Powerful visualisation tools and real-time updates streamline project management for HanmiGlobal

Since its inception in 1996, HanmiGlobal has successfully established itself as the leading construction and project management company in Korea, based on sales volume and projects completed. Ranked number nine globally by ENR magazine in 2019, it is the only Asian company to have continually featured in the publication's top-ten project and construction management firms over twenty consecutive years.

HanmiGlobal's development capabilities span multiple asset classes, with projects completed across residential, hotel and resort, high-rise and mixed-use. They also operate within the industrial, energy and infrastructure markets. The company prides itself on reducing construction time and cost by actively managing project participants such as contractors and consultants throughout the project lifecycle. 

A familiar interface and ease of customisation ensure project participants are quickly up to speed

Project managers in HanmiGlobal's operations department are responsible for managing hundreds of ongoing projects that involve collecting vast amounts of data from many stakeholders. Manual data compilation proved difficult, with status updates delivered via spreadsheet and email. Without one centralised system, data gathering was a challenge and could result in miscommunication between project sites and their supporting teams at headquarters.

As HanmiGlobal was looking to digitise and improve their project management workflows, it was essential to implement a solution that would be easy for employees to use and understand. HanmiGlobal had previously utilised an existing project management software to collate data, allowing managers to control critical information. However, users rarely applied more than a few of its functions. It also proved challenging to customise after the initial implementation. Smartsheet's spreadsheet interface provided a familiar, easy-to-use tool that enabled a smooth transition for staff members, allowing for customisation when required. 

Smathsheet's ability to attach files to sheet rows now means that project teams can easily log documents and work activities in one centralised location. With Smartsheet's flexibility and automation