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Industry Insight Tips & Advice Trends & Technology Ultimate Guide

From Good to Great: The Power of UX Design in Software Products

Software is supposed to solve a problem. Whether it’s simplifying tasks that humans struggle with or just streamlining the workflow process, companies spend money on software in order to make their day-to-day operations run smoother. But for this to occur, the development company has to focus on the end users’ needs and wants. And that’s where good UX design comes into play.

Why is good UX design important? The reasons are endless. However, we’ll discuss 9 of the most important reasons here. Keep reading to find out what they are.

What is UX Design?

Before we dive too deeply into UX design, it’s important to understand what it is. It’s become something of a buzzword in the industry over the last few years, but a quick breakdown could be helpful.

UX stands for “user experience.” UX design is the process of developing a product, whether it be a website, software program, or device with the end users’ experiences in mind. With that description, good UX design sounds like a no-brainer, but it takes an experienced team of developers and designers to make it happen.

There are decision trees and formulas that developers use to ensure they’re implementing good UX design, but that’s far beyond the scope of this article. At the core, the development team considers who the user is, what their challenges are, and how the software can solve those challenges in the easiest and most efficient ways possible.

UX designers use market research, product development, strategy, design, and lots of testing to ensure they’re creating a product that is attractive, effective, efficient, and easy to use. That’s good user experience design in a nutshell.

This isn’t wildly different from the construction design process. Engineers, designers, and architects constantly consider how the buildings and infrastructure they create will impact the people using them during the design process.

9 Reasons Why Good UX Design is Important in Software

It might be easy to understand that good UX design is important, but all of the ways it can impact the end user might not be so obvious. The following are 9 reasons why good UX design is important when choosing a software program.

It Leaves a Lasting Impression: Good and Bad

UI (user interface) gives the user their first impression, but UX creates a lasting impression. How smoothly a software program runs, offers intuitive workflows, and allows the user to find the solutions, data, or reports they’re looking for will create an opinion of that program for the user. If the UX is subpar, even if only at the start, users will feel frustrated over just the thought of the software.

However, if that software is fast, intuitive, and provides answers without digging through multiple tabs in error, the user will remember it. They’ll have a much more favorable opinion of the program and rather than feeling dread when they log in, they’ll feel positive that they’re going to achieve their goals.

It Provides Value

Good UX design is not a mistake. It’s the result of a development team focusing its efforts on developing exactly the type of software that the user needs. This means the team won’t be spending time or energy developing aspects of the program the user really can’t use.

In the end, this streamlined and targeted development approach means less wasted resources, and this means a more affordable product for the end user. They’ll be able to get more value from the program because it was designed to solve their specific challenges and nothing else.

It Makes Learning Easier

Regardless of the software program, there is always a learning curve or implementation period where users have to get used to the new processes. Whether it’s the layout, workflow, or integration with other software programs, users need to learn how the new system works and deal with the bumps in the road.

Good UX design can pave those bumps and make learning the new system much easier. With a well-planned layout, intuitive workflows, and the ability to make adjustments that scale across multiple reports automatically, using the program can become like second nature.

It Ensures the Program Will Fit the Users’ Needs

Good UX design involves developing “personas,” or creating a fictionalized version of the ideal real-world user, and developing the software for that persona. Developers will take into account all of the user’s daily activities and responsibilities and the challenges that those activities and responsibilities create, and come up with a tailored solution.

In terms of construction, this ensures that the software meets the needs of the people in the building industry. An effective UX design will account for the project types, contract types, personnel, reports, and accounting that the construction industry uses. There are no useless functions or fluff to deal with.

It Encourages Widespread Adoption of the Software

It’s one thing to decide to implement new software and another thing to actually get everyone on board. While there are always a few folks that will resist change, a good UX design can help pry those old spreadsheets from their desperate clutches.

When a program is designed well and works as it should, the team will notice. Folks will start to show each other how certain functions are saving them time and frustration over the old program. And while a program champion must still learn the software and introduce it to the team, a good user experience can make implementation effortless.

