Dashboards: what are they and why do you need them?

Today we’d like to share with you all a little bit about why ARCHIBUS Dashboards in Web Central are so amazing.

“Dashboards" or ARCHIBUS Page Navigation is one of the methods that can be used for accessing ARCHIBUS views as well as job specific data such as workflow actions, notifications, and the views that you can access frequently.  Once the Page Navigation is set up, users can set their Navigation Method under My Profile/Navigation to determine whether they want to access ARCHIBUS views using the Process Navigator or the Page Navigator. 1  

So what is so cool about ARCHIBUS Dashboards anyway?  We’re glad you asked!!

The purpose of Dashboards is to have one page with all the views you use most.  Your job becomes easier with Dashboards because it displays all the information you need on a daily basis in one place.  With Dashboards you can say “Sayonara” to the days of searching through the entire IWMS to get the pieces of data most important to your job.

Dashboards make the system easier to start using with little training.  They also help you use the system more efficiently with customizable views for specific individuals based on their ARCHIBUS Role and what their needs are.  Certified Buildings, Environmental Assessments, & Hazard Abatement are incredibly important to the Environmental & Risk Manager while RentableArea, Lease Renewals, & Portfolio Management Compliance are essential to the Director of Real Estate.  You can set up different profiles within Dashboards so each department can see what’s specific to their area of work.

Here you can see two different views.  One of the following Dashboard view is for the Portfolio Manager and the other is for Environmental Sustainability. 

Portfolio Manager Dashboard View

Environmental Sustainability Dashboard View

You can clearly see how each dashboard view can be specifically customized depending on the data that an individual needs to see and the views they need access to.

The biggest benefit to using the dashboards, besides the ease of navigation, is to have all the performance metrics available.  With the performance metrics, you can: 

• Manage all of your work from a single page
• Execute a strategy by crystallizing vision and direction into measurable actions
• Continually measure the alignment of actions to goals
• Improve teamwork and organizational performance by building momentum toward visible, well defined, objective goals
• Identify over- and underperforming locations, processes, departments, and vendors
• Set clear expectations for staff, and make staff accountable
• Improve operational execution through focus on KPIs
• Obtain detailed diagnostics on all aspects of real estate and facility operations
• Move from “fighting fires” or attending to the squeakiest wheels, to tasks that will further the organization’s overall strategy

These are just a few of the reasons why you need ARCHIBUS Dashboards!  They make any job that involves IWMS significantly easier and provide accurate data and trends to help keep multiple departments running smoothly and positively impact your bottom line.



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Most of the information in this post comes from our very own Ryan C.  Ryan is amazing with CAD, PHP programming, AXVW programming, and anything ARCHIBUS.  He is truly exceptional when it comes to building operations and ARCHIBUS' Building Operations Console.  Some believe he may knows more about it than ARCHIBUS themselves!  He is definitely one of RSC’s greatest assets.  We couldn't imagine going a day without him!

Thoughts? Questions?  Comment below and let us know what you think!  We'd love to hear your insights.

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All You Need to Know About Going Green: Pt.1

Interested in going green?  Not quite sure where to begin?  You've come to the right place!  This week we proudly bring to you Part 1 of "All You Need to Know About Going Green" with our very own Mario!

It is no secret that going green is becoming more of a priority for everyone.  There are great environmental benefits as well as impacts on a company's bottom line.  So why aren't more companies taking that first step to go green?

Going green can be costly.  But it doesn't have to be!  With a great IWMS, like ARCHIBUS, and hand to guide you, going green can be simple!

Today we'd like to share with you a few tips along with some information on going green. We are here with our very own Mario Sanchez-Palacios, a LEED Accredited Professional (AP).

What is LEED?

The United States Green Business Councel developed LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, to help change the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated.  LEED is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.  LEED is the most widely recognized and used green building program across the globe.  LEED certifies 1.5 million square feet of building space each day in over 130 satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and teams choose the best fit for their project. A LEED AP is an accreditation that demonstrates an individual understands the complicated LEED green building principles and concepts.  A LEED AP is capable of managing a LEED project and helping projects acquire the appropriate number of points to gain either certified, silver, gold, or platinum building levels.

countries.  To receive LEED certification, building projects must

So now that you understand a little about how a company goes green we can get into the nitty-gritty of part one:

Where to begin, and how can a company make the move toward going green without going into the red?

