Tag: construction collaboration technology

Newforma gets connected

Jim Forester (Newforma)

Silos (both company and IT) have long inhibited collaboration in construction. Newforma’s ‘Connector’ strategy seeks to break them down. I recently wrote (16 August: Newforma now playing cloud catch-up?) about Newforma’s Cloud Services initiative, which has seen the vendor expand its extranet-type capabilities, complementing its original core on-premise, behind-the-firewall application. I spoke last Thursday to Newforma CEO …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/09/newforma-gets-connected/

Oracle building its construction offering

A Construction Index news story today about the Bank of England’s decision yesterday to reduce the central bank interest rate to 0.25% highlighted once again the UK construction industry’s poor record on prompt payment. It quotes the National Federation of Builders’s chief executive Richard Beresford: “The construction industry has the worst payment record of any …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/08/oracle-building-its-construction-offering/

Secure SaaS without passwords, via Secure Cloudlink

Secure Cloudlink diagram

UK-based startup Secure Cloudlink (headquartered in Leatherhead, Surrey) has a unique and US-patented product that eliminates the use of passwords and is designed to secure cloud / SaaS applications. With Secure Cloudlink, each user is uniquely identified and authenticated, but as no user credentials are stored or replicated behind the scenes the risks of security breaches due …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/07/secure-saas-without-passwords-via-secure-cloudlink/

Union Square acquired by Deltek

Deltek logo

In an echo of an earlier US/UK acquisition in the construction IT space, ERP vendor Deltek has acquired UK project management software vendor Union Square. Mostly, ExtranetEvolution focuses on Software-as-a-Service solutions and related applications in the architecture, engineering and construction sector. However, I do keep an eye on vendors whose software solutions occasionally either compete …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/07/union-square-acquired-by-deltek/

Collaboration, BIM and FM

Last week’s ThinkBIM conference focused on the transition of data from construction to facilities management. FM is getting more involved with BIM from the earliest stages of a project, and will collaborate more frequently during project delivery. The latest ThinkBIM half-day conference (on 6 July at Squire Patton Boggs’ new offices in Leeds, and sponsored …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/07/collaboration-bim-and-fm/

TIM: The Inspection Manager

TIM screengrab

Almost since we first started to use mobile phones on construction sites, we have sought to use them to manage defects and conduct inspections (I was at BIW, later Conject, when it launched its Windows app in 2006). As a result, over the past 10 years, and particularly since the 2007 advent of the iPhone and …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/06/tim-the-inspection-manager/

think project! acquires Austrian sales partner

Almost exactly three months after Aconex acquired the Germany-based Conject business (post), the latter’s near-neighbour in Munich, think project!, has ac­quired 70% of its Aus­trian sales part­ner i-pm GmbH. Founded in 2004 and solely marketing think project!’s SaaS-based construction collaboration across Austria, i-pm will shortly rebrand to be­come think project! Öster­re­ich (Aus­tria). MD Michael Jug …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/06/think-project-acquires-austrian-sales-partner/

Viewpoint 2016 UK customer summit

Viewpoint Construction Software‘s 2016 UK customer summit reconvened at London’s Grange Tower Bridge Hotel again this week, and, with more delegates (c. 150) from more companies (55) than last year, now looks to be outgrowing the venue. For many of those attending the two-day event, it was a first opportunity to hear from Manolis Kotzabasakis …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/05/viewpoint-2016-uk-customer-summit/

GamePlan’s aim: ‘lean’ collaboration

GamePlan on iPad

Nothing to do with computer gaming, GamePlan is a US start-up exploring both lean construction and BIM-based collaboration. In devising its product, US-based startup GamePlan (headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware) has consciously tried not to copy existing SaaS construction software providers’ approach to collaboration. While its core platform offers many of the same features, its philosophy has been strongly guided …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/05/gameplans-aim-lean-collaboration/

Viewpoint restructured and growing

Manolis Kotzabasakis, Viewpoint CEO

Viewpoint CEO Manolis Kotzabasakis says construction needs to change, and believes his company is well-placed to lead industry adoption of SaaS-based ‘field to back office information on the go’. Following Aconex’s recent acquisition of SaaS construction collaboration rival Conject, there was – as usual – some debate about the implications of the deal for other vendors …

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Permanent link to this article: https://extranetevolution.com/2016/05/viewpoint-restructured-and-growing/

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