At Newmetrix, we’re obsessed with the concept of “integration.”
From a dictionary standpoint, that means “the combining of parts or elements into a whole.”
From a practical standpoint, that means the very real synergy that happens when teams and data are all connected.
In the famously tech-averse AEC industry, any progress is often still held back by the lack of data freedom, an idea I’ve talked about before. It’s championed by industry leaders who argue a company’s industrial data - and the processes behind it – must be centralized to one single, up-to-date “version of reality,” and able to adapt across different systems and devices. That kind of flexibility isn’t just a big productivity boost in the present; it’s a critical step to prepare for the uncertain, constantly-changing workplace of tomorrow.
The best argument for data freedom is the very real, day-to-day effects of not having it: who wants to face a huge learning curve when their old system becomes outdated, or exchange emails over a blueprint for days to find out there was a newer version buried in someone else’s inbox? Those frustrations are driving more and more construction firms to make choices in the direction data freedom. But on the other hand, they face time constraints and the realities of rolling out a big change.
That’s why “meet your data where it’s at” has become our unofficial mantra. Our automated integrations with BIM 360, Egnyte, and Procore all take 90 seconds or less to set up, and add value to how and where clients already work: no uploading, new process, or special equipment required. And we’re seeing the results.
Our latest success story is Stiles Construction, a Florida company with over 43 million square feet of development under its belt. Stiles’ Director of VDC Kris Lengieza had seen issues at both the project and company levels stemming from Stiles’ media management process. Field pictures and videos were often stuck in siloes across many folders and devices, sending safety, Ops, and IT teams on hectic manual searches for content. Although Kris explored solutions, he was conflicted about burdening employees with “yet another” tech tool. When he discovered Newmetrix’s integration capacity, it went from a nice idea to a must-have extension of Stiles’ existing Procore infrastructure. Kris loved the idea of a solution that worked without any special rollout or training; as he puts it, “Newmetrix plugged into Procore, and the tags just started appearing.”
Integrating with Newmetrix has helped Stiles employees’ work with media better than ever before. To learn more about how Kris and his team made us work for them, check out our brand-new Stiles Construction case study here.
You can also watch a fun interview from Procore’s Groundbreak ’17 -- featuring Kris himself -- on media from the field and the importance of an “integrated lifestyle” right here:
