The High Cost of Disconnected Data: Why 70% of AECO Firms Need to Centralize Project Information Now

Disconnected data is causing real damage.

Project data in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) has exploded—both in size and complexity. From RFIs and submittals to field markups and daily logs, managing this growing body of data has become one of the most urgent operational challenges across the industry. 

The 2025 Newforma AECO Project and Information Management Survey paints a stark picture: 70% of AECO firms are still using disconnected tools—like email, chat apps, and manual file uploads—to manage their projects. 

But this isn’t just an outdated workflow problem. It’s threatening your ability to deliver quality work, to meet deadlines, and to protect your profit margins. Let’s break down why centralizing your project data is no longer optional—and how firms that make the switch are gaining a competitive edge. 

Despite its risks, disconnected data management remains the status quo. Why? Because it’s familiar. For years, AECO professionals have leaned on tools like Microsoft Outlook, WhatsApp, and Dropbox to keep projects moving. These tools are fast and accessible—but they weren’t built for the complexity of construction projects.

Unfortunately, these “convenient” tools become major bottlenecks as teams scale, scopes shift, and project demands rise. Most firms are now managing dozens—or even hundreds—of concurrent projects, each with thousands of associated documents.

• Only 30% of firms have adopted construction-specific platforms for project and information management. 
• Adoption is particularly lagging in small firms and among Canadian organizations, where budgets and resources are tighter. 
• 37% say that document management and record keeping is their biggest barrier to collaboration. 
• Another 37% report that searching for information consumes a disproportionate amount of time each week. 

These challenges add up over time. If your teams are constantly switching between tools to find one drawing, trace one approval, or confirm a change in scope, the project doesn’t just slow down—it becomes harder to trust the information you have. 

Without a centralized system, project files and decisions often live in personal inboxes, isolated file folders, or even individual laptops. When a file goes missing or is accidentally overwritten, there’s rarely an easy way to recover it. Worse, if an outdated spec is used in the field, it can lead to costly rework—and the ripple effects can stall progress for days. 

For firms managing multiple consultants or international teams, this risk is amplified. The more locations information is stored, the harder it becomes to control versioning and ensure everyone is working off the most up-to-date documents. 

Every minute spent searching for a missing file, clarifying document versions, or forwarding the same RFI thread again is time not spent building. When project managers, engineers, and site coordinators are forced into detective work just to find the right email, productivity suffers.

It’s not just one person’s time either. When your team can’t trust the information they have, they double-check everything, loop in more people, and escalate issues that could have been resolved earlier. Multiply that across weeks and projects, and it becomes a major operational drain.

Disconnected systems create blind spots. A drawing may be updated by the architect, but if that revision doesn’t get flagged for the contractor—or if the latest file doesn’t make it to the field team on time—it sets the stage for error. 

When decisions are made based on incomplete or outdated information, rework becomes inevitable. This doesn’t just impact project timelines—it also reduces confidence among clients and partners, straining relationships and reputations. 

Successful AECO projects depend on fluid communication between multiple stakeholders. But when everyone uses different tools or workflows, collaboration breaks down. Teams may store files in one location, log RFIs in another, and track approvals manually or via spreadsheets. 

This siloed approach makes it almost impossible to maintain a clear, shared understanding of project progress. It also increases the likelihood of duplicated efforts, conflicting decisions, and missed dependencies. 

Disputes in construction often come down to documentation: who said what, when, and under what conditions. If your team can’t quickly produce a paper trail of approvals, design changes, or site instructions, you risk being on the back foot in claims or legal proceedings. 

Without centralized records and audit trails, even proving compliance can become a challenge. You may know you followed the right process, but if you can’t show the data to back it up, your firm remains vulnerable. 

Staff turnover is inevitable. But if your project data lives in individual inboxes or personal storage, valuable knowledge often walks out the door with them. For new hires or project handovers, the lack of structured, accessible information means they spend more time getting up to speed—and more time asking others for help—slowing productivity and increasing onboarding costs. 

So what does a centralized system look like? At its core, it means bringing all your project information—emails, drawings, submittals, RFIs, photos, and decisions—into one platform that’s built for AECO work. This is more than just a document repository. It’s a living, structured environment that reflects the reality of your project as it evolves. 

