"Many construction professionals have spent years developing custom Excel workflows, making it challenging to switch to something new."
-Nitin Bhandari, CEO of Planera
IRONPROS: Why is the construction industry having a difficult time letting go of Microsoft Excel for project scheduling?
Nitin: Excel's popularity stems from its familiarity and availability, which creates a certain inertia against adopting new tools. Many construction professionals have spent years developing custom Excel workflows, making it challenging to switch to something new.
There's also a lingering perception that new software is complex and expensive to implement, though that's not necessarily true for modern tools like ours.
IRONPROS: What makes scheduling difficult for construction project managers? Provide an overview of the industry's current approach to scheduling.
Nitin: Construction project managers face numerous challenges when it comes to scheduling. These projects involve a multitude of interdependent tasks, making coordination incredibly complex. Current approaches often rely on manual data entry into spreadsheets or outdated software, which can be time consuming and error prone.
One of the biggest issues is that sophisticated scheduling software, like Oracle P6, is so complicated that only a handful of people in a company know how to use it effectively. The people most familiar with the job often don't know how to use these tools, creating a disconnect. Additionally, the lack of real-time updates and collaboration features in traditional tools significantly hampers efficiency.
IRONPROS: How does an ineffective schedule affect project execution?
Nitin: An ineffective schedule can have serious ripple effects on project execution. It often leads to delays, cost overruns and resource allocation issues. It also reduces the team's ability to proactively identify and mitigate risks.
One of the most concerning outcomes is schedule compression later in the project, which is not only costly but can also introduce safety risks. Moreover, poor scheduling hinders effective communication among team members and stakeholders, which is crucial for project success.
IRONPROS: What are solutions and technologies construction businesses can use today to improve scheduling or reduce their reliance on Microsoft Excel?
Nitin: To improve scheduling and reduce reliance on Excel, construction businesses can look to collaborative project planning platforms designed specifically for the industry. The key is to find tools that democratize the scheduling process and drive participation from all key stakeholders. This approach not only improves the quality of the schedule but also fosters alignment and buy-in across the team.
IRONPROS: Please provide an overview of Planera and its mission.
Nitin: Planera is a construction technology company on a mission to revolutionize project scheduling and management in the industry. We're passionate about democratizing construction scheduling and putting powerful, intuitive planning tools in the hands of construction teams.
Our goal is to help these teams improve project outcomes by making scheduling more accessible and collaborative.
IRONPROS: What can customers expect from Planera in 2024?
Nitin: Looking at the second half of 2024 and beyond, customers can expect exciting developments from Planera. We're planning significant growth, aiming to double our team size. We'll be updating our product offerings, adding more enterprise-level planning tools to manage project portfolios. We're also seeing tremendous momentum with ENR400 customers as well as mid-market general contractors, which we expect to continue into the new year.
