Make Overtime predictable with Measurement and Data Analysis
A new study by Dodge Construction Network and Versatile, a construction technology pioneer using artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT) to optimize construction processes, found that unexpected overtime is predictable and controllable through regular jobsite activity measurement. According to the study, overtime is predictable at an 88% confidence level if proper measurement is utilized.
Overtime is a persistent feature of construction sites; however, it is often unplanned and unpredictable. Despite the cost of overtime, its impact on skilled workers, and its implications for safety and other key factors on a project site, it is often applied to address immediate concerns rather than planned to maximize its effects. This recent study shows that to best understand overtime and its impact, data and measurement of jobsite activities is key.
“Unique insights derived from advanced data and analytics tools will empower construction crews to build better,” said Meirav Oren, cofounder and CEO of Versatile. “Overtime can be a very effective tool on the jobsite. Through the power of data, general contractors gain the ability to minimize unnecessary overtime while maximizing its strategic benefits.”
To conduct the study, jobsite productivity and performance data was collected through Versatile’s AI- and IoT-powered CraneView®, a non-intrusive device mounted below the crane hook.
Versatile analysed data from a sample of project sites that deployed overtime to provide valuable insight into how measuring overtime can help improve productivity.
Key findings from the study include:
- 71% of crane processes during overtime are indirect activities to the actual project build.
- 96% of days with overtime experienced a higher volume of non-productive activities during the morning hours compared to the volume of total activities during overtime.
- Crane utilization was 6-7% better during overtime than for the same activities performed during standard shift.
- Overtime is strongly correlated to unscheduled breaks, with 63% of unscheduled breaks happening during the morning hours, or first part of the shift.
“The goal of this report is to encourage conscious, intentional measurement of site activities and objective analysis to determine true best practices. This approach can help every kind of contractor with useful, actionable perspectives based on facts, rather than commonly held myths,” states Steve Jones, Senior Director of Industry Insights Research at Dodge Data & Analytics.
This initial study, Measuring What Matters: Overtime Efficiency, kicks off the companies’ co-authored series of reports on utilizing data and measurement on construction sites. Dodge and Versatile will analyse jobsite data to find other ways for contractors to improve productivity, safety and overall performance on projects, with more research expected in 2022.