Well, there are a few types of Rating Systems that apply to Corporate Real Estate

1. Building Design + Construction (BD+C)
2. Interior Deisgn + Construction (ID+C)
3. Building Operations + Maintenance (O+M)

Each rating system is made up of a combination of credit categories.  The number of points a project earns, determines the level of LEED certification (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum).

Since not all companies are ready to build, rebuild, do a complete interior fit-out, or do major renovation, the LEED Rating System easiest to start with is Building Operations + Maintenance.  O+M “Applies to existing buildings that are undergoing improvement work or little to no construction; includes Existing Buildings, Schools, Retail, Hospitality, Data Centers, and Warehouse & Distribution Centers.”  1

A few of the applicable credits categories and credits for O+M include:

• Location & Transportation
• Alternative Transportation
• Sustainable Sites
• Rainwater Management
•  Light Pollution Reduction
• Heat Island Reduction
• Water Efficiency
• Outdoor Water Use Reduction
• Indoor Water Use Reduction
• Water Metering
• Energy & Atmosphere
• Energy Metering
•  Refrigerant Management
•  Materials and Resources
• Waste Management
• Purchasing
•  Indoor Environmental Quality
• Green Cleaning
• Indoor Air Quality Management
• Interior Lighting
• Innovation
• LEED AP
• Regional Priority
• Specific Credits based on location

A company can earn points for things like: How close the building is to public transportation (BART, Subway, Bus, etc.)?; Does your building have bicycle parking?; Do your windows have reflective blinds?; Is your building eligible to receive an ENERGY STAR rating?; Are 50% of the products and materials your company uses (pens, paper, etc.) or 75% of furniture made from recycled material, bio-based materials, wood, etc.?;  Do you maintain your HVAC systems?; Do you use green cleaning products, materials, and equipment?;  Do you recycle?; Do employees have the ability to control the lighting in their work space? Survey employees/building occupants on their typical transportation patterns once every 5 years; Shade 50% of paved areas; use pavers instead of cement; Install a vegetated roof; Perform waste reduction and recycling program; and many more!

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What's wrong with my AutoCAD file?

AutoCAD used to have a reputation for crashing and corrupting files regularly.  Talk to any long time CAD user and you'll hear plenty of horror stories.

The program has gotten much more reliable, but it is still very complex, and there are a lot of moving parts, so I am often consulted on drawing problems.

There are a lot of tools for investigating what's in a drawing.  One of my favorites is the QSELECT command.

QSELECT provides a console to create a selection based on various criteria.

Certain objects tend to be problematic:

• Points
• Since they don't print, points can be placed anywhere.  They often throw off the drawing extents.
• Blocks
• Blocks are extremely useful, but blocks can also become corrupted.  It is worthwhile to keep track of your blocks and know what blocks are supposed to show up in your drawing.
• Attributes
• Attributes are ALWAYS supposed to be contained in a block.  If you have an attribute outside of a block, it should be deleted.
• Proxy objects
• Proxy objects are created by add-ons to AutoCAD.  They can become corrupted or they may not render properly in a version of AutoCAD that doesn't have the add-on.
• Splines
• Splines are not always rendered properly.
• 3D shapes
• 3D shapes add a lot of extra data to the drawing.  It is an extra burden that can cause a drawing to render slowly.  I prefer to remove them when possible.
• Empty text
• Text and Mtext containers without text inside can increase the size of a drawing with no benefits.  Recently the PURGE command was adjusted to deal with empty text objects.

By using filtering abilities in QSELECT you can find, adjust, and potentially delete individual items that cause drawing issues.


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This phenomenal article was brought to you by our very own AutoCAD Wizard Matt R!  Matt is our go to guy for all things AutoCAD.  Matt is always willing to help out no matter what the task or assignment is.  His knowledge and expertise in AutoCAD is one of the many things that makes him an invaluable member here at RSC.

