Most people are familiar with the term “garbage in, garbage out”, especially as it applies to database technology. It implies that even the best software in the world can’t fill in the gaps that come from poor or incomplete inputs. Think of a grainy photo – it doesn’t matter how much you zoom in, the picture will never get clearer.
Data architecture is a foundational step in managing data, providing a blueprint for documenting data assets and mapping data flows.
Advanced Work Packaging and the software to digitize it rely heavily on inputs from other systems. On any given project, your AWP tool should be integrated with an array of other systems including 3D model, document management, material management, timesheets, fabrication, and completions. This can involve a huge amount of data transfer back and forth.
But what about the “garbage in” part? What happens if your data is not perfect?
The good news is that you are not alone. O3 has executed more than 550 projects, and I doubt that a single one of them had perfect data. Information is always missing, incorrect, or in the wrong place, which highlights the importance of data quality. A lot of this comes down to AWP being a relatively new process for some companies and some elements of the data requirements being new to Engineering contractors or data providers.
But all is not lost. Just because the data is missing, doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed. We have several ways we can help:
Firstly, O3 can provide a comprehensive data specification so your project stakeholders know what has to be delivered for all disciplines.
In addition, our data management solutions are designed to handle large volumes of data and ensure data-driven decision-making.
Then, even if the data is not perfect (which it never is), we can use our vast experience and unmatched technology to make it work. We can link the data from a wide variety of sources and combine it all into the virtual construction model.