Construction sites are full of risks, and completing a construction job on time and under budget can be challenging. With so many different teams and tasks in play, everything has to match up to bring the project to completion — and a small problem can quickly snowball into a big one.

That's why more construction companies are embracing data analytics. Connected construction harnesses the power of data science to streamline workflows and coordinate activities across disparate teams. Connected analytics makes sure that everyone has the information they need when they need it. From design to engineering to construction, connected analytics can facilitate communication and collaboration, help you make better decisions, mitigate risks, and reduce costs.

1) Reduce Costs and Conflicts

A connected analytics approach to managing construction projects means bringing an automated data management system into play, and that can cut down on miscommunication or data loss as a project moves from one stage of development to the next or gets distributed across teams. Information should be easily accessible across teams, centralized in one location, with any updates synchronized throughout the system in real time.

With access to up-to-date information, all stakeholders can work in confidence, knowing that they're working with the right data. That streamlines the entire construction process, preventing errors before they happen, and further reducing costs by eliminating duplicate tasks.

2) Communicate Better

Clear and regular communication between stakeholders is the key to getting any project completed successfully, and connected analytics can improve communication at all levels of a project's life cycle, from conception to completion. The use of connected tools ensures that everyone's always on the same page, and there's less lag time when changes occur because stakeholders take less time to become aware of those changes and adjust accordingly. With little or no data loss, the transition of information from one stakeholder to the next during the project lifecycle allows for greater transparency and faster response times. Team members can spend more time working to progress the project and less time explaining or duplicating tasks.

3) Make Better Decisions

Connected data solutions can help you make better decisions in the design, engineering, and construction phases of a project because you'll always have all the information you need at your fingertips — and when you harness business analytics to improve your project workflows, you can adapt faster to changes and maintain accountability across stakeholders. With greater communication and access to real-time data updates, issues can be resolved earlier in the project life cycle, and you can enjoy a smoother process with fewer blips and bumps.

4) Mitigate Site Risks

The construction phase is often the riskiest part of the project life cycle. There's so much that could go wrong — disruptions in the supply chain could cause delays in completion, or a moment's inattention to safety guidelines could result in a serious injury, and that's just two examples.

But you might be surprised at how far data analytics can take you when it comes to predicting and preventing these kinds of risks. You can use predictive analysis to pinpoint the most dangerous parts of a construction site, and the most dangerous activities, to help you prevent worker accidents and keep your teams productive. You can use it to track how well machines are maintained and to determine when it's time to cycle older machinery out of use. You can even use analytics to figure out where and how to position tools and machinery to maximize visibility and minimize the risk of injuries.

5) Leverage Your Workforce

You always want to make the most of your employees' talents, and connected analytics tools are perfect for delegating work according to the skill set you have available to you in your talent pool. For example, analytics can break down tasks into the skills needed in order to figure out which team members should take on which tasks. And you can use analytics to evaluate how long tasks are taking and how critical they are, as well as how accurately they're being completed. This can help you identify areas of workflow that need to be revisited, or even determine which skills your workforce needs for which tasks.

Construction companies are increasingly seeing the value of connected analytics to streamline projects, cut costs, and minimize risks. If your company hasn't yet adopted a connected approach, it's time to find out what you're missing.