The human brain is only able to organize and remember so much. Between family life, work life, social life, and basic daily functions, the human brain begins to lose track.
When it comes to work projects, it’s no surprise that some information gathered, such as cell phone photos, often gets lost in the fray. With a number of projects occurring at the same time, it’s common for human error to step in and misplace the information needed in the moment.
In system design and integration, we see this in full view. The typical site survey walk to gather customer requirements involves taking pictures on a cell phone, gathering information in a spreadsheet, and writing on a floor plan. We think, “Of course I’ll remember where that is later today.” However, when “later” arrives and it’s time to figure out what project IMG0034.jpg is related to and what floor and building it was meant for, that sinking feeling sets in. Mixed with all of the papers on the desk, what seemed to have been a successful site walk becomes a headache that takes hours to reconcile – if it can be done at all.
Is the status quo going to work? Can we keep all of this important information in our heads, notepads, and cell phones? While some just shrug their shoulders and think that this is the way it’s always been, others are embracing technology to help. Imagine saying goodbye to the days of filing cabinets, printed papers, and unorganized cell phone photos. Instead of sifting through the haystack, a simple keyword search on the computer turns a two-hour quest into a two minute one.
This is the promise of tools such as System Surveyor: the ability to elegantly gather all of the information needed for projects into one place. That metadata is better off in the cloud than in your head or in the filing cabinet. It’s time to avoid that sinking feeling by relying on technology tools that make you the smartest person in the room.
For more information on the key attributes of the tool and how to avoid haystack searches, click here.
