In our previous blog, we discussed the benefits construction firms could enjoy if they embraced everything the Cloud has to offer, with particular focus on saving time and money. These specific aspects play a much larger role – alongside quality – in a concept known to project managers as the ‘Iron Triangle’.
In theory, the Iron Triangle insinuates that individuals must choose between only two attainable elements: either high quality, low cost, or done quickly. This is especially pertinent in construction when many projects are held to these standards, causing friction between contractors and clients when the notion isn’t understood. Should the construction industry embrace Cloud technology, there’s no reason this status quo couldn’t change for the better – here’s how:
Breaking the Triangle Down
With the advent of the Cloud, project managers have witnessed the possibilities available to them – possibilities that put an end to the Iron Triangle’s rule. But to understand how this is achievable with Cloud technology, it’s first important to understand the limitations the Iron Triangle places on businesses.
In essence, the choice organisations are given is between paying more (quick and high quality), risking low quality (cheap and fast), or acknowledging that their work takes a lower priority (low cost and high quality). Why, though, should customers have to choose between these rigid decisions? According to some, it’s all down to the competing nature of the time/cost/quality aspects of the triangle – separate aspects which weigh down a project’s potential significantly.
How the Cloud Helps
Returning to the aforementioned ‘possibilities’, it’s important to acknowledge the Cloud’s potential for undermining the Iron Triangle. The Cloud’s ability to bring different software and systems together to work in harmony through PaaS (Platform as a Service) places project managers in the perfect position to remedy the Iron Triangle’s attempts to keep distance between time, money and quality.
PaaS provides users with access to software and hardware hosted on the provider’s infrastructure and incorporates a proven method for bringing disparate software and systems together through common interfaces, faster development of custom features, and automatic data transfers.
In essence, the Cloud is removing the barriers put in place by the triangle’s expectations of a project.
Bringing Together What Was Apart
This seamless combining of tools has proven itself to be the Iron Triangle’s undoing; where once the conflicting aspects kept project managers from achieving quick, high quality, low cost work, there is now the opportunity to manage all areas at once.
Bringing together data such as plans, bids, hours, milestones, contractors etc. into one cohesive environment provides construction firms with the opportunity to have total control over a project, freeing up massive amounts of time and money and pushing the boundaries of efficiency further than ever before. The result is that they and their clients no longer have to choose between being a priority and paying an affordable rate, or having a high quality project delivered efficiently at low cost.
By adopting the Cloud, construction firms stand to gain freedom from one of the most pressing challenges of project management, allowing for them to revolutionise their output with increased efficiency and more resources to hand. But how do they begin this adoption process?
In the final blog in this series, we’ll be exploring the first steps construction firms need to take in order to make the most of the Cloud. In the meantime, feel free to find out more about Kaleida’s own Cloud services over on our website or get in touch for more information.