Our Software

We currently supply two pieces of software: TDM, probably the best pure technical document control system available, and Insight, our Production Management system, a reworking of the fundamentals of project management which will dramatically improve the predictability of major projects.

Our work in developing software for managing projects is guided by three key principles.

• First, we focus on business fundamentals, particularly on the data required to support those fundamental processes: what is the key data generated by projects, and what do project teams really need to be able to do with that data? Try not to get sucked into the technology before you really understand the information side of things. Let the information part lead your thinking; the technology can always catch up.
• Secondly, we focus on openness and sharing information. Not just to be nice and politically correct, but because open, shared information systems make organisations more efficient; and it is our aim to make the entire project organisation more efficient. When people have to spend time defending their personal and corporate hoards of information they are wasting time, energy and goodwill. But to be worthwhile and usefully open, information must be properly specified so that everyone knows exactly what it means. It must be accurate and up to date, and it must be verifiable; that is, it must be easy to challenge and test.
• Thirdly, we don't pretend that our products will be all things to all men. They embody our particular view of best practice in each of the areas that they address, at the point in time at which they are designed. We are experts in the fields for which we design systems; our customers expect no less. Best practice evolves however, it becomes more refined and more resilient over time and through implementation and testing. Good systems must be able to cope with this sort of ongoing development; ours are.

C3 Software Technical Details

The C3 Insight and TDM systems have been developed in Microsoft Visual Basic VI, using MS SQL Server as the back-end database. The systems were designed to be easily implemented in a web environment. For example, it is intended that remote head-office users will be able to log into a site based Insight system to gather progress and other data from the project.

Ideally, the Insight service would be provided by the Project or Construction Manager and all consultants and contractors would be allowed managed access to the system. So for instance, a specialist contractor might run Insight as part of his work on a given project. But he might also run the system as a corporate management reporting service. We anticipate that it will be possible for the specialist contractor to be able to create and maintain "his" Insight model within the overall project system, but for the data to be available for reporting back to his head office. In other words, we expect to be able to set up a single project model accessible by all authorised users in such a way that no-one has to duplicate the data entry or management functions.

The C3 Insight and TDM Document Control systems integrate fully, so the combination of systems can be used for production management in design, as well as construction. Also, the Scope and Change modules can be directly linked to the project documents, ensuring complete consistency throughout the functions and processes of the project.