Contractors considering building their own project-specific Web sites will want to consider these tips from Tony Conte of Horizon Retail Construction in Racine:
1. Do your homework. Make sure you need to move to this type of application. Do a lot of self-analysis first. You may be happy just changing things internally — or training staff to use what they have more effectively.
2. Wait for AEC XML. That development will significantly change the landscape when it comes to Web-based project-management tools. The ASPs out there will then be forced to devour each other just like the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) did recently.
3. Attend industry conferences and gather as much information as you can. Weigh the pros and cons of various packages to your business.
4. Get your data into any type of SQL data structure. You then will conform to a usable by any program they throw out there — including ORACLE.
5. Project your growth. Develop a three- to five-year plan. Your information systems will have to grow along with you. There is no cut-off point that says 25-employee-firm or under should use a specific ASP — everyone’s business is different. But make sure your systems will grow with you in the future.