It Reduces Reliance on Customer Support

How often do we get frustrated with a program, app, report, or input point and have to call customer support, only to realize the solution was simple? It was just a toggle buried in five layers of user settings. If we’re all being honest, the answer is “too often.”

While great customer support and service are critical to any software program, good UX design minimizes the users’ need to lean on it. By using simple, easy-to-adjust settings and input points, well-designed programs allow users to understand what they’re doing, make adjustments, and see an impact instantly. If something doesn’t seem right in a report, they should be able to access that report immediately and fix the issue without digging through tab after tab to get there.

It Helps Users Serve Their Customers Better

When a company decides to implement new software, the goal should be to simplify processes in order to run smoother and more efficiently. It can change the way the company handles almost all of its most important office work. And you better believe this transfers to the customer.

When a customer, partner, or lender calls a well-run construction company and requests an update, the latest report, a change order, or just clarification, good UX design really shines. A company rep should be able to log in, access the account, and pull that report or make that change in seconds. And if they’re using a program that simplifies data entry and provides automatic updates, they know all of those changes will be reflected across the program.

Not only does this mean serving the customer faster, but it also means providing them with accurate data. Good UX design lessens the chances of mistakes and oversights, and this makes it one of the most important aspects to look for in a software program.

It Promotes Communication

No one understands the importance of communication better than a well-oiled development team, and this often trickles down to the software. Good UX design involves creating channels and avenues that teams can use to talk to each other, work on the same project, and simplify communication.

In many cases, this means using cloud technology to ensure everyone has access to the same data at once. Any changes they make can be sent automatically to the folks who need to know about them, as well. This type of communication promotes collaboration and responsibility—all because the software was designed to do it.

It Directly Impacts Profitability

At the end of the day, any new tools or software that a company implements should improve its profitability. Good UX design, with its focus on efficiency and automation, can do just that.

With less time spent on data entry, updating reports, fixing mistakes, and tracking down signatures, office staff can focus their creative efforts on other projects. Those projects can then help the company move forward, improve its efficiency, and make better decisions. Only a software program created with great user experience design can offer the type of freedom a team needs to work like that.

 

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Author Biography:

Tom Scalisi has over 15 years of experience working in the trades. Since moving to full-time freelance writing, he has developed a passion for helping construction companies grow. He enjoys teaching contractors how technology can streamline their businesses and educating them about their rights during payment disputes. 

 

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Industry Insight Tips & Advice Trends & Technology Ultimate Guide

Why Forecasting Project Costs Is Important For Your Construction Business

From day one on a construction project, the number one question everyone has is whether the project will meet the expected budget. You can wait to answer this question at the end of the project when you can’t do anything about it, or you can assess where the project stands as you progress through the work, allowing you to act proactively if an overage is found. In order to assess the project costs before completion, however, you must forecast or predict the potential costs to complete the work.

A forecast to complete the project is a well-educated guess of how much you have left to spend to finish the work. It’s based on the current costs, the percentage of the project that’s complete, and what’s remaining to be finished. The better you are at tracking your costs, the easier it will be to predict how much is left to spend.

Before we get into how to forecast final costs on a construction project, let’s look at why it’s important to know how much the remaining work will cost you.

The importance of forecasting final costs

One of the primary benefits of forecasting costs is that you get an early warning if a project is losing money. Since many contractors rely on their profits to fund future work, losses on today’s job can quickly lead to real problems when it comes time to start the next one. Without adequate profits to fund the work, contractors have to rely on alternative financings, like bank loans or credit cards, that ultimately cost them more in the long run, further reducing profits. It’s a never-ending cycle of higher costs.

Predicting final costs also allows companies to identify their future cash flow needs and address any issues before they become real problems. If contractors know that they won’t have enough money coming in to finance their payroll or other necessary business expenses, they have time to move money from investments or seek lower-rate financing options.

