Legal disputes are on the rise as poor information management impacts the AEC industry. Find out more by downloading Ideagen Mail Manager's 2023 State of AEC Project Management Report!
The report by Ideagen Mail Manager, the leading email management software for project-based businesses developed by Arup, surveyed 550+ business leaders in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. The research aims to discover the project management and collaboration challenges facing businesses globally, exploring how firms manage their project information, and more.
What did the report uncover?
The research clearly highlights that disputes are continuing to disrupt AEC businesses
and projects, but less than half of respondents file important information to central
locations, leaving information accessibility and visibility a major challenge. This is
particularly poignant with good document management and records management
being key to dispute resolution or litigation success.
Most respondents have experienced some form of dispute in the last 12-months, with
a huge spike across the industry compared to this time last year. Unfortunately, it
has become increasingly clear that despite this increase in disputes, we haven’t seen
an improvement in the management of information and, therefore, the ability to protect themselves in court.
Email remains easily the most used project correspondence tool. However, the
research finds that many AEC organisations still struggle to access the information they need, when they need it. The retrieval of project information is a major challenge, and
firms are still failing to ensure that they are properly managed when employees leave
the business.
"There have been a number of significant changes in not only the AEC industry, but the world in the last 12 months. The global economy is facing difficult trading conditions, project disputes are on the rise and supply chain challenges have meant that firms are needing to work more efficiently. This is clearly reflected in the AEC industry’s evolving priorities, with respondents indicating a real need for internal and external collaboration tools.
Our research has indicated that while firms strive to collaborate, they are disadvantaging themselves as most project correspondence remains in email inboxes. This makes it increasingly difficult for firms to locate and retrieve project information when they need it, which is concerning when looking at the latest regulations, particularly The Building Safety Act 2022 which stipulates all project information must be easily accessible. Information management must remain at the forefront of our minds in the industry." - Stuart Rowe, SVP Collaboration Strategy, Ideagen
Download the full research report today to learn what has been impacting the global AEC industry, and how you can protect yourself in 2023.
