need advice: would you use this?

[bitt3n]

I am a software developer looking for advice from builders on a web tool I have developed that may be useful to construction companies.

This tool allows the builder to take a picture of a project with his cell phone and send the picture and a short message from the phone to a website where it would be posted on his web page.

The builder's client then views this web page whenever he wishes, and can comment on this picture and previous pictures (asking questions or making requests), and these comments will be instantly forwarded to the builder's phone as text messages.

The web page would show the series of pictures that the builder posted during the lifespan of the project.

The purposes of this tool would be:

1) To ensure that the builder and the client are always on the same page and therefore that the client cannot claim he was expecting X when the builder did Y.

2) To maintain a clear document of the project so there can be no disagreement about the amount and type of work performed, and the client's awareness of same.

3) To ensure that if the client wants a change, the change can be made before it requires major reworking of the project.

4) To keep the client informed of the progress of the project, both so he is happy himself, and so he isn't constantly coming around to bother the builder and interfere with his work, or calling him and asking questions that can easily be answered in a few seconds with a picture.


My questions are:

1) Would this be useful to you? Would people in construction in general find this useful?
2) Is there anything you would do differently or anything I do not understand well?


The picture-messaging system works now, and I could have a version specifically designed for the uses I described in about a week if I see that there is interest in experimenting with it.

Thanks for your help.

[Cole]

I think it is a great idea for long distance clients and what I mean by that is clients that are out of state, etc..

Do you have a mock up of the site yet?

I am very interested in this so please keep me updated.

Cole


I am a software developer looking for advice from builders on a web tool I have developed that may be useful to construction companies.

This tool allows the builder to take a picture of a project with his cell phone and send the picture and a short message from the phone to a website where it would be posted on his web page.

The builder's client then views this web page whenever he wishes, and can comment on this picture and previous pictures (asking questions or making requests), and these comments will be instantly forwarded to the builder's phone as text messages.

The web page would show the series of pictures that the builder posted during the lifespan of the project.

The purposes of this tool would be:

1) To ensure that the builder and the client are always on the same page and therefore that the client cannot claim he was expecting X when the builder did Y.

2) To maintain a clear document of the project so there can be no disagreement about the amount and type of work performed, and the client's awareness of same.

3) To ensure that if the client wants a change, the change can be made before it requires major reworking of the project.

4) To keep the client informed of the progress of the project, both so he is happy himself, and so he isn't constantly coming around to bother the builder and interfere with his work, or calling him and asking questions that can easily be answered in a few seconds with a picture.


My questions are:

1) Would this be useful to you? Would people in construction in general find this useful?
2) Is there anything you would do differently or anything I do not understand well?


The picture-messaging system works now, and I could have a version specifically designed for the uses I described in about a week if I see that there is interest in experimenting with it.

Thanks for your help.

[David]

OK, I'll bite!

The purposes of this tool would be:

1) To ensure that the builder and the client are always on the same page and therefore that the client cannot claim he was expecting X when the builder did Y.

I don't think the tool will alleviate 100% of "I was expecting...." feelings. It may help, though!


2) To maintain a clear document of the project so there can be no disagreement about the amount and type of work performed, and the client's awareness of same.

Not sure this is much different than numero uno.


3) To ensure that if the client wants a change, the change can be made before it requires major reworking of the project.

Ah, a change-order. Change orders will often require a deposit and fee. Many medium to large builders have an existing c/o system. Smaller ones have c/o methods, but not so much a system. I'd say this piece of functionality would be most used by the smaller builders.


4) To keep the client informed of the progress of the project, both so he is happy himself, and so he isn't constantly coming around to bother the builder and interfere with his work, or calling him and asking questions that can easily be answered in a few seconds with a picture.

My guess is that builders would prefer fewer pictures for liability reasons. Past that, however, this would be a great system. Now to get a camera phone. And after that, how does #4 differntiate from just emailing the picture to said client?


1) Would this be useful to you? Would people in construction in general find this useful?

Hey, I'm not a builder. But as someone who recently bought a house from a builder, I would have appreciated the builder just taking a freaking picture. I should be happy he knows how to use a fax machine.


