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Project Management
If the site chosen is raw land and a building is to be built, high tech comes to the low-tech construction part of the project with FirstLine from Collaborative Structures.

FirstLine 2.2 is a Web-based project management system that can be used with a browser. What it does is connect all participants in a project so documents can be shared online.

Field managers, project managers, architects, vendors, builders, consultants, accountants and anyone else authorized can go online at any time to access schedules, e-mail messages, blueprints, CAD drawings, photos, RFIs - virtually any documentation related to the project. Any number of users can be part of the project and can be added at any time.

John Macomber, CEO of Collaborative, says 20 percent of the time spent on construction projects is wasted on waiting for information. If true, FirstLine can be a worthwhile time-saver. It raises the level of accountability as well. Once entered, documents cannot be altered. Nor can documents be misplaced, say, under a pile of stuff on the field manager's desk. If a user can't remember the location of a document in FirstLine, he need only perform a keyword search.

An additional benefit is building a spirit of cooperation among participants in the project. Sometimes the various roles involved develop an adversarial relationship, but training a team in the use of FirstLine helps overcome this tendency. Training is handled on site and by online sessions.

A non-interactive test drive of the program is available at www.costructures.com. Here one learns that the project's home page may be user-designed. (Multiple projects can be accessed from a single log-on in the latest version.) The next page in the demo shows "My Pending," a user's personal mailbox with links to all documents. "All Pending" tracks outstanding items for the project and will sort by requestor and assignee.

Project files contain all project documents. Online forms and attachments are illustrated next in the demo. The user can, of course, control the level of security for documents. An interactive demo also is available, scheduled through the sales department at the same website.

Pricing is based on size of project.
ViaNovus has introduced a 5.0 version of the PARAGON Construction Program Management SystemŪ. It organizes things visually in the form of a notebook containing dividers and tabs for correspondence, reports, cost and so on. From there, one drills down to specific items. The latest CD-ROM version is better integrated with Microsoft Project than previous releases, and, in the first quarter 2000, will be available on the Web.

ViaNovus offers the PARAGON Program Management System with emphasis on Budget and Risk Analysis

The program emphasis is more on budget and risk management. It is geared more to the owner rather than the contractor side. Eighty standardized reports are included and any number of customized reports can be created. Project budgeting, funding management and forecast management are primary modules in the program.

Darrell Garrett, vice president of technology, says that PARAGON is used in construction projects around the world with a combined worth of $50 billion. The typical client uses it for projects in the $500 million to $750 million range, but the San Francisco Airport is using it for a $2.5 billion project. Other clients include the Department of Veteran Affairs, Continental Airlines and the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee.

Price is $5,000 per license and covers two days of on-site training, and one or two days of implementation.

To test drive PARAGON, go to www. ViaNovus.com. You'll need Webex or Net Meeting to test the product. For assistance, call (510) 337-1930.

After a project is completed, additional software may help manage the facility. Specialized programs such as SLIM32 Lease Administration/Asset Management from the National Facilities Group aid the corporate real estate administrator in managing a company's portfolio. For samples, see www.nfgslim.com. Other specialized programs enable facility managers to keep on top of energy use, an increasingly important function with electricity deregulation making headway. For a tour of the possibilities in this area, visit Illinova at www.eqnetwork.com.