Construction Project Management Software
Construction project management is a complex job. There are tens of thousands of tasks to be tracked and completed, from pouring half a cubic mile of concrete to buying thousands of $0.50 rivets of exactly the right thickness, length, and metallurgical composition. That's when construction project management software comes in handy.
There is software for every aspect of construction project management. Some programs do estimating and takeoff. Others specialize in bid management, project scheduling, accounting and job costing. The construction project management process is so complex that very few software packages attempt to do it all. The ones that try are astronomically expensive -- except for the free, open-source packages.
"Free" software doesn't mean "cheap" as in low-quality. Usually, open source software was developed by a company for its own use, so the programmers did it right with all the bells and whistles that they could throw in to please their employers -- and keep their jobs. If you can find an open source construction project management software package developed by a competitor in your industry, it is probably very close to exactly what you need.
On the other hand, you may have to figure out how to use such software on your own. You can't expect tech support for free. Look for open source software that has a fairly large user community; you will often find online forums associated with such packages where you can ask questions or, better, find them already answered. A middle-ground option is to find an open source consulting firm that charges for support and customization but gives you the basic software free of charge; there are many of them out there.
But maybe you're a homeowner who just wants to remodel a kitchen. You don't need complex construction project management software, just something that will help you design a new layout of cabinets and counters and appliances. Consumer-oriented construction project management software is there for you. For example, Home Designer by Chief Architect Software. In general, such software comes with a lot of free tech support, including video tutorials and try-before-you-buy trial versions. Just be sure to allow a couple extra weeks of lead time to learn how to use the software before you design your project.
You don't even have to install software on your computer. Just use someone else's software online via a Web interface. Colorjive is one such service available free of charge. You can upload a photo of your home, change colors, and see how the place looks with a new paint job. However, there don't seem to be any free online programs that let you test-drive new cabinets and draw floor plans.
Construction project management software makes a big job easier by tracking all the tiny details. It can remind you of tasks you might otherwise forget. It can show you the critical path of a project -- the set of interrelated tasks that must be done on schedule to avoid throwing the whole project into chaos. But still, construction project management takes a thinking, mindful human being who can interact effectively with other people of all kinds.