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10 Keys to a Successful IWMS Integration: Pt. 2

You may remember that, about a month ago, we shared an article with the first key to a successful IWMS integration: having an internal champion.  This month we are thrilled to share with you part two of this ten-part series, appropriate IT collaboration.

Different Worlds Are Involved In an Integration

 When an IWMS is being installed and integrated, several departments are involved within the company that is being integrated. The departments that are usually most closely associated with this are either Corporate Real Estate (CRE) and/or the Facilities Management Department (FM). Appropriate IT Collaboration requires that these internal departments communicate effectively with the IT Department.  When both departments work together and understand one another, the IWMS runs optimally.

Ever since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which directs reporting accuracy,  IWMS integration has become an area of more importance than before.  This shift in importance on a corporate level has made IWMS a tier 1 software within many companies.  When a system becomes a tier 2 or tier 1 within a company, IT controls where it is installed and who has access to it.  In this case, IT will also control the tailoring and customization of the IWMS.  

Challenges In Communication Between the IT World and the IWMS World

One of the most common scenarios that can create miscommunication within an IWMS implementation is the differing vocabulary that is used between departments. The vocabulary between the IT world and the IWMS world can cause confusion because they each have their own acronyms, vocabulary, and jargon. At times, this can feel like people from different countries using their respective native tongues to speak to each other; neither person will understand the other because of the language barrier. There must be at least one person that can speak both languages in order to facilitate the conversation and accomplish what both parties desire to accomplish. In this same way, communication between IT and IWMS worlds can be facilitated by someone who is familiar with both worlds and their respective jargon.

Aside from any "language" barriers, IT also has a rigid upgrade and tailoring process.  This process can often be viewed as slowing down an implementation, which is not the case.  IT's attention to detail minimizes risk and protects the costs of IT support, unnecessary downtime, and the software.
While the process is time consuming, the protection it provides is irreplaceable and necessary. The best way to have a completely successful integration is to communicate effectively between all worlds so everyone can feel comfortable about the implementation.

Another common scenario is the conflict that can occur between departments' goals. Many IT departments have their own "road map" in order to determine what types of technology they will and will not support.  As with any business decision, they have a direction on which they will focus and methods with which they intend to support their decision. IT's goal in this is not to be difficult or make an integration more complicated.  They are simply trying to protect their road map and provide a cost effective IT environment, just as any good Cost Center would. From the moment the roadmap is created and onwards, someone must ensure the IWMS fits into and can be supported by IT's road map, or that the IWMS is supported by the 3rd party vendor.

What Does Appropriate IT Collaboration Look Like?

In order to communicate effectively between different worlds, or departments, we suggest having an internal staff member work as a middle man. This person can be your assigned Internal Champion, a business analyst, or anyone who is able to breach the gap in communication between the two worlds. Putting a team member in place that can do this is one of the essential steps to ensuring that your IWMS is integrated smoothly and can accomplish everything that it was put in place to accomplish. In addition to this, communication will be more effective and completing tasks will be more efficient.

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Featured: IWMS Daily

We are grateful yet again, to have an article featured on IWMS Daily, a daily IWMS article internet newspaper created by Steven Hanks.

Check out our article on their paper here.

The Intelligence Cycle & IWMS

The Intelligence Cycle and an Integrated Work Management System have a lot more in common than you might think.  Thanks to IWMS Daily, we came across this amazing article entitled "6 Aspects of Military Intelligence & How They Relate to IWMS."  After reading the article, we felt inspired to look a little more deeply into the relationship.  The article you are about to read is a mix of Military, Department of Defense, FBI, and CIA definitions of their Intelligence Cycle as well as input from the article that inspired us.

We are grateful for the service provided by all the men and women enlisted to protect the freedoms the USA was founded on.  In honor of Independence Day and all those who gave their lives serving in defense of the freedoms our great Country was founded upon, we wanted to share something that bridged the two worlds.

The intelligence cycle is a term used by various government agencies including the military, FBI, and CIA to name a few.  It is "the process of developing unrefined data into polished intelligence for the use of policymakers"1 and consists of six interrelated operations 2.  The process is circular in nature and fundamental for processing data in civilian, military, or law enforcement system.

