (21 November – £1495 for a table for 10). Maybe, if and when the awards become more established, I will be less cynical….
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