March 5, 2019 at 10:08Documents on the building: little joys of automation on the example of the Dark Tower
I want to talk about how we continue to kill paperwork. One of the areas that has recently surrendered is technical paperwork, that is, all the papers that are needed in the design, construction and other stages of the life cycle of any object. Let's imagine that you need to build a tower. This is about the same as building the Dark Tower, but much darker in terms of bureaucracy.
Such construction - even if it is a Dark Tower - has a clear (but rather large and complex) process. Some documents flow into others, for example, everything starts with engineering surveys, then a sketch appears, then the project itself, permissions, now estimates, office notes with comments about the fact that the tank of our tower was not plastered so on and so on. And at the end - regulations and operating instructions.
So, there is no tower yet, and the document flow is already there, and it appears long before the construction. But already from the stage of the idea of the tower, our technical document management system can be used.
It all starts with the task of designing a new facility. Suppose you decide to build this very tower on Red Square. Maybe it is very correct from the point of view of the logic of transitions between worlds, but, most likely, it is extremely irrational economically, and by agreement it has every chance not to pass.
Therefore, the first stage is an assessment of how much it makes sense to do this project in the current place, and whether the investment paid will be justified.
The customer sets the task for the designers: they say, friends, there is an idea to build such and such an object, it is possible to agree to build it in such and such a place. Tell us whether it is possible to build, and if so, how much it will cost.
To do this, you need to collect a bunch of documents. In the case of our tower, we will need geological exploration data, a communications plan on the site, documents governing the construction of such towers and the principles for using our territory, the type of land, etc. in accordance with state standards and the regulatory framework of the region, the region where construction is planned.
The list is quite large.
Besides the fact that you need to collect all the permits, you also need to make a financial calculation of what will be built: how much it will cost to build our tower in this place, and whether such a project will be cost-effective. This is called the rationale for investments: while it is quite approximate, but it gives an idea of whether it is worth undertaking a project at all, or specifically it is absolutely not justified in this place.
After that, a decision is made whether to build or not.
If you decide to build, project documentation is ordered, before that everything was at the level of sketches. Sketches can be done as you like, even on a napkin with a pencil in the spirit of impressionism, the main thing is that those who make the decision on construction understand and nod.
In general, project documentation is one more hemorrhoids. These are complex document interconnection systems, mountains of folders with seals and stamps. The permits that form the external organs still remain in paper form, but our software already helps a lot at the project stage. We have developed a CROC STDO technical document management system specifically to minimize paper. You simply open the program, click on “Create Project: Dark Tower, Type A” - and get the full structure of the project documentation that meets the requirements of the Federal Law. There is everything you need according to the standards and legislation for the construction of just such facilities. But judging by GOSTs, of course, you get a water tower. Dark is a custom name.
It is important to note that there is no universal scheme - each type of object has its own specifics. But STDO is customized to the needs of a particular customer, which greatly simplifies his life.
Next, you need to upload documents to the system and fill out this hefty structure of project documentation step by step (by the way, the plan for the formation of a package of documents will be reflected in the scheduling system):
This structure will help us correctly assemble the package of documents for the Glavsekspertiza. The fact is that in the construction of the tower there is an important turning point when you collect a ton of paper and carry it (you need a few people, and for large objects - several huge boxes, or a huge information carrier for tens of gigabytes) to a government agency that considers everything and permits or does not allow building.
If a piece of paper is missed, the state agency will not compile everything and will throw you with execution. Therefore:
This is the first reason why we need an automated workflow system: when you need to submit documents for examination, they will all be in place. The process of their development can be planned and evaluated in time. It can be seen what has been specifically done, what has not been specifically done, who and where has what piece of paper in the work, and what status. This is simply incredible happiness for those who at least once tried to do this in paper, and not in electronic form.
Here, see how one of the construction curators sees the process and development status of individual sections of the document in the process of its preparation:
At the stage of preparation of a package of documents, often the most discussions between the participants in the design process, during which comments are generated on the documents, new versions or answers to issued comments are generated. This is how it looks and this is how you can make a slice of all the comments (or filter them to estimate the volume of improvements and see the entire history of edits):
But this is the view through the eyes of one of the architects - the main page of the system with a tracker. As you can see, several tasks hang on it.
Also in the system you can keep and watch comments on documents in the mode of correspondence of colleagues. Here is a warm lamp chat, in which the arrows are already being translated to someone:
And this is the view through the eyes of a contractor who does not work in the system constantly and does not see the whole volume as an architect, but he is automatically assigned tasks and given access to the necessary documents:
Project documentation is a top-level description. There are no details to specific light bulbs, door handles and so on. The same doors are abstract doors, windows - abstract windows, walls - well, just walls, and so on. At the level of working documentation, according to which our object will be built, details are already needed. For example, how water is supplied, where electricity is turned on, how the cable goes, here is a tap, here is a switch. According to the results of each such detailed plan, an estimate appears for each part of the construction project.