2) Is there anything you would do differently or anything I do not understand well?

#1 - Discussing issues does not mean a resolution was agreed upon or completed. I'd suggest you adding a ticket/issue system that the buyer could use to open a formal request for an issue. I am not referring to a change order system - just a method for the buyer saying "Bulder needs to frame the 2nd door for a jack-and-jill b/r." Then, builder can go onto system, set status to "completed, awaiting client approval." Then client gets an email saying "issue X has been modified - needs signoff." Then client goes to website, looks at photos, and marks the issue as "resolved/completed - approved by client."

#2 - How does builder update house at 1111 Pine Rd, and then go update house at 2222 Maple Rd?

#3 - People like stats/metrics. Keep status under images/issues with "issue has been open for X days X hours" and issue has been "unmodified for X days."

#4 - Allow the builder to select a style (CSS) for each client. It may help to personalize the experience.

#5 - Do you provide the hosting for the app? Will builders and clients need to log in?

I'm in IT, too.

[bitt3n]

Do you have a mock up of the site yet?
The picture messaging is operational and I should have a working prototype within a week. I will definitely keep you posted.

I'd suggest you adding a ticket/issue system that the buyer could use to open a formal request for an issue. I am not referring to a change order system - just a method for the buyer saying "Bulder needs to frame the 2nd door for a jack-and-jill b/r." Then, builder can go onto system, set status to "completed, awaiting client approval." Then client gets an email saying "issue X has been modified - needs signoff." Then client goes to website, looks at photos, and marks the issue as "resolved/completed - approved by client."
interesting.. that would take a bit more elbow grease but it makes sense. let me finish the first version and then I can look into adding this type of functionality.


#2 - How does builder update house at 1111 Pine Rd, and then go update house at 2222 Maple Rd?
there will definitely be some way to separate pictures by project. for example you could email 1111pine@site.com or 2222maple@site.com to post your picture to the right project.


#3 - People like stats/metrics. Keep status under images/issues with "issue has been open for X days X hours" and issue has been "unmodified for X days."

I'll bundle that with #1 -- probably won't get into the first version although all pictures and comments are themseleves timestamped.


#4 - Allow the builder to select a style (CSS) for each client. It may help to personalize the experience.

also interesting.. I imagine it would need some sort of blogger.com template style interface so that people didn't have to learn CSS if they don't know it already.


#5 - Do you provide the hosting for the app? Will builders and clients need to log in?

I am envisioning a centrally hosting the system so that the contractor doesn't have to install/maintain it and the cost is low. Builders/clients would have to log in to view projects and leave messages.

I had another idea about a way this system could work that I wanted to ask about also. Let's say someone runs a large construction company doing many projects, and this person himself wants to keep close track of the progress on all of the projects at once. Would it be useful to have this info on a single web page displayed via google-type interface that shows as a 'search result' each project manager's latest report along with the last photo taken of his project?

The business owner could then click on any result to see all the pictures taken by that project manager in order, and comment on any picture. He could then visit projects he identifies via the system as having complications. Does this idea have merit or is it perhaps too simplistic?

I could design the system to offer both possibilities if they are both viable. My current system already uses a similar google-style interface so it should not be hard to make the necessary changes to do what I describe above.

Thanks again for all of your help and I will keep you updated.

[David]

I would guess the larger companies most likely use MS Project to track progress.

For determining which project is having complications, a business owner or construction manager should have a grasp on this from daily conversations with his construction supervisors. Pictures on a website may or may not be helpful, but they should not be the indicator to the manager that a site is having complications.

[David]

Here's something to chomp on...

If you really want to be on the cusp of technology, get ready for digital cameras with Wi-Fi. This allows the camera to upload the picture to a laptop automatically. A client program on the laptop could post to a web server (similar to a sync of a client folder and ftp folder), either automatically or manually.

Currently some very expensive digital SLRs have WiFi in them. We'll soon see regular SLRs with it, then high end point-and-shoot cameras, and eventually run-of-the-mill point-and-shoot cameras.

[Cole]

Any news on this?