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On-Site iPads Change the Game
19 May, 2011 By: Melanie PerryTech Trends: Tablet computers offer countless benefits for Clayco's mobile workforce, but have yet to replace laptops.
The term tablet PC has been around for a decade now, but it seems that the launch of Apple's iPad has brought these devices into mainstream awareness. Has the iPad earned its place in enterprise use? Does the intuitive interface relegate it to toy status for casual users or does it have professional applications for designers and builders?
One company that has embraced the iPad for daily use is Clayco, a design–build and real estate development firm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. On the Key Differentiators page of its web site, the company describes its practices and its workforce as being competitive, with an environment that encourages efficiency, ambition, and pride. That attitude of seeking better ways of operating has manifested itself in the company's acceptance of new tools in all aspects of business, including the way it equips its mobile workforce.
The Eye-Candy Factor
Apple is known for its sleek product designs and attractive user interfaces, and its iOS devices are recognized for their convenient access to media. For Clayco, these features make the iPad a great marketing tool. Tomislav Zigo, director of virtual design and construction, said the firm has created videos that show off its building information modeling (BIM) work and formatted them for display on the iPad. These videos are a quick way to put stunning visuals in front of clients without using a standard conference room setup, he explained. Clayco employees also use iPads to assist with presentations, by using PDFs much as they would Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.
Zigo commented that the iPads also make it easier for employees to access other documents and media. PDF reports, whitepapers, articles, and software documentation are all easier to carry around and read when the user has a few spare moments. Employees use the iBooks application to save PDFs to their devices or download books.
At the Job Site
Clayco's St. Louis office has issued 30 iPads for use in the field. Zigo said that employees use various applications on site, but that Vela Mobile iPad from Vela Systems has been a game-changer.
The free app works with or without Internet access in conjunction with the rest of the Vela Field Management suite, including Vela Web, a web-based platform for accessing Vela Systems documents and field activities, and Vela Reports, dashboards for construction executives measuring field activities such as quality and safety. Clayco employees use Vela Mobile iPad for jobsite information tracking, drawing markups, access to construction sets, RFI tracking, punch lists, safety issues, and daily issues. Before using this app, they marked up paper forms, which later had to be transferred manually into records back at the office.
Clayco employees use the Vela Mobile iPad app to mark up drawings, access project documents and construction sets, track RFIs, monitor safety issues, and much more.
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About the Author: Melanie Perry
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