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Case studies / Information Management
This is part of our Essential Strategies for Leveraging Information Management in Construction, this section discusses the benefits of streamlining information management, communication and improving document control. Learn how to increase transparency and boost efficiency across all projects for better overall outcomes through information management.
Established in 1985, Evergreen Engineering®, Inc., is a multi-discipline, full-service consulting engineering firm serving the power generation, wood products, pulp & paper, chemical, and resin industries. With offices in Eugene, Oregon, Atlanta, Georgia, and Everett, Washington, Evergreen serves clients throughout North America and around the world.
Cyrus Yu, IT Administrator for Evergreen Engineering, explained the challenges faced by his firm with regards to managing documents and email communications.
One of the main problems faced by Evergreen Engineering was the security risks associated with using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) as the primary method for transferring files between clients and external project teams. Although this is a common way to transfer files, FTP has several known vulnerabilities including lack of encryption on sensitive information such as login credentials. When files were sent to another party, Evergreen’s IT Administration was required to leave the FTP server open until the transfer of files was successfully completed. This created a security vulnerability as the FTP servers were left open for an indefinite period. Securing client files is of utmost importance to Evergreen Engineering so the IT organization sought to replace the method of file transfers with a more secure system.
In addition to security issues, Cyrus explained that the firm was challenged with document and email management. Public file folders were established to file project email, but users occasionally filed emails in the wrong folders or did not file emails at all. The lack of organization and consistency in managing emails made it difficult for staff members to find the information they needed.
Evergreen Engineering implemented Newforma Project Center in 2019 and has over 60 active users. Since implementing Newforma Project Center, staff members have recognized several benefits from the information management platform:
IT was able to replace their FTP servers and now uses Newforma Project Center Info Exchange to share documents and files with external project team members and clients. Newforma Project Center Info Exchange enables internal and external project team members to exchange project files easily and securely. All information exchanged is encrypted, protecting client and external stakeholder data, improving their information management process. In addition, Newforma Project Center Info Exchange provides a full audit trail of who downloaded the file and when, providing staff members with an easy way to track the file transfer.
Email communication is now organized so that all emails can be consistently filed to the correct project. Using the Newforma MS Outlook Add-in feature, staff members can file one or more emails directly from Microsoft Outlook. Once email is filed to the project, staff members can also use Newforma Search to easily find the information they need quickly including information buried in email attachments. Now that is information management in action!
Learning new technology is always a challenge for most organizations. Cyrus explained that Evergreen Engineering has several options for staff members to ramp up on Newforma Project Center. In addition to in-person training, they also encourage staff to attend Newforma webinars, and watch on-demand videos including courses available on Newforma University.
“Before we implemented Newforma Project Center, our system for document and email management was stuck in the stone age. Our staff now has an organized method for filing documents and emails to their projects, making it easy to find the information they need.”
Cyrus Yu, IT Administrator