Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2007 - (Page 10)

TECHNOLOGY Mapping Process the Development Technology provides multiple options for communicating among development team stakeholders and keeping projects on track. By Steve Gaze Architects, builders, engineers, planners, and surveyors are used to hearing claims by software and technology providers that the new latest and greatest version of their product will be the timesaving innovation of the decade. However, there has not been much technology designed for the developer outside of financial spreadsheets – until now. Perhaps the most difficult component of the land development process is keeping the project moving forward and communicating the status of the various tasks involved in a project. Without widespread communication to the various professionals involved in the process, keeping a project on schedule is difficult. To a developer – time wasted due to scheduling inefficiencies - adds expensive carrying costs and eats into profit margins. Part of the difficulty in tackling the automation of the development process with technology is that virtually every project is unique and unlike another. Fortunately, a product called Process Mapper has been developed by Eagle Point™ that allows easy customization and is also adaptable for simple communication to the varied participants in a project, regardless if it is the designer (architect/engineer), developer, or contractor. The Process Mapper application is used to define projects and operational processes in a graphical environment. The dependency charts of the processes can be developed to the step level, where detailed instructions and ties to technology tools are made. 10 October 2007 Sustainable Land Development Today Defining an Organized Process In developing a technology solution for the developer, Eagle Point first defined the typical development project workflow and operational processes into four stages: Ad-hoc, Defined, Managed or Optimized. These stages indicate the effectiveness and efficiency of various key production and support processes. At an Ad-hoc stage, processes are not defined and most people are unaware of the standard procedures used to complete the work. Success in these organizations depends on the competence of the people in the organization and not on the use of proven processes. In spite of this ad-hoc, chaotic environment, organizations often produce products and services that work; however, they frequently exceed the budget and schedule of their projects. Additionally, output rates vary among people performing similar roles, and the deliverables lack consistency and may suffer from quality issues. Organizations with ad-hoc processes are characterized by a tendency to over commit, abandon processes in the time of crisis, and are unable to repeat their past successes consistently. Additionally, it is difficult to incorporate new employees effectively into the organization. Figure 1

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2007

Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2007 Contents Our Voice Your Voice Editorial Board Mapping the Development Process Looking at a New Dimension The Environmental Liability Continuum GPS System Makes the Grade Regulations: Reactions Mixed Trends: Communications Easements Business Management: Recycling Sustainable Practices: LEED-ND Energy: Community Propane Systems Transportation: Mountain Solutions Recommended Reading Calendar Products/Services Showcase Classifieds Advertiser Index The Last Word

Sustainable Land Development Today - October 2007

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