For those of us fortunate enough to work with technology in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, it can be challenging to understand where to start your journey into innovation. From the behemoths of the industry to smaller startups, technology professionals in our industry are regularly inundated with new tools and emerging technologies. How do we choose what technology to pursue? What is the process for selecting technology that fits into a particular organization? A hard look inward at existing practices and workflows is a solid first step. Let’s use project photo documentation as a use case.
By testing new processes, technologies, tools and workflows regularly, we strive to do every task to the best of our abilities and work to do everything we can to deliver the best end result to clients. Instead we look for lower hanging fruit to kick off our journey into technology adoption. By looking at ways to improve existing workflows, as opposed to creating brand new ones, the process of implementing technology within an organization can be dramatically simplified and we can begin cultivating a culture of innovation.
Project photo documentation provides a level of accountability, communication and transparency for a project, while also minimizing risk. When photographic documentation is performed in a consistent and detailed manner, these benefits contribute to a successful project by tracking progress and aiding in dispute resolution, among others. That is because occasionally, we miss things… How often do we revisit photo captures to verify conditions for prior states of project completion, only to find out that the area in question is juuuuust out of frame? Or waste time combing through albums trying to find a specific image of specific detail in a specific space at a specific time? This process is time consuming and poised to be reimagined into a much more effective, robust and user-friendly exercise.
Introducing 360 degree cameras and images into the photo documentation process can be a straightforward transition into a better way to perform documentation. The only true requirement is to purchase a suitable camera. Once acquired, the time required to capture an entire area is dramatically reduced. Currently, photo documentation is typically captured using mobile devices. This is simply an inefficient methodology. For example, using an iPhone 15’s ultra wide 120 degree field of view camera requires a minimum of 4 perfectly framed images to capture the entire space: three images for a full 360 degrees around the person capturing the images, and one additional image to capture the ceiling. Using a 360 degree camera has the ability to reduce that process to a single photo. This type of camera has the capability to capture one image to act as a one source of truth about a specific space at a specific time. By reducing the time it takes to capture an area, less time is required to document an entire project site. This simplification produces a massive increase in project efficiency through the 4x decrease in time taken to complete photo documentation of a project.
The addition of new hardware can act as a launching pad for additional tools and technologies. Built on the use of 360 degree photos captured throughout the project, teams can map the images onto floor plans that help organize the captures, track progress and define where in-wall objects are installed. This has been demonstrated to be valuable for resolving potential issues into the future. Technology service providers such as DroneDeploy Ground (formerly StructionSite) and Holobuilder (now a Faro Technologies Company) make the process accessible and user-friendly, while also offering end deliverables, such as PDF files with mapped images hyperlinked for downstream use in facilities management and maintenance.
In closing, when looking for opportunities to enhance a team’s ability to deliver a better end-product, it’s very easy to become enamored with the latest bleeding edge technologies in search of a tool that will make an immediate and positive impact. Many tools typically come with a high barrier of entry from the perspective of both cost and changes in process, making gaining sufficient buy-in a challenge. Focusing on existing processes that are poised for improvement, like standard construction photo documentation, helps move our teams towards the ultimate goal of completing the best project possible. Simultaneously, by integrating new tools and workflows into project teams regularly, we can continuously raise the standard for our organizations and the industry as a whole.
This article is written by: Matt Krebs, CM-BIM, Virtual Design & Construction Technology Manager, INTECH Construction, LLC
