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Ultimate iPad Guide: Project Management Apps for Architects

  • Anthony Frausto-Robledo, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

    • Project Management Apps for Architects on iPad

    New in 2.0

    This group includes industry-specific and general industry project management and collaboration tools we have chosen to focus on. The latter is a huge category with lots of possibilities. These days the most important tools are cloud-oriented that have centralized all project data. Some of the best online collaboration and project management (OCPM) tools have developed in the general market as true SaaS (software as a service) options. Basecamp by 37signals is probably the most famous of these.

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    Speaking of Basecamp, this year Basecamp for iPad is a new app made for that device. However, it does not work with Basecamp Classic, which many architects got started with using and lends itself better for the AEC space. Another new addition is Autodesk A360 which continues the software giant’s push to cloud-everything. We felt it was worth adding OmniPlan 2.0 for those gantt chart devotees as this is another good solution in that space.

    Mobility and the Cloud

    Today the project management tool “success story” is not just a Web 2.0-only affair that isolates you within a standards based web browser. It has to involve the leading mobile platforms and native apps on those platforms. And right now the leader is Apple’s iOS platform. Let’s look at some of the offerings.

    The first app we want to point out is 37signals’ Basecamp. This tool actually comes in two versions, Basecamp and Basecamp Classic. Classic is not supported within the native iPad app but is fully accessible via Safari on the iPad. With careful organization this general SaaS tool is highly useful to streamlining communications and centralizing documents, and many small to mid-size AEC firms are Basecamp users. (see image 01).

    01 – 37signals’ Basecamp is the world’s leading SaaS online project management solution. Their iPhone iOS app runs on an iPad as well.

    02 – Newforma users have a variety of task-specific apps for the iPad, like this punch list app.

    03 – AEC Software’s well-regarded FastTrack Schedule comes in a Go version for the iPad.

    The second tool we want to focus on is Newforma. This popular AEC dedicated system has a suite of task-specific iPad apps like the Newforma Punch List app shown here (see 02). We have added two new Newforma apps below in the list. Autodesk has several AECO ex-portal days platforms, including Buzzsaw, Constructware and its newer Autodesk 360 offerings. And Bentley has ProjectWise. Unfortunately, the mobile offerings for the older tools are not that feature rich—a problem endemic to this entire category of software. Hence, the focus on the more modern SaaS web tools which can run quite well on an iPad in the browser.

    For schedule and resource management tools AEC Software’s well regarded FastTrack Schedule Go is a gantt-chart style project scheduling app that can also open Microsoft Project files. (see image 03).

    The List (18 Apps)

    Here is a listing of some of the most excellent general project management apps useful to architects on the iPad at the time of this writing as well as all of the dedicated AEC industry apps focused on online collaboration and project management (OCPM) which offer iOS apps that run on iPad. Again, if we have somehow missed an app that deserves to be on this list we would sure appreciate your email on the subject. It may also be listed in another category in our series. Without further ado:

    The Gem in the Group

    To be perfectly honest we do not feel there is an outstanding Gem in this group. We say this because the larger solutions from Bentley, Autodesk and Oracle are lack the simplicity, ease-of-use and clarity of a true SaaS app darling like Basecamp or a brilliantly clear mobile app like PlanGrid. The general problem for this category is that nobody makes a truly modern AECO-specific online collaboration and project management (OCPM) tool that will rock your world. We are still waiting for it! As such, there isn’t an iPad app made for such a solution yet.

    We think Citrix’s Podio SaaS platform is very interesting and ripe for AECO specific focus. Last year we named it the gem in the group and we’ll stick with that this year too. We are definitely going to monitor this space more closely.

    04 – Podio is often seen as the new Basecamp SaaS innovator and competitor. It’s iPad and iPhone apps get you connected to your customized Podio workspaces.

    Podio has been called the new Basecamp. Yet, unlike Basecamp, Podio is more of a customizable workspace process platform. And get this–it supports custom development and has a growing Podio App eco-system where base Podio users can purchase customized Podio apps and create a toolset for their individual industry or company.

    05 – Unlike Basecamp Podio features app extensions for sale inside of a Podio App Market.

    For example, the base Podio product handles task management, document management, project meetings support with built-in Go-To-Meetings, and works with cloud storage leaders like Dropbox. Inside of the Podio App Market there are apps for vertical markets like advertising, consultancy, education, law, marketing, media agency, NGO, real estate, software development and others. There is no Architecture or AEC vertical defined yet and so the platform is ripe for the right developer.

    next page : Annotation Apps for Architects 

    series index page: Ultimate iPad Guide: Apps for Architects

     

    [Last updated: 28 Sep 2014 – 2:00 PM EDT]

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