Analytics in Construction: Beginner’s Guide to Data Visualization and BI 

Every industry has trends that come and go, so it’s understandable leaders get wary of the latest buzzwords. The true test of what’s a shiny toy object versus what has longevity is the value it provides. Take Business Intelligence, or BI for short. BI gives contractors the ability to visualize data and quickly decipher it so they can recognize trends on the job site and take action. The buzz around the power of analytics is for good reason. BI and data visualization signify a huge step forward in construction technology and productivity.

In this episode, Frank Di Lorenzo Jr. and Ben Harrison from Preferred Strategies share how to take the data you have and leverage it with the help of BI. They also share how BI can be used with other key technologies, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, to put powerful reporting in the hands of everyone on the job site.

Key Takeaways:

1. Data visualization makes KPI tracking actionable and timely. According to Frank, visualized KPIs give a contractor the same power that the dials and instruments in an airplane cockpit give a pilot. When everything is going right, it’s hard to say if altitude is more important than how much fuel is left in the tank. But when the fuel is getting closer to the red line, the pilot is immediately alerted where to focus. Frank says data visualization is much the same. It gives insight into the analytics of a project to reveal how it is doing and offers alerts on KPIs contractors should focus on.
2. Contractors need a data feedback loop. Labor used to be tracked by filling out time cards, only for them to be put in a filing cabinet never to be seen again. Now everyone on the job site has a phone or a mobile tablet that’s always connected and providing real-time data, like safety forms and task progress, back to the main office. This connection creates a feedback loop where the information flows from the job site to the office and back again on a continual basis. This is important because it is this feedback loop that gives BI and visualizations their power. Giving users the ability to see the data analytics from others on the same job site ensures that everyone makes the best decisions with all of the information available.
3. Business Intelligence far surpasses spreadsheets. In its day, Excel was a useful tool for basic tracking and reporting on a job site or business –– that has all changed with BI. BI consists of dynamic data coming from different parts of the business and provides historical, current, and predictive views of business operations on the fly. Unlike Excel, this means data only needs to be entered into the system. From there, BI will process the data instantly to deliver insight into your KPIs.