Category: Collaboration

Mar 24 2009

StoreData up for sale?

This morning, UK-based specialist contractor Styles & Wood announced that it “is currently exploring a number of options to strengthen its balance sheet including a potential equity fund raising and a potential sale to private equity.” Styles & Wood includes a construction collaboration technology business, StoreData – since last year part of the group’s StorePlanning …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/03/storedata-up-for-sale/

Mar 23 2009

VisualTao: CAD on demand

For the third time this month (following SolidWorks and CADaaS, 2 March, and BIMserver.org: right technology, right time?, 3 March), I return to one of my favourite topics: delivering computer-aided design (CAD) solutions on a Software-as-a-Service model. I received an email from someone at an Israeli business development group, Trendlines. My correspondent had read my …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/03/visualtao-cad-on-demand/

Mar 11 2009

Return to the email argument

More than three years ago, I first wrote (The email argument) about the challenge of managing project-related email. Or, rather, I pointed out that some ‘extranet’ systems, such as [my employer] BIW’s, discourage use of email so that project communications are managed within a self-contained and easily auditable secure repository (see also The email argument …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/03/return-to-the-email-argument/

Mar 11 2009

The power of collaboration in product development

A lot of my time is focused on how teams collaborate during design and construction of new buildings and other assets, and it is easy to forget that collaboration should extend throughout the supply chain, including the manufacturers of many of the components that are used in our projects. On his PLM and Profitability blog …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/03/the-power-of-collaboration-in-product-development/

Mar 06 2009

A new blog, a new direction

Sharp-eyed visitors to this blog may have noticed a new RSS feed in the side-bar – from pwcom. This is my new blog focused on PR, marketing and Web 2.0, with a strong bias towards how these are used in the architecture, engineering, construction and property sectors. I have discussed Web 2.0 a lot in …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/03/a-new-blog-a-new-direction/

Mar 05 2009

Information modelling for greener buildings

Information modelling for greener buildings was the title of an excellent seminar at Ecobuild in London yesterday afternoon on building information modelling (BIM). Well chaired and introduced by Richard Saxon (ex-BDP), the session also featured presentations from: James Warne (environmental engineering director, BDP) on BIM and sustainability Nick Nisbet (AEC3) on BuildingSMART, IFCs and SMARTcodes …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/03/information-modelling-for-greener-buildings/

Mar 03 2009

BIMserver.org: right technology, right time?

David Harrison’s latest StressFree blog posting talks about BIMserver and the potential of server-side BIM. It is a fascinating post, describing how the University of Eindhoven-based BIMserver.org project combines building information modelling (BIM) software and open source server technologies, rather than being reliant upon workstation-based CAD software. And this is no blue-sky project – it …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/03/bimserverorg-right-technology-right-time/

Mar 02 2009

SolidWorks and CADaaS

Several times over the past year or so (most recently in January), I have blogged about the possibility that CAD, or even BIM applications might be delivered on a Software-as-a-Service basis. Reading Ralph Grabowski’s Upfront Ezine (Issue 592, 17 February 2009), I read his account of SolidWorks World 2009 and the ‘wish-list’ presentation of SolidWorks’ …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/03/solidworks-and-cadaas/

Feb 23 2009

MJ Medical: not unique

As well as retail, another UK market sector that is helping construction businesses survive the ravages of the current recession is the healthcare sector, buoyed – like education – by government investment. However, I don’t see the latest entrant to the design collaboration market place as a major player (at least not yet). A news …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/02/mj-medical-not-unique/

Feb 23 2009

UK retail giant selects ICON

Since the late 1990s when Sainsbury’s paved the way with its landmark decision to pilot use of the BIW platform on a new supermarket in Clapham, UK retailers have been keen adopters and users of construction collaboration platforms, and have probably done more than any other sector to popularise their use. And with retail one …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2009/02/uk-retail-giant-selects-icon/

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