Case Study: Army Corps of engineers - Costbook

the project

To create an enterprise cost estimation software for The Army Corps of Engineers and other Official Government entities concerning construction estimation management and Area Cost Factors.

THE CHALLENGE

The main objective of the Costbook made up of a computerized database of cost estimating information, which is normally used with construction estimating software to support the formation of cost estimates, or simply be an electronic reference of cost data. Our challenge was to create a means for the Army Corps of Engineers to estimate construction properties based on the usage of The Army Corps of Engineers to estimate proprietary cost item survey’s and to be able to discontinue usage of R.S. Means and continue to grow the products and update cost based on Area Cost Factor updates.

USER RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY

We conducted a panel usability testing study comprised of cost engineers and how they use the R.S. Means as a product and the Area Cost Factors delivered by RS Means that can drive up a cost on an item. They wanted the enterprise type software to be designed with The Army Corps of Engineers. Their were certain aspects of access to all Cost Engineers as RS Means allowed one book per Engineer at a cost of up to $1,200 per book per year and they were not only looking to save in that cost, but also remove their dependency on RS Means as a product and company. We also learned that RS Means holds the market place, and The Army Corps of Engineers wanted to hold a competitive marketplace concerning cost factors.

WHAT DID Project Time & Cost learn

We learned that there are three types of Engineers that work on any given project. The Costbook Data Collector, The Cost Estimator and the Manager/Senior Cost Engineer/CostBook Administrator. We learned that RS Means holds a monopoly on the cost factor market. We learned that the scope of pricing for construction estimation holds several different elements that need to be considered. Area Cost Factors, Material Indicators, custom indices for specific locations, or that organizations are the real considerations in establishing pricing models for estimation. The Material Type Indicator is used in the Costbook Maintenance Module to define Material indices for creating pricing models as well as to define types of price books for distribution through the CostBook application.

THE SOLUTION

Ultimately to create a viable estimation cost tool for the Cost Estimators for Government entities that can be both user friendly as well as be able to change and easily updateable.

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