Sometimes forecasting final costs can help contractors identify change orders that have been missed or haven’t been processed yet. If a change hasn’t been made to the project budget but extra materials have been paid for or work has been completed, it may show up as a cost overage. The contractor can then follow up with the owner or architect to determine the status of the required change.

Finally, forecasting allows companies to learn valuable lessons about the accuracy, or inaccuracy, of their estimates. If a contractor is always going over budget on labor costs, they will see that sooner and be able to adjust future budgets accordingly. This will make their estimates more competitive and lead to more work.

How to forecast final costs

One of the most important things you can do to help forecast final costs is to monitor costs as you go. If you’re relying on data from a single point in time to predict costs, it can be difficult to make the appropriate assumptions and gather enough data to accurately predict future costs. By tracking costs as you go, with an accounting system that supports job costing, you’ll be able to monitor the project’s progress and see cost patterns that may not be visible with a static report.

To forecast final costs, you’ll be looking at three data points: the amount remaining in committed costs, amount remaining in your budget, and historical costs. Based on these three data points you should be able to predict, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, the final costs for a specific scope of work. Let’s look at an example to help illustrate how these data points help predict future costs.

Let’s say we are forecasting costs for the concrete scope of work on a project. The contract with the concrete subcontractor was originally for $100,000, and they have billed $80,000 so far, leaving $20,000 to bill. This is the amount remaining in committed costs. Based on our original budget, we know that we still need to purchase some rebar that wasn’t part of the concrete contract for $5,000. We also know, based on reviewing past projects and the amount of work left to be finished, that we have about $30,000 in work remaining to be completed. So, how do we predict what our future costs will be?

Remaining committed costs:                       $20,000

Remaining in the budget:                                     $5,000

Historical data:                                                  $30,000

The answer will be somewhere between $25,000 and $30,000, depending on whether we are looking at it for cash flow reasons or to assess what our profit margin is for this particular project. Either way, we are using the three data points to inform our prediction and will continue to improve the accuracy of each prediction as we analyze the data on more projects.

What to do when you’re over budget

The second most important question, after “Are we on budget?” is what to do when you’re over budget. The answer depends on why you’re over budget.

  • If there has been a change in the project scope that affects the budgeted costs but hasn’t been reflected in a change order yet, that could cause an overage.
  • If there was an unforeseen condition, such as bad soil, that caused additional costs, this may cause an overage.
  • Or, if the general contractor or a subcontractor made an error in their work, that could also cause a budget overage.

Depending on the cause, the contractor will need to either ask for a change order or make an internal budget transfer. The internal budget transfer will move excess monies from one line item of the budget to another to help cure the overage. It’s important to note the reason for the transfer for future lessons learned.

How Premier helps you predict future costs

Premier has made forecasting future costs in your projects easier with its forecasting module. Using this module, project managers can account for unexpected costs and request internal budget transfers to cover overages.

To see how Premier can help keep your projects on track, request a demo.

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Author Biography:

Dawn Killough is a construction writer with over 20 years of experience with construction payments, from the perspectives of subcontractors and general contractors. Dawn has held roles such as a staff accountant, green building advisor, project assistant, and contract administrator.  Her work for general contractors, design firms, and subcontractors has even led to the publication of blogs on several construction tech websites and her book, Green Building Design 101.

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Industry Insight Tips & Advice Trends & Technology Ultimate Guide

Why is Software Support Critical to the Success of Your Business?

We know that changing financial and project management software can be stressful. The transition is often bumpy and can take several weeks or months to implement. With Premier Software you get the help and support you need throughout the software implementation and use process.

We help ensure that you are getting the most out of your investment and that your team is working at its peak efficiency. Here’s how Premier Construction Software provides you with the support you need to improve your business success.

Continue reading “Why is Software Support Critical to the Success of Your Business?”
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Industry Insight Tips & Advice Trends & Technology Ultimate Guide

Demand VS Supply in the Construction Industry

The current state of the construction industry is one of challenge. Contractors are in incredibly high demand for renovations, new home builds, and other projects. They’re poised for serious growth, except for one thing: There aren’t any affordable materials.