Already an estimate and a set of working drawings are issued to builders. They build on these documents, and they mow them down. Then they are poked into this documentation and organize the acceptance of work. In the real world, sometimes you need to deviate from the working documentation for objective reasons, but not very far. Naturally, all changes, including changes in estimates, are taken into account in the system.
Any change in one document through a chain of relationships is thrown into all other documents and formed into tasks for checking these documents. That is, let’s say, as part of the construction project, we have a backup diesel power station, which will provide electricity to our facility in an emergency. For the construction of this backup diesel power station, a set of working documentation is being prepared, which consists of drawings (for example, wall reinforcement, roofing, etc.), and estimates for the implementation of these drawings. And if in the drawing for wall reinforcement we had a metal mesh, but for some reason it was changed to a fiberglass mesh, then the estimate should be recalculated - the system reminds of this, because these are documents of one set.
The cool thing that is in such a workflow is viewing drawings right on the spot in the browser. It was very easy for us to do this, because it’s already twenty-first century in the yard, and we can convert different formats into pictures. But for architects this turned out to be a killer feature, saving a lot of time:
In parallel, other types of documents for systems and equipment that are used in our facility come along the building under construction. These documents are also entered into the system with reference to the system or specific equipment: passports, technical specifications, test programs and so on:
As a result, the object is completed, and you get a full set of documentation for it immediately. Because any piece of paper was correctly taken into account and attached.
The final type of documents after commissioning is the executive documentation. This is how the object is really built. Everything is fine in our Dark Tower, and architects are heroes. But on other, not as great towers as ours, things happen. There was a case, in the drawing, the railing blocked the door. In another place the bridge was thrown. There the window was moved.
All need acceptance certificates from different commissions. The commissions are looking to ensure that everything is in accordance with the standard and does not go very far from the project for which they gave a building permit. For example, the cables were laid in a wrong way - this is normal. And if instead of a tower a dozen cottages turned out, connected by underground tunnels, then there will be no conclusion. And you have to demolish everything. There are examples in Sochi, where they demolish a built residential building on the banks of the river, in different cities there are examples of dismantling the upper floors of skyscrapers (when agreed 30, but for some reason it turned out 33 or 48) and so on.
Next, we need to test our tower. Both individual systems and equipment are tested according to their own program, and their complex interaction. If the tower provides a normal opening of the transition between worlds (excuse me, the pressure of water) and fits into the standards, then everything is in order.
The commissioning has its own work schedule, similar to the coordination of programs, reporting documents are generated - all these processes are taken into account in the STDO.
Executive documentation is transferred to operation. To begin work on the constructed facility, regulatory and operational documents are needed. They are also approved and approved, but by other people who are not related to construction. Nevertheless, STDO also has such functionality.
The documents under operation are periodically changed, and also have a review period (when the person responsible for the document must check that all changes are made to the document correctly). Notifications of employees are sent about changes, replacement or cancellation of the document, which should be guided by this regulatory or operational document as part of their work. Typically, a couple of months before the revision deadline approaches, the notification is sent to the responsible officer who is responsible for the relevance of the document. It looks like this:
Even the Dark Tower ranger in STDO has a workplace where he sees all his documents, scans of the originals, all revisions and discussions, the history of the change of documents, the timing of the documentation and his specific tasks.
The system is also able to send notifications and integrates with mail - that is, it will not let you miss important changes and deadlines, no matter how you like it.
Most of the leading manufacturers of design software in one way or another offered some of these features in their packages. But their decisions for the most part lag behind the realities of what is needed at the facilities, and also from our Russian realities. Specialized software is more mature and ready.
This is how the dark towers are designed, built, and then operated in our almost digital country.
• Architectural 3D-shooting
• BIM-systems
• My mail: ecm@croc.ru
Such construction - even if it is a Dark Tower - has a clear (but rather large and complex) process. Some documents flow into others, for example, everything starts with engineering surveys, then a sketch appears, then the project itself, permissions, now estimates, office notes with comments about the fact that the tank of our tower was not plastered so on and so on. And at the end - regulations and operating instructions.
So, there is no tower yet, and the document flow is already there, and it appears long before the construction. But already from the stage of the idea of the tower, our technical document management system can be used.
Before construction
It all starts with the task of designing a new facility. Suppose you decide to build this very tower on Red Square. Maybe it is very correct from the point of view of the logic of transitions between worlds, but, most likely, it is extremely irrational economically, and by agreement it has every chance not to pass.
Therefore, the first stage is an assessment of how much it makes sense to do this project in the current place, and whether the investment paid will be justified.
