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halcrow / jacksonville port authority collaboration system

Business Collaborator's (BC's) web-based collaboration service was implemented to support delivery of a multi-million dollar project run by Halcrow's US-arm of the multidisciplinary engineering consultancy group. Completed in just 21 months, it led to the successful launch of Jacksonville Port Authority's (JAXPORT) newest container terminal.

JAXPORT's Dames Point Container Terminal is now open for business and accommodates vessels of Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines, the world's largest bulk carrier fleet operator.

Background
Having tracked documents on smaller projects using less sophisticated software, the scope of the JAXPORT contract - across a 160 acre site involving two prime contactors and up to twenty sub-contractors - prompted project manager Paul Starr to question this approach.

He said

“I was concerned that a project of this size would overtax our basic system of document control and potentially overwhelm staff ”

Halcrow's biggest process on the JAXPORT project was the management of contractors' requests for clarification (CRCs) and technical submittals. Any delay in dealing with them would prove costly, and using a manually driven system there would be no easy way to assess what was outstanding on a daily basis, or to build a reliable audit trail. Furthermore, tracking of documents would be prone to human error.

Without direct experience of any software alternative, Dr Starr deferred to Halcrow in the UK, a long-time enterprise user of BC's system, branded for Halcrow as Collaborate.MS. At Halcrow UK the software's roll-out across the Group is managed by a central applications unit, although its actual adoption is left to the discretion of individual project teams.

The Approach
Consultancy was the key. BC consultant Matt Pell recalled:

“We began the process in October 2006. A series of web conferences and briefing questions led to a clearer understanding of specific drivers behind the JAXPORT project and collaboration issues Halcrow had experienced previously. This enabled us to advise process improvements and look at what functionality modifications would be needed to configure the system to their needs. ”

An initial configuration of BC's system was set up, and fine tuned to Halcrow project methodology during a site visit by Pell to Jacksonville.

In replicating JaxPort processes in the system, BC was able to demonstrate clear improvements gained in moving from an offline to an online document tracking system.

Pell said:

“We configured BC to track all CRCs and submittals and provide vital visibility to the project manager as well as enabling him to distribute CRCs and submittals for response. ”

Dr Starr added:

“BC's system delivers a level of traceability that was essential to the management of such a large volume of documents. Using it ensured that all CRCs and submittals were answered quickly and accurately, and within appropriate time frames. The system enabled us to maintain a central audit trail and check outstanding CRCs and submittals meaning we were able to keep track of everything and see who'd responded to what and when. The high degree of visibility avoided damaging project hold-ups.

The ability to track documents in one place also meant we saved postage costs and potential mailing delays in dealing with contractors from across the country. ”

For Halcrow's document controller Herman Floyd, BC's system proved to be invaluable given the number of documents that passed through the field office on a daily basis.

“As a newcomer to the system, I had no idea at the outset how BC's system would work out, but its performance was outstanding ”

In summing up Halcrow's Business Collaborator experience, Paul Starr stressed how the system had enabled him and the document controller to ensure "nothing slipped through the cracks."

Management Issues
The move at Halcrow to BC's online collaboration system was made easier by replicating their client's existing processes. It provided a degree of familiarity so that they were able to pick it up quickly whilst also showing consistency with JAXPORT's expectations. This encouraged adoption by those with a non-technical background.

Says Pell:

“Clearly user buy-in was crucial to the success of adopting BC's system, so it was important to reassure them about its benefits and build their confidence in its use. Training was therefore tailored to the way the system had been set-up for Halcrow and was focused on key individuals who could champion the new system. ”

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