No contractor wants to make a mistake at a construction site. An inaccurate measurement, the wrong material, or poor communication can wreak havoc on a project’s schedule, with even the slightest of errors leading to long-term delays. That’s not to mention the dangers construction mistakes can pose, placing the physical safety of workers or passersby at risk.
When a construction mistake occurs, panic is exactly the wrong reaction. Leaders on the project should be prepared to quickly and thoroughly resolve the situation, document all the facts, and move forward with a plan of action. The construction project management process used to resolve the problem can be just as important as the repair itself.
Here are 3 key tips to keep in mind when managing construction mistakes:
1. Own your mistake
If you or your company has made a mistake on- or off-site, it’s crucial to acknowledge the error as quickly as possible. The way you resolve the situation can have a significant effect on your professional reputation. This can be as simple as addressing a late delivery, or as complicated as determining which contractor contributed to a poor-quality element of the project. No matter the situation, owning the problem demonstrates a commitment to making things right without unnecessary and unprofessional drama.
Fluix can help teams quickly address construction project management mistakes. Smart PDF templates, offline capabilities, and comprehensive on-site data collection make it possible to conduct field inspections and streamline communication between site teams. Should a mistake occur, Fluix enables construction companies to communicate and correct the problem with speed and agility.
2. Fully document and communicate mistakes
As soon as a mistake has been identified, thorough documentation must be collected for accurate record-keeping and to keep stakeholders informed of the situation. Photos, videos, notes, and key measurements should fully capture the issue that needs to be addressed.
Accurately accounting for the mistake through comprehensive construction document management can point the way forward, save your company from future disputes, and serve as a learning example for crew members. Once you’ve fully documented the mistake, sharing the information with all relevant parties, from the office to the field, is essential to owning the problem, and developing a solution.
Advanced construction project management software makes documenting construction mistakes simple. Fully integrated with popular cloud storage services, and with a built-in document repository, Fluix’s intuitive interface allows users to quickly conduct and document inspections and share the information with all necessary parties. Automated workflows can ensure that communications about complex projects spanning multiple teams can be delivered without unnecessary friction.
3. Repair and reassess
Once the mistake has been acknowledged and documented, it’s not enough to simply get the problem fixed and move on. Repairing the problem itself may be the most pressing immediate concern, but it’s just as important to understand what caused the mistake and what can be done to prevent similar problems in the future.
You’ve already owned and fully documented the mistake. That helps clear a path to a positive future outcome. Using the information at hand, take time to find the gap or bottleneck in the construction process that might have led to the mistake. Collecting field data in real time is extremely helpful in providing visibility into those bottlenecks or hidden processes. Whether the cause was a miscommunication with a contractor, a skipped item on an inspection checklist, or an inaccurate measurement, having access to all the correct information will help determine the best future course of action.
Fluix can play a key role in understanding how to prevent problems. Through collected field data, digitized inspection checklists, collected daily reports, electronic signatures, controlled approval processes, and insights into field member performance, construction companies can ensure that field members have the tools to avoid mistakes in the first place. Taking advantage of Fluix’s mobile solutions can make construction sites more efficient, intelligent, and safe.
