Intelligent use of tech: automating record keeping

In this third article, I follow on from my colleagues to share some thoughts on our experience with OpenSpace. OpenSpace was launched in 2018 and (along with other similar products such as Matterport and HoloBuilder) is slowly, but increasingly, revolutionising the way site records are captured.

How does it work?

If you have ever had the unfortunate task of sifting through hundreds, if not thousands, of site photographs which are not labelled or described, then you will immediately see the value of OpenSpace. In simple terms, the OpenSpace camera attaches to a hard hat, and the imagery captured is linked with drawings to give you time-stamped records of progress in multiple locations across a project.

The information captured is organised and structured in a way that can be used both contemporaneously and retrospectively. At the time the records are created, you are building a large, factual data set that can be used to inform progress reports indicating to someone else the issues you are facing and what you need to make progress. You can do this with the information on a screen to allow efficient coordination of operation between different trades.

If you are not able to positively influence progress with the records, then the information will be invaluable in proving your claim. If an as-built programme is required for delay analysis, then you can add a contemporaneous record to prove your version of the as-built record as well as prove the causes of delay (e.g. access not available).

The pros

It is a time-efficient process. At a time when the industry is facing a skills shortage, why wouldn’t you use technology to reduce waste and improve productivity?

• The technology is fairly intuitive and doesn’t require a lot of training.
• Given the images are captured during a walk of the site, it doesn’t necessarily require an extra task to be performed because one or more members of the project team will do this on a daily basis.
• The images automatically upload to an online portal, so there is no need to download and file the documents, and as previously mentioned, the location is plotted for you.

What I most like about OpenSpace is you are taking what is currently an extra task for people, and you are seamlessly integrating it into the daily work of the project team, meaning you increase the quality and reliability of the record-keeping, but you are not adding tasks and activities to people’s already busy days.

The cons

It isn’t cheap, the pricing can be variable, and there are no set prices on the website. So, you need to think about value for money/return on investment. If you are working on a project that is likely to involve a final account battle, then an investment would be money well spent. However, if your project has a more positive outlook, then you may consider that your current approach is sufficient.

Unfortunately, the camera cannot walk itself around the site, so it does still require someone to take responsibility and do it. The setup will involve loading the correct drawings, and even if the images are being generated automatically, there will still be a need to annotate the images in the online portal so that another person looking at the record knows what is being depicted.

The technology is well developed, but it can struggle with complex drawings. For example, if works are scattered over multiple levels that are not consistent day to day (e.g. a refurbishment project), then you would need to update your requirements to ensure the correct images are captured.

Final reflections

When we deal with issues, we are always grateful when we are presented records captured in this way because, despite some of the cons, they are structured and logical, and we can get to work!

I do wonder how this technology will develop over time because there are infinite possibilities. If the equipment becomes more affordable and takes off like wearable technology is, or will, then, alongside developments in generative AI, you wonder what could be achieved.

Could an application for payment be automatically generated using a camera? It sounds crazy, but think about all those process steps that could be eliminated with the intelligent use of technology, and you start to think that the possibility is not as far away as you think.

In next week’s article, we continue with our intelligent use of technology mini-series with an article on Bluebeam.

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