 

Demand VS Supply: What happened?

The pandemic caused a wild amount of demand for contractors and a shortage of materials. In the past, whenever either condition existed, it has pushed the price of building up. In today’s construction industry, it’s pricing both contractors and prospective project owners past their affordability breaking point.

Contractors are in High Demand

Contractors are in such demand because people want change. With so many folks leaving large cities for greener spaces, or so many working from home and needing a new environment to look at, contractors can’t answer the phone fast enough. These customers want to build new homes, renovate fixer-uppers they purchased in the country, or simply spruce things up a bit. And most of them want to hire a contractor to do it for them (keep “most” in mind).

Building Materials are in Short Supply

But, with materials manufacturing taking a massive hit during the pandemic, there just aren’t enough affordable materials around. With government imparted shutdowns, social distancing requirements, and a general lack of staffing across all industries, the amount of lumber hitting the shelves isn’t what it used to be. And, for the contractors that are able to find materials, they’re extremely expensive.

Workforce Shortages

For materials that aren’t necessarily in short supply, such as stone in the domestic mountain used for building products, or materials waiting at sea to be unloaded, the issue is a workforce shortage. With so many people choosing to remain out of work, material production can’t ramp up. And, there’s a lack of qualified truck drivers to move the materials that are produced. 

DIYers Played a Part

Consider this interesting point: DIYers caused some of these headaches as well. With so many people staying home instead of taking expensive vacations, many decided to tackle renovations and fixer-upper projects on their own. They headed down to the local home center or lumber yard and strapped studs and joists to the roof of the family sedan. This one group may have been responsible for the apparent disappearance of pressure-treated lumber in 2020, as new deck builds are a favorite of DIYers.

Governmental Impacts

Let’s not discount the effect that the government has had on the situation. The Biden administration imparted an 18% tax increase on softwood lumber coming into the US from Canada. Also, tariffs on concrete shipments from Japan are making a challenging scenario even worse. 

Issues for the Construction Industry

This chain of uncanny events is doing one thing: Making construction of any sort more and more expensive. Materials that were once affordable and readily available are typically neither anymore. 

 

  • When it comes to wood, the cost of 1,000 board feet of lumber nearly quadrupled over the course of the pandemic. It’s since dropped, but it’s far above pre-pandemic pricing.
  • The availability of concrete hasn’t changed much, but the demand and suppliers’ ability to move it to the job site has: There are fewer qualified drivers yet more places to deliver it to, causing a rise in price.
  • The cost of steel has been steadily increasing, forcing the price of fabrication and commercial construction to increase accordingly. Some estimates have the increase of steel mill prices as high as 141%. 

 

How To Overcome (or Avoid) These Issues Moving Forward

For many contractors, the time or ability to avoid the supply chain issues caused by the pandemic has passed. However, there are some ways they can avoid the impact these issues can have on their bottom line. 

Job Forecasting

One way to plan for current expenses is to use effective job forecasting methods. By utilizing data compiled from past projects, contractors are able to predict how much a project will cost. While spikes in materials costs do minimize this methods’ effectiveness, the longer the heightened costs occur, the more accurate forecasting will be.

This method requires more than just reviewing old invoices. Utilizing software designed specifically for contractors allows for in-depth analysis of spending, materials costs, labor, and other costs associated with certain projects. The more data collected, the more accurate the report.

Establishing Credit with Multiple Materials Suppliers

A more effective way to mitigate the impact of skyrocketing materials pricing in establishing lines of credit with several suppliers. Many contractors prefer to work with a select few suppliers, but this limits their ability to shop prices and material availability. What the supplier has is what the contractor gets.

While it’s true that many suppliers work off the same supply chain, everyone has a trick or two up their sleeve. Consider a contractor who ordered materials but the job fell through. Potentially, those materials are sitting in one particular yard, which means only one supplier will have access. If a contractor who needs those materials doesn’t regularly deal with that supplier, they may never locate those materials. 

