Episode 162– SmartPM Technologies – Data-Driven Solutions for Project Outcomes

Manage This - The Project Management Podcast

The podcast by project managers for project managers. Why do delays on construction projects continue to occur? Hear about SmartPM Technologies, a real-time automated analytics platform, which analyzes complex construction schedule data via machine learning to uncover actionable insights so construction firms can reduce delays and improve project outcomes. Table of Contents 02:41 … Why SmartPM?06:56 … Why do Construction Delays Occur?09:49 … SmartPM Primary Customer13:53 … How SmartPM Works15:18 … Scoring Model18:16 … The Owner’s Perspective23:28 … How SmartPM Identifies Risks28:04 … Kevin and Kyle29:26 … Only for Construction Projects30:35 … Mike’s Personal Motivation33:50 … Contact Mike34:42 … Introducing Dave Kirchheim a SmartPM User36:02 … SmartPM Experience37:31 … Data Input and Output39:27 … The SmartPM Impact on a Project40:44 … Most Helpful Features41:55 … Takeaway as a User43:51 … Closing MIKE PINK: But having something that can sit in the middle to produce good conversation that’s factually accurate, actually, you know, it needs to be factually accurate, produces actually better results. You would think a lot of our owner customers feared it was going to start arguments. But what they realized was when you throw something down in the middle of you that has an analysis that really supports your concern, they will take it seriously because they take you seriously. But when you don’t have that, you really have opinion; right? So that’s been the difference. WENDY GROUNDS: Welcome to Manage This, the podcast by project managers for project managers. Thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, you can leave us a comment on our website Velociteach.com, on social media, or whichever podcast listening app you use. This is where we interview top experts and project managers to get their unique perspectives. My name is Wendy Grounds, and joining me is Bill Yates. Today we’re talking to Mike Pink. Mike is the CEO of SmartPM Technologies, a construction schedule analytic software provider. BILL YATES: Yeah. And it’s interesting to note that before founding SmartPM, Mike worked as a consultant for 17 or more years at Deloitte and at KPMG. He was helping commercial construction firms with forensic delay analysis. That’s what led him to think about SmartPM. So he became a leading expert in construction risk management and then started thinking about how do I use this information to help construction projects go better. WENDY GROUNDS: Yeah. So this is particularly for our construction project managers, but I think there’s a lot of lessons that Mike shares which are good for everyone. In 2019, SmartPM launched its Schedule Optimization Platform, and this analyzes complex construction schedule data via machine learning. And it helps to uncover actionable insight so construction firms can reduce delays and improve project outcomes. Also in this podcast we’re going to have a little chat with Dave Kirchheim. He and his company have been using SmartPM, and so he’s going to give us his feedback from that. BILL YATES: Yeah, we thought it’d be great. Talk with the founder of the company, the one that really inspired the creation of the software; and then talk with a user, a customer, and see how they’re using it and how it’s changed their project management discipline. WENDY GROUNDS: Hi, Mike. Welcome to Manage This. Thank you for being our guest. MIKE PINK: Well, thank you for having me. I’m excited to be here. Why SmartPM? WENDY GROUNDS: You created the software called SmartPM. Why did you create this platform? MIKE PINK: Well, it’s a long story. Try to make it quick. I got out of college back in 2001. I was an industrial engineer, and I got a job at KPMG in their construction solutions group, which is consulting. And I didn’t really know what it was all about. I just knew that it was an interesting opportunity. It was in New York City,