OK, how many times have the Sales and Marketing folks told you that something is easy to install, easy to learn and powerful?  A few times I bet! 

Well, I finally loaded the Vico Office software onto my standard sales issue email laptop (no special graphics capability) running on Windows 7 and within 10 minutes I was looking at quantities in my first project.  Within an hour or so I had explored the Client, Takeoff Manager and I was trying to figure out Constructability Manager.  Rather than reading the manual I called one of my colleagues and in a 15 minute web session I had figured out the basics with a little coaching.

What is incredible about this is that I had never been able to operate Constructor or Estimator because the pre-cursor to that was learning how to run Archicad, the BIM modeling system that all activities were based on.  But now, with Vico Office I can load models, mix models, compare versions from Architects and Structural engineers, run clash detection, evaluate quantities and run reports. 

Caption: Selecting a viewpoint and clouding a clash before a coordination meeting.

All learned on my own from watching the Fridays with Vico webinars and trying the software myself.  Next I'm moving on to Cost Planning and Location Based Scheduling, after all Vico Office makes it easy!

The big differentiators available from 5D Construction Management teams are transparency and accuracy and the companies that master this methodology will clearly win more business.  I hear Owners constantly loving 5D BIM, especially location-based scheduling and think the health care market will be mostly using line of balance within the next few years since the cost of those projects is so high. 

If you want to differentiate your firm consider outfitting a project team (including the people resisting change) with Vico Office.  Hopefully, you'll find it as easy to use as I have.  AND, if you have a question about the software call me (978-882-0170 x101) or email me and I'll show you the answer, I'm a demo fool now!

If you want to try it yourself, here are the Fridays with Vico webinars to review:

Introduction to Vico Office

Vico Office for Preconstruction and Estimating Teams

The New Preconstruction

Or watch the special Vico Unplugged webinar to learn the backstory of Vico Office.