James Bulley, a partner with the project management arm of Drivers Jonas, said: "It has caused us a number of problems, and we will be reassessing the whole area of electronic project management. We had spent a lot of time going through a learning curve with I-scraper, which we had only got halfway through. I do think it is inevitable that these type of systems will be used to manage projects to create efficiencies in the future, but we may look into developing our own in-house system."
"We hadn't anticipated the collapse," added Bulley. "But it hasn't put us off using electronic project management."
Projects currently being managed on I-scraper will be moved to portal theBIW.com's Project Information Channel. Colin Smith, chief executive of BIW, said it was developing migration paths to move the projects. "We will be providing support for the time-being for I-scraper projects and hopefully developing relationships with its clients."
"I-scraper is a good product, and it had some good-quality staff, which we were in need of," said Smith. "It was not in the best interests of this industry to let it founder." Smith added that BIW would be looking to form partnerships with other construction e-businesses in the future. It already has a deal with Asite, the Stanhope/Microsoft- backed site launching this summer, for Asite users to manage projects on the Project Information Channel.
I-scraper had negotiated several partnerships with the likes of software giant Microsoft and mobile phone company Nokia, though BIW will have to renegotiate these deals if they are to continue.
I-scraper has managed 35 projects since it was set up in 1998. Twelve are still in progress, including projects for the Welsh Development Agency and Amey Ventures. All members of I-scraper's staff, including its three directors, have joined BIW, though BIW has not bought any part of the I-scraper business.
Trading site Mercadium is also looking to merge, having failed to raise the funding it needs to continue independently.
Source
Construction Manager
