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PUBLICATIONS
Inside
Illinois
Vol.
21, No. 8, Oct. 18, 2001
New software makes managing
campus construction projects easier
By Sharita
Forrest, Assistant Editor
(217) 334 -1072; slforres@illinois.edu
Campus construction projects not only can be a hassle for drivers and
pedestrians, they also can cause headaches for the people managing the
projects.
Coordinating construction requires keeping track of who’s doing
what, when, where, and for how much.
Juggling that information has become easier and less time-consuming
now as a result of a new software program developed at the UI.
Using a Web browser, project team members – UI staff and vendors,
including architects, engineers and construction contractors –
can use PRZM™, software developed by the UI Office for Capital
Programs, to access and exchange information about projects they’re
working on at any UI campus. Security features prohibit team members
from viewing information about projects other than the ones they’re
authorized to view.
The capital programs office developed PRZM™ during the past several
years because commercially available software failed to meet the university’s
needs.
"We worked with the Office for Planning Design and Construction
on the Urbana campus, the Office for Physical Planning and Operations
at our Springfield campus, and the Office for Capital Programs at Chicago
to determine what features would be necessary, and nothing met the requirements
that our clients told us they needed," said Clark Wise, director
of technical services for the University Office of Capital Programs.
UOCP identified focus groups to review the project, and developers revised
it accordingly.
The result is an application unique in construction-project management,
tailored specifically to the needs of major university construction
projects.
In the past year, UOCP has held training sessions for university employees,
professional service firms and contractors who use PRZM™. An online
training course also is available to registered team members working
on construction projects for the university. The Training Channel, a
Champaign-based firm, created the instructor-led and online training
materials.
If users need help, personnel with the University Administrative Information
Technology Services help desk can answer simple questions. UOCP technical
personnel can address more software specific issues.
PRZM™ is being put into use on the Urbana, Chicago and Springfield
campuses on projects ranging from the closeout phase of the ACES Library
at Urbana to the conceptualization phase of the new Classroom/Office
Building project at Springfield.
An introduction to PRZM™ can be found at www.ocp.uillinois.edu.
For additional information, contact Allen Edmonson (allene@uillinois.edu),
Clark Wise (clarkw@uillinois.edu),
or Joe Vitosky (joev@uillinois.edu)
at the capital programs office, 333-5688.
About UOCP
The University Office for Capital Programs’ responsibilities include:
- Master planning and design guidelines
- Consultant selection and project design
- Capital delivery oversight
- Capital performance measurement/audit
- Front-end contract documents
- Auxiliary services oversight
- Liaison and coordination with the state’s Capital Development
Board
- Coordination and presentation of all capital-related items and reports
for the UI Board of Trustees and its committees
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