As outlined in the article, we present to you the six parts of the intelligence cycle and how they relate to IWMS.

 

1. Planning and Direction

Intelligence requirements are determined by a decision maker to meet certain goals 3.  As in the military, a good IWMS must have awareness of all available resources as well as the means to quantify them. This requires charting a direction which identifies the resources needed to attain a particular goal.  In the FM world, this can be thought of as improving the allocation and prioritization of real estate operations and more rapid development, as well as investing in technology or replacing older RE/FM systems 4.  At Robert Stephen Consulting, LLC., we strive to listen to our client's needs and desires as we help in the planning process.  We provide flexible guides to assist clients decipher what is most important.

2. Collection

Collection is the gathering of raw information based on requirements determined in planning and direction 5.  Data collection is done in a strategic way to connect seemingly unrelated information and produce a comprehensive understanding of a certain goal.  In an IWMS, data sources may consist of occupancy, costs, leasing, future space requirements, operational maintenance management (scheduling repairs), customer satisfaction, project management, etc. 6.  RSC aids in collecting electronic information and standards along with manufacture recommendations.  We also provide best practices along the way.

3. Processing & Exploitation

This is defined by the US Department of Defense as "the conversion of information into suitable forms" 7.  Corporate leadership, like their military counterparts, require data to be fully analyzed and vetted in order to make rapid strategic decisions on the appropriate (daily) course of action.  The processing of collected data facilitates improved customer experience, reputation management, and building partnerships among others -- all of which impact a company's bottom line.  Some outcomes of processing and exploitation in IWMS include work order processing, energy management, and environmental impact 8.  After gathering data, RSC synthesizes and consults.  We create a pilot project including sample data from 1-3 buildings and multiple floors with employee information, assets, etc.  We prove the theory hypothesized from the collected data.

4. Analysis and Production

In the military, analysis and production fuses processed data from various sources into a centralized report to identify potential patterns 9/10.  An IWMS does the same thing.  The goal of the IWMS, however, is to improve management of Corporate Real Estate/Facilities Management.  Aspects of this goal include flexibility to expand future applications/utility, reporting, financial management, market planning, site selection, transaction management, lease management, operations/maintenance, sustainability, energy management, and business intelligence to name a few 11.  After analyzing the data, RSC puts together a list of items and is reviewed with the client and any remaining data is uploaded.

5. Dissemination and Integration

The military defines dissemination and integration as the delivery of intelligence to users in a suitable form applicable to appropriate missions, tasks, and functions 12 in the form of reports 13 on either the front lines or in higher leadership levels.  This is done through various types of communication (e.g., social media, mobile devices, the "cloud," and database transfers).  The dissemination of information is not the end of a process, but a continuous link between the producers and consumers of data.  An IWMS integrates BIM, CAD, and GIS intelligence and delivers the data to users (some of which may include Client Service Directors, Human Resource Directors, & Marketing Directors) through dashboards, mapping displays, analytics, mobile applications 14, and RSC's very own Space View.  At this point staff is introduced to the new process and training to use the system.  Minor tweaks are also considered and incorporated when they follow the plan and process outlined in items 1-4 above.

6. Evaluation and Feedback

Evaluation and feedback is a continuous assessment of intelligence operations to ensure requirements are being met 15. This military practice assists in planning, collection, processing, execution, and making overall improvements.  In corporate environments this process translates into consulting and honestly identifying any deficiencies with the system 16.  At Robert Stephen Consulting, LLC., we understand that these applications are living and breathing systems which require constant feeding and growth.  An internal champion makes decisions on whether enhancements need to be made to a new or existing IWMS by gauging system performance and efficiency.  This backs up RSC's belief that an internal champion is key to a successful IWMS integration.  It's a tried and true concept that even the US Government uses.

When these six military intelligence cycles are applied, the benefits of IWMS are clear.  An Integrated Work Management System reduces costs, increases efficiency, and improves productivity. If your company is not already using an IWMS, like ARCHIBUS, we urge you to research, ask questions, and invest!  The benefits an IWMS can bring to your company, no matter how large or small, are innumerable.

With that being said, we hope you have a happy, festive, and safe Fourth of July!

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