That’s a specific instance, but one that isn’t uncommon. Access to materials often depends on who a contractor knows, which can make establishing accounts with several companies critical. For contractors that worry too many accounts will make accounts payable a nightmare, a solid construction software solution can automate and streamline payments.

Contract Clauses

While no contractor wants to adjust the terms of their contract or back out on a deal, it’s sometimes necessary. Including clauses in a contract that put the onus on the customer might be the best way to protect their bottom line.

For instance, such a clause might state that once a material increases over a certain percentage (which must be established in the contract), the customer will be expected to pay the additional costs. The customer then has the opportunity to sign or pass on the contract. If they sign, the contractor has some reassurance that price increases won’t derail their project or their company’s profit margin.

Hard Times Call for Smarter Measures

Things are tough right now. Though contractors might not be able to take full advantage of the demand for their services, with a few smart moves, they can still grow. The cost of materials may never reach pre-pandemic prices again, but contractors that analyze their established data, diversify their supply chain, and create safer contracts have a better chance of making it through the worst of it. When materials do begin to drop again, they’ll be in the position to fake full advantage and grow. 

Premier construction software is a cloud-based accounting and project management construction software

Check out Premier Construction Software to see if it fits your company’s strategies and goals.  Our construction management and accounting software provide teams with the tools they need to take advantage of these technologies. Schedule a demo by contacting us today.

We’re more than just construction financial software. We’re built to help your business.

Author Biography:

Tom Scalisi has over 15 years of experience working in the trades. Since moving to full-time freelance writing, he has developed a passion for helping construction companies grow. He enjoys teaching contractors how technology can streamline their businesses and educating them about their rights during payment disputes. 

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Tips & Advice Trends & Technology Ultimate Guide

Enhancing Construction Roles With All-in-One Software

Successfully taking a construction project from an idea to a finished product requires the precision of an orchestra conductor. With so many moving parts required to make the job a reality, a single point of reference that everyone can look at to make sure they’re in rhythm. While a conductor’s baton works for the band, all-in-one software does the trick for a construction company.

But, what is all-in-one software, how does it work, and what are its benefits? We’ll discuss those points and how all-in-one construction software enhances the roles of construction personnel in this article.

What is an All-in-One Construction Software Solution?

Construction is somewhat of an old-school industry, though many contractors have adopted business and project management software over the years. These programs take a specific task (or set of tasks) and streamline or automate them for the contractor. The problem is that many contractors use several types of software, and they don’t always play nicely together. All-in-one software solves that very problem.

All-in-one construction software allows contractors to keep all of their most important tasks, documents, plans, and processes under one application. Instead of running three of four different types of software or apps, transferring and updating data, and creating separate spreadsheets to organize it all, an all-in-one software program can handle it all.

In practical use, all-in-one software allows construction personnel to stay organized and updated. For example, when an electronic change order is accepted, the job’s overall budget might change automatically. Or, when sending an electronic RFI, access to the drawings affected will accompany it. And, any change on the project will automatically update job costing reports, making sure that the project is still on course. 

For many contractors, those tasks fall under different software programs or even hard copy filing systems. Some companies aren’t even using software designed specifically for the construction industry, meaning they aren’t benefiting from tailor-made solutions to streamline their business and boost their profits. All-in-one software does it for them. 

How an All-in-One Software Solution Can Enhance Roles

With so many different facets to all-in-one software, the folks filling different job titles within a construction company can all benefit in different ways. The following are some specific examples of how this centralized software can enhance many roles within a business.

Owners/Executive Board

At the highest level, all-in-one construction software is all about information and transparency. For a smaller company, this solution provides the owner with real, hard numbers that they can take to a bank for financing a project or a potential partner looking to buy into the business. With an up-to-date outlook on the company’s current projects, profitability, and even assets, making big moves that will propel the business forward is much easier.

