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54 | AUGUST 2016 Software for AEC With the help of cloud technologies, collaboration is as easy as it has ever been. "It can begin so much earlier in the process, providing critical insight from general con- tractors, trade partners and facility managers before the concrete is even poured," says Sasha Reed, VP strategic development at Bluebeam, Inc. Sorenson also sees the adoption of cloud-based services as a major trend. "With more firms taking advantage of cloud technology, we're seeing a lot of growth with our own Hosted Cloud service," says Sorenson. The advantage? Reducing the bur- den on internal IT departments. Cloud-based services eliminate the need for server updates, maintenance and backup, allowing architecture and engineering firms' time and resources to work on what they actually do best. But along with the adoption of cloud technologies will come an emphasis on access and security. StatsLog's FIVE program uses granular user permissions to ensure all members of a team can access info securely, while the company's on-the- go beta version, Nomad, allows clients to access fully encrypted, fully protected project data on any web-enabled device. Collaboration is such a key component of any engineering or architectural proj- ect, so it's no surprise to see software companies introducing or updating software to improve the way teams can share and work on files together. Bluebeam opened up Revu to Mac users for the first time, introducing the program to a whole new seg- ment of users – and one that's growing. "A high number of design firms and a sur- prisingly growing number of construction firms are moving to Mac," says Reed. "So it was important we offer a Mac version so that project teams can work how they're used to, on their preferred hardware, while still collaborating on the same platform on the same documents." In the future, it's likely AEC software will see more automation than ever before. "I think we'll continue to see more automation of tasks that free design profession- als from basic administrative tasks," says Sorenson. FIVE already features many automated tasks (from merging documents into attachments to sending email reports) based on common customer activities. The key will be to continue to focus those new tools on the things that users actually need. "With software the possibili- ties are nearly unlimited," he says. "For us, it's crucial to have feedback from users in the field to make sure we're making the tools they want to use." Reed thinks that the future of engineering software will focus on data gathering. "The industry has gotten very good at crunching data and streamlining workflows through the adoption of digital solutions, but data gathering in the field is still as time-consuming and labour-intensive as ever," she explains. Reed wants to close the loop between the trailer and the jobsite. "In the future, technology could help with gathering, delivering, analyzing and drawing conclu- sions from data coming from both the project managers and field engineers in real time," she says. "Ultimately, these digital conversations need to make their way back into formats the owner can easily consume. It's bridging these workflow gaps in tangible ways that will drive future innovations." It's easy to see that engineers and firms that embrace technology have the upper hand, and as software and digital tools become more efficient and effective, the gap between those who embrace tech and those who don't will become wider and wider. "One path leads to efficiencies, more jobs and higher profits, and the other leads to stagnation, inefficiency and a steady, slow decline," says Reed. "The individuals and firms that embrace technology and software solutions are going to win more bids, complete more jobs in less time, and subsequently grow their business." It can be scary to mess with a time-proven workflow, Reed acknowledges, but a small-scale integration or pilot program can turn a big change into baby steps. "Not only will this minimize risk, it will also deliver a true 'apples to apples' comparison between a single old workflow and a new digital workflow," says Reed. "This way, the benefits and efficiencies gained in adopting a single workflow can be measured and compared, paving the way for deeper integration and lowering risk along the way." A Nomad, the on-the-go beta version of Statslog's FIVE program. 1-800-266-4068 info@statslog.com www.statslog.com 5 Benets of FIVE Accuracy Efciency Security Insight Collaboration FIVE by StatsLog Modern contract administration. Now on your mobile device. Statslog Software.indd 1 16-07-14 11:47 AM

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