In the world of construction and contracts, project success is the key to building customer loyalty and trust — and developing a reputation that will keep new customers seeking your services. In loose terms, the success of a project is defined by how effectively the outlined goals and objectives are met and, of course, if the project can be brought to completion on time and under budget. 

However, managing a successful project comprises a host of other factors, including:

• Meeting deadlines and milestones
• Ensuring the team is satisfied with project outcome
• Receiving and implementing feedback from customers
• Achieving the expectations of quality 

From a project management perspective, it is critically important that milestones are defined and tracked and communication among team members and between teams and stakeholders is established. One of the most efficient and effective ways to ensure all elements are controlled for better collaboration and project success is to use a robust document management system (DMS).

The Need for Clear Documentation in Project Management Success

Documentation is essential for project management success. While teams focus on the next milestone, project managers must have a clear understanding of the entire project scope, including all information associated with each element of project performance. 

Defining Project Documentation

Documentation defines every project specification and deliverable, from initial proposal to final output. It includes keeping clear records of conversations and decision-making processes and formalizing them in documents available to those with proper authority. When documents are created and shared easily, it allows information to be communicated more clearly and allows expectations to be clarified and monitored for better project outcomes.

Examples of typical documentation types include:

• Project proposals or bid documents
• Business requirement documents
• Scopes of work
• Project plans
• Project status reports
• Change logs
• Incident communication plan
• Lessons learned documents
• Project closure reports

In addition, documentation that can be tracked ensures that documents are “living” — that is, they are able to change and adapt to the changing parameters of the project and progress. 

Using Document Management to Increase Project Success

Project management is simpler and more effective with the help of document management strategies. Document management software is simple to install and use and provides a host of efficiencies for managers, such as:

• Providing a centralized location for all project data.
• Connecting teams in the office with those in the field for faster responses to problems and project changes.
• Compliance with data privacy and protection regulations as well as any industry or IT policies.
• Allowing key data from critical business systems to be exchanged on-the-fly, making it simpler to course-correct project activities on a real-time basis.

DMS makes data transparent for those who need it most, improving communications among teams and helping to keep people safer and projects on time. It eliminates error-prone manual communications to bolster project success and reduce the possibility of miscommunications. And a DMS system can be custom-crafted to fit the individual needs of your business, allowing you to connect all project workflows seamlessly and better manage compliance, job costs, and even financial data for better project success. 

Check Out Blue Technologies’ Customizable Document Management Solutions

At Blue Technologies, we understand that one size does not fit all. As a construction business or contractor, you have unique customers, projects, and business needs and goals. Our team of document management specialists can assess your current infrastructure and environment and create a DMS that perfectly enhances the way your company does business.

Because documents play a significant role in the outcome of any project, our solutions are designed to make sharing, editing, archiving, and controlling every document simple, easy, and effective. We provide access controls so you can monitor who can see, edit, or share your documents along with a strong versioning system that prevents accidental overwrites or document loss. And, we ensure your data are safe, secure, and compliant with any necessary regulations for ultimate peace of mind.

Start increasing project success and employee and customer satisfaction by increasing your project management capabilities. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant and explore how our document management solutions can help your team stay organized, efficient, and successful.