For an executive board, all-in-one software contains everything they need to make important decisions. Current data and job profitability on large projects can be challenging to collect, but with one program managing it all, the job becomes much easier. Should the board need to make important decisions, present information to shareholders, or make a decision regarding the company’s trajectory, the data is at the board members’ fingertips.

Project Management

Project management is a stressful role, and anything a company can do to streamline it for their PMs goes a long way toward enhancing the role. 

Collecting all of the reports a project management team might need under one solution has many benefits. First, since all of the data, values, and documents update automatically, they’re more likely to be looking at the latest, most accurate data. This allows them to make clear decisions in less time with more accuracy.

Also, the project management team can set up customized workflows that will automatically send data and documents to the folks who need to see them. This allows the PM team to shift their focus from distributing and collecting the latest documents and drawings and putting that focus on the job at hand.

Design Professionals

For design professionals, electronic approvals and drawing management can make a huge impact on their workflow. Without all-in-one software, changes in drawings can be challenging. While emailing a document isn’t so difficult, getting a signature required to move forward often requires hand delivery—a workflow annihilator.

With electronic approvals and drawing management, designers can send documents for review and instant approval. Decision-makers can open these documents from any mobile device, review them, and approve or reject them in real-time.

At the same time, RFIs sent to designers for changes in materials or layout are just as easy. The designer can open the request, review the document, pictures, or drawings, and quickly give the okay or offer another solution. This alone helps keep the project on track.  

Finance and Accounting

There is possibly no role in a construction company so inundated with reports and data than the finance and accounting department. These folks are constantly watching the line items, profitability, accounts, and more, and trying to keep them up to date. With all-in-one software, much of that data collection is automatic.

Consider this scenario: A change order occurs and the subcontractor is now submitting a payment application that’s significantly higher than expected. Without all-in-one construction software, this will throw the budget for a loop and leave the accounting staff scrambling to find where the money is going. 

For a team equipped with an all-in-one solution, that change order would have updated the budget automatically. This gives the accounting department the information they need to justify the budget and make decisions moving forward. And, for any decisions requiring approvals, automatic workflows can send these documents and retrieve electronic signatures in real-time.

Field Personnel and Subs

When it comes to building the product that the project owner will actually see, field personnel and subs are the folks for the job. To ensure they’re building exactly what’s expected, up-to-date drawings are an absolute must.

Centralized drawing management offered by an all-in-one solution enables them to instantly check that they’re working from the most updated drawings. Rather than someone driving to the office and grabbing a copy of the latest drawings, these documents are now available on any mobile device.

And, let’s not discount the savings in delays. Confusion, discrepancies, changes, and shortages all have their ways of bringing a project to a standstill. Rather than workers and subs sitting idly, instant RFIs, electronic approvals, and real-time change orders improve communication and keep the project on task. While delays are inevitable, these features lessen their impact and keep the budget intact.

Project Owners

Project owners rarely have access to management software of any kind, however, they do see the benefits. Working with a construction company that uses an all-in-one system means better communication, smarter decision-making, and a feeling of being more involved. Making the project owner part of the workflow or sending documents that require approval helps the owner feel involved, leading to a better overall experience.

The Benefits of an All-in-One Solution Spread Company-Wide

Regardless of the project participants’ role or function, all-in-one software can streamline and simplify their job. Between instant approvals, streamlined organization, and drastically improved communication, these applications can change the way a company runs. And, as a result, increased profitability is a reality.

Check out Premier Construction Software to see if it fits your company’s strategies and goals.  Our construction management and accounting software provide teams with the tools they need to take advantage of these technologies. Schedule a demo by contacting us today.

We’re more than just construction financial software. We’re built to help your business.

Author Biography:

Tom Scalisi has over 15 years of experience working in the trades. Since moving to full-time freelance writing, he has developed a passion for helping construction companies grow. He enjoys teaching contractors how technology can streamline their businesses and educating them about their rights during payment disputes.