The benefits of this shift are already being seen by firms that have invested in construction-specific platforms: 

• 32% report improved project quality due to clearer workflows and better access to information 
• 30% experience higher profitability through reduced rework and more efficient processes. 
• 29% say employee wellbeing has increased as teams spend less time in administrative overload. 
• 27% are able to take on more projects, thanks to streamlined collaboration and document tracking. 
• 26% have reduced litigation risk from better record keeping and audit trails 

Centralization is not just about getting organized. It’s about positioning your firm to deliver better outcomes, manage risk more proactively, and grow sustainably in a competitive industry. 

Imagine being able to access any drawing, RFI, email, or approval with just a few clicks—without needing to ask around or dig through folders. A centralized system offers a shared environment where everyone works from the same set of facts.

You eliminate guesswork, reduce back-and-forths, and build a stronger foundation of trust across the team.

Centralized platforms bring the office and the field closer together. When a subcontractor spots a conflict on-site, they can log an issue and get feedback from the architect or consultant without waiting for an email reply. These real-time exchanges reduce delays, improve decision-making, and keep the momentum going.

A modern project information platform doesn’t just store files—it actively helps manage them. Version control ensures teams are notified when changes happen. Automated workflows move RFIs or submittals through approval processes faster, eliminating manual bottlenecks.

Every interaction, every approval, and every change is timestamped and traceable. This is critical when defending against claims or demonstrating compliance. It also gives clients peace of mind that their project is being managed with accountability.

New hires can hit the ground running when they have access to a full project history. From understanding past decisions to reviewing previous correspondence, centralization helps transfer institutional knowledge—without relying on hallway conversations or piecemeal updates.

Jestico + Whiles, an award-winning architecture practice, faced many of the same challenges seen across the industry. Before centralization, project data was fragmented across tools, slowing collaboration and increasing risk.

After implementing Newforma Project Center, they were able to:

• Centralized project emails, files, and correspondence
• Automated version tracking for greater clarity
• Integrated Revit to streamline design updates
• Improved team collaboration and reduced admin time

The results were immediate: Projects accelerated, errors dropped, and the design team was able to focus more on creativity and delivery—instead of chasing missing files or redoing work.

If your firm is still juggling multiple tools to manage projects, there’s a clear path forward—and it doesn’t require overhauling every process overnight. These five steps can help you start building a foundation for centralized project and information management, reduce risks, and reclaim control over how your teams work and collaborate.

Start by mapping out where your project information currently lives. Is it spread across email threads, messaging platforms, personal folders, shared drives, and different cloud systems? This kind of sprawl creates confusion and delays. Begin consolidating this data into a centralized platform—one built specifically for AECO workflows.

The goal is to create a single source of truth for all project-related files, decisions, and conversations. Whether it’s a submittal, RFI, markup, or field photo, everyone should know exactly where to find the latest version—without asking around or second-guessing its accuracy.

Manual tracking of approvals, RFIs, and submittals can introduce human error, delays, and frustration. Once your data is centralized, look at ways to automate key processes. This might include auto-routing of RFIs for review, automatic email filing by project, or notifications when a new file version is uploaded.

Automation doesn’t replace human oversight—it enhances it by removing the repetitive steps that slow down projects. Teams stay focused on higher-value tasks, and information flows faster across departments and disciplines.

Even the best systems can’t overcome inconsistent behavior. That’s why standardizing how you name files, track revisions, and handle approvals is critical. Develop project-wide protocols that eliminate ambiguity, and ensure these standards are embedded into your platform’s structure—not enforced through hallway conversations or personal reminders.

This consistency is especially important for firms working with multiple consultants, trade partners, and field teams. Standardized workflows help everyone stay aligned, reduce missteps, and improve accountability across every phase of the project.

Don’t let valuable information disappear when someone changes roles or leaves the firm. Centralized systems preserve project context and communication history in a way that inboxes and personal notes simply can’t. Encourage your teams to document important decisions, flag related items, and link relevant files in real time.

This ensures that institutional knowledge is built into the project record—and easily accessible to new team members or stakeholders who join mid-project. It also shortens onboarding timelines and reduces the learning curve for staff taking over existing work.

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Start tracking key indicators like how long it takes to respond to RFIs, how frequently outdated documents are used in the field, or how many hours are spent searching for information. These data points can help you identify process gaps, demonstrate the value of centralization, and make the case for further investments.

Over time, performance benchmarks will become a vital part of your firm’s ability to plan better, deliver faster, and protect margins.

Disconnected  data isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a threat to your margins, your schedule, and your reputation. Centralized information management is the fastest path to better outcomes across the board: higher quality, faster timelines, reduced risk, and stronger teams.