The customer sets the task for the designers: they say, friends, there is an idea to build such and such an object, it is possible to agree to build it in such and such a place. Tell us whether it is possible to build, and if so, how much it will cost.
To do this, you need to collect a bunch of documents. In the case of our tower, we will need geological exploration data, a communications plan on the site, documents governing the construction of such towers and the principles for using our territory, the type of land, etc. in accordance with state standards and the regulatory framework of the region, the region where construction is planned.
The list is quite large.
Besides the fact that you need to collect all the permits, you also need to make a financial calculation of what will be built: how much it will cost to build our tower in this place, and whether such a project will be cost-effective. This is called the rationale for investments: while it is quite approximate, but it gives an idea of whether it is worth undertaking a project at all, or specifically it is absolutely not justified in this place.
After that, a decision is made whether to build or not.
If you decide to build, project documentation is ordered, before that everything was at the level of sketches. Sketches can be done as you like, even on a napkin with a pencil in the spirit of impressionism, the main thing is that those who make the decision on construction understand and nod.
In general, project documentation is one more hemorrhoids. These are complex document interconnection systems, mountains of folders with seals and stamps. The permits that form the external organs still remain in paper form, but our software already helps a lot at the project stage. We have developed a CROC STDO technical document management system specifically to minimize paper. You simply open the program, click on “Create Project: Dark Tower, Type A” - and get the full structure of the project documentation that meets the requirements of the Federal Law. There is everything you need according to the standards and legislation for the construction of just such facilities. But judging by GOSTs, of course, you get a water tower. Dark is a custom name.
It is important to note that there is no universal scheme - each type of object has its own specifics. But STDO is customized to the needs of a particular customer, which greatly simplifies his life.
Next, you need to upload documents to the system and fill out this hefty structure of project documentation step by step (by the way, the plan for the formation of a package of documents will be reflected in the scheduling system):
This structure will help us correctly assemble the package of documents for the Glavsekspertiza. The fact is that in the construction of the tower there is an important turning point when you collect a ton of paper and carry it (you need a few people, and for large objects - several huge boxes, or a huge information carrier for tens of gigabytes) to a government agency that considers everything and permits or does not allow building.
If a piece of paper is missed, the state agency will not compile everything and will throw you with execution. Therefore:
- It’s important not to miss anything. Fill in each section in the document structure so that you do not have to process it next time.
- It is important not to neglect the possibility of automatically creating the document structure so that each piece of paper from it is not only taken into account, but also assigned to the contractor for development, and then agreed upon by the responsible employees.
- It is important to understand that if any one piece of paper is updated, then updating it can lead to changes in other pieces of paper, and if you do not keep track of all the relationships, then chaos can begin.
This is the first reason why we need an automated workflow system: when you need to submit documents for examination, they will all be in place. The process of their development can be planned and evaluated in time. It can be seen what has been specifically done, what has not been specifically done, who and where has what piece of paper in the work, and what status. This is simply incredible happiness for those who at least once tried to do this in paper, and not in electronic form.
Here, see how one of the construction curators sees the process and development status of individual sections of the document in the process of its preparation:
At the stage of preparation of a package of documents, often the most discussions between the participants in the design process, during which comments are generated on the documents, new versions or answers to issued comments are generated. This is how it looks and this is how you can make a slice of all the comments (or filter them to estimate the volume of improvements and see the entire history of edits):
But this is the view through the eyes of one of the architects - the main page of the system with a tracker. As you can see, several tasks hang on it.
Also in the system you can keep and watch comments on documents in the mode of correspondence of colleagues. Here is a warm lamp chat, in which the arrows are already being translated to someone:
And this is the view through the eyes of a contractor who does not work in the system constantly and does not see the whole volume as an architect, but he is automatically assigned tasks and given access to the necessary documents:
During construction
Project documentation is a top-level description. There are no details to specific light bulbs, door handles and so on. The same doors are abstract doors, windows - abstract windows, walls - well, just walls, and so on. At the level of working documentation, according to which our object will be built, details are already needed. For example, how water is supplied, where electricity is turned on, how the cable goes, here is a tap, here is a switch. According to the results of each such detailed plan, an estimate appears for each part of the construction project.
Already an estimate and a set of working drawings are issued to builders. They build on these documents, and they mow them down. Then they are poked into this documentation and organize the acceptance of work. In the real world, sometimes you need to deviate from the working documentation for objective reasons, but not very far. Naturally, all changes, including changes in estimates, are taken into account in the system.
