In the past three years I’ve been witnessing the processes and tools used for documentation in some of the most expensive projects in our society. Multi-million-dollar-projects. I’ve come to realise that I’m generally too optimistic about other peoples’ businesses. I mean, if your business is building large vessels or factories, you’d expect a slick, modern digital tool-chain for the quality assurance and inspection work. Ensuring that documentation is rich, structured, tamper-proof, visual and available at all times. In case of damage investigation you might need to check the wiring inside a wall or if the insulation layers were installed properly. You have to have accessible data. Even worse, if a subcontractor is injured on scaffolding, you have the documentation readily available from a rich and reliable source.
On-site data collection and documentation is in disarray. It’s been it for years. It has to stop.
Too often I’ve been disappointed to learn that tonnes of disconnected spreadsheets, paper forms, folders and emails with photos are ubiquitous in all these cases. Because going rogue on data handling is the handy fallback solution when overly complex or outdated software fails. But it’s a mess. On-site data collection and documentation is in disarray. It’s been it for years. It has to stop.
Why is it that we can easily manage the documentation of last Christmas while we cannot manage the documentation for some of the largest investments in our society?
Sometimes technology advances happen so smoothly and fast in our personal lives that we barely notice the disruption. Attention to this kind of change does surface occasionally when we amuse ourselves by telling the kids that back in the day, phones were wired to the wall and had no video games. Then we go on to wonder “is a phone still a phone” and then back to reality, forgetting all about this wild transformation.
What actually happened was that the pen and paper based processes were moved to a shinier surface
Then look at construction sites, buildings being built, factory maintenance and all kinds of audits. Admittedly, in many places the old paper checklists and survey forms have been replaced with software. It was “digitized”. However, what actually happened was that the pen and paper based processes were moved to a shinier surface without considering how technology has fundamentally changed how we deal with almost everything else.
The amazing computer in our pockets
Yet, here we are; one paper form after another is “digitized” not giving much thought to the amazing computer in our pockets. A very personal computer that would have instantly put my 80s-geeky-self into “waiting-for-2020” hibernation.
Focussing on the disruption it’s clear to everyone what changed.
Nowadays, most people carry a decent, if not amazing, camera at all times. On top of that a processor that’s 1000s of times faster than the home computers we had in the 80s – and it’s connected to the internet at all times! The list of other embedded technological marvels is long: GPS, compass, AI, AR capabilities and high quality sound recording just to name a few.
Documenting projects in the field should be efficient, creative and exciting in a world with this kind of technology
Documenting projects in the field should be effective, fun and fast in a world with this kind of technology. Looking to the future and not the past, to rainy days littered with paperforms and regular cheating using three different pens to appear like checkmarks in the form were added days apart (sad but true story).
All of the above are the reasons we decided to build Captego. We want to compete not only with solutions that move forms from paper to screens, we want to provide an incredibly efficient replacement for the current process of taking photos using your phone which are then later laboriously copied into reports at the office or home. Any “practical photo” can be handled automatically – and it should be happening now!
In 2021 you can easily do all of this. You just need the right solution.
By utilizing modern technology it is possible to eliminate 100% of the manual work currently involved in time consuming data processing required after the physical data collection has occurred. Safely storing and sharing data, automatically creating customer reports, getting factual project data to a Business Intelligence solution which will provide vital insights for broader strategic thinking. To make smarter decisions based on organised data. When you’re part of a team collaborating on a project, it shouldn’t be a hassle co-ordinating and collating data – but just “another day in the office”. In 2021 technology can easily do all of this. You just need the right solution.
Call us or book a demo to see what a modern inspection and surveying platform looks like.
Captego transforms how visual inspection work and reporting is done by turning your phone into an intelligent camera. Fast, easy and almost magical.