No Such Thing As “Easy”
The words “project” and “complex” routinely go hand-in-hand. Rarely does a project come along that doesn’t involve complicated strategies requiring multiple points of contact, extensive communication and expertise across several disciplines. In today’s new economy, confusion and miscommunication are enemies of production and efficiency, making it vital for project managers to find optimal means of following a project through completion with a minimum of wasted resources.
Benefits of Engineering Services
When designing a project, engineering service firms are becoming more and more visible as a means of streamlining design flow and ensuring that all facets of design are included from groundbreaking to commissioning. Also, engineering services can better customize project options in a manner that can reduce overall costs, creating a win-win situation that is mutually beneficial to all partners.
For example, a hospital looking to install a new air-handling system may retain a design firm to create the end result. However, by using a design firm with engineering services, the needs of the hospital and the capabilities of the existing structure can be examined to generate a list of available options based on function and cost. The hospital may end up choosing an engineering-based design that may cost more to deliver but will result in increased cost savings over the life of the building.
It’s About Relationships
This is just one example of how engineering services can match individualized solutions to client needs. All aspects of construction and engineering can be evaluated during project planning to make sure the best solutions are implemented. In addition, having all engineering disciplines under one roof allows for a project to become extraordinarily efficient, since lines of communication have already been established and capabilities are already known. Attempting to have separate engineering disciplines communicate their needs, updates and progress along the timeline of the project can often lead to challenges that ultimately slow production and result in missed deadlines.
A Better Outcome
Firms providing engineering services offer a more efficient means of getting to project completion on time and under budget. It is by no means the only route to project completion, but its benefits cannot be ignored. The needs of the customer and any existing engineering challenges require a multidisciplinary approach that can easily become bogged down in the absence of existing relationships. The skill sets and existing lines of communication that come with an engineering services firm improve project flow many times over, creating the ideal outcome for both the client and the engineering firm.