Any change in one document through a chain of relationships is thrown into all other documents and formed into tasks for checking these documents. That is, let’s say, as part of the construction project, we have a backup diesel power station, which will provide electricity to our facility in an emergency. For the construction of this backup diesel power station, a set of working documentation is being prepared, which consists of drawings (for example, wall reinforcement, roofing, etc.), and estimates for the implementation of these drawings. And if in the drawing for wall reinforcement we had a metal mesh, but for some reason it was changed to a fiberglass mesh, then the estimate should be recalculated - the system reminds of this, because these are documents of one set.
The cool thing that is in such a workflow is viewing drawings right on the spot in the browser. It was very easy for us to do this, because it’s already twenty-first century in the yard, and we can convert different formats into pictures. But for architects this turned out to be a killer feature, saving a lot of time:
In parallel, other types of documents for systems and equipment that are used in our facility come along the building under construction. These documents are also entered into the system with reference to the system or specific equipment: passports, technical specifications, test programs and so on:
As a result, the object is completed, and you get a full set of documentation for it immediately. Because any piece of paper was correctly taken into account and attached.
The final type of documents after commissioning is the executive documentation. This is how the object is really built. Everything is fine in our Dark Tower, and architects are heroes. But on other, not as great towers as ours, things happen. There was a case, in the drawing, the railing blocked the door. In another place the bridge was thrown. There the window was moved.
All need acceptance certificates from different commissions. The commissions are looking to ensure that everything is in accordance with the standard and does not go very far from the project for which they gave a building permit. For example, the cables were laid in a wrong way - this is normal. And if instead of a tower a dozen cottages turned out, connected by underground tunnels, then there will be no conclusion. And you have to demolish everything. There are examples in Sochi, where they demolish a built residential building on the banks of the river, in different cities there are examples of dismantling the upper floors of skyscrapers (when agreed 30, but for some reason it turned out 33 or 48) and so on.
Start-up
Next, we need to test our tower. Both individual systems and equipment are tested according to their own program, and their complex interaction. If the tower provides a normal opening of the transition between worlds (excuse me, the pressure of water) and fits into the standards, then everything is in order.
The commissioning has its own work schedule, similar to the coordination of programs, reporting documents are generated - all these processes are taken into account in the STDO.
Exploitation
Executive documentation is transferred to operation. To begin work on the constructed facility, regulatory and operational documents are needed. They are also approved and approved, but by other people who are not related to construction. Nevertheless, STDO also has such functionality.
The documents under operation are periodically changed, and also have a review period (when the person responsible for the document must check that all changes are made to the document correctly). Notifications of employees are sent about changes, replacement or cancellation of the document, which should be guided by this regulatory or operational document as part of their work. Typically, a couple of months before the revision deadline approaches, the notification is sent to the responsible officer who is responsible for the relevance of the document. It looks like this:
What is important for those who keep records?
Even the Dark Tower ranger in STDO has a workplace where he sees all his documents, scans of the originals, all revisions and discussions, the history of the change of documents, the timing of the documentation and his specific tasks.
The system is also able to send notifications and integrates with mail - that is, it will not let you miss important changes and deadlines, no matter how you like it.
- Interface. Drawings are developed in professional and multi-functional “drawing machines”. And the lightweight format that we used in STDO allows you to conveniently coordinate these drawings, make changes, tracking the current version. Killer feature - work with drawings from the browser (review of the drawing without AutoCAD and Archicad).
- Exchange of information with contractors. It is important. Under this, portals are made from different vendors for such software. One delivery of one version of documents can take several DVDs. It is technically difficult to upload, upload, download for a long time, the download may be interrupted. And so many times easier.
- Automatic formation of the structure of project documentation.
- Automatic creation of document cards based on template document descriptions (in Excel or Word format). After downloading, the data from such an inventory will be sorted into document cards in the system - the attributes will be filled in, the cards will be placed in the desired structure, and the files will be linked (for this, the files must be placed in a special network folder to which the system has access). This reduces inconvenience or exchange costs.
- The presence of a chain of links between documents of different types: design - working - executive, their relationship with commissioning, factory documentation. Also in the system you can select any equipment (for example, a pump) and select all the documents in which it appears: a drawing, its passport, technical specifications, specifications, repair documentation, etc.
- Storage in a single place of all types and the entire volume of documentation that will be transmitted for examination to external authorities, as well as used in the operation of the facility.
- View all versions of documents, a list of comments and answers to them.
- Updating all documentation on time and through a chain of interdependencies.
- Each user involved in the process of working with a document always has an up-to-date version with the ability to view previous iterations.
Most of the leading manufacturers of design software in one way or another offered some of these features in their packages. But their decisions for the most part lag behind the realities of what is needed at the facilities, and also from our Russian realities. Specialized software is more mature and ready.
This is how the dark towers are designed, built, and then operated in our almost digital country.
References
• Architectural 3D-shooting
• BIM-systems
• My mail: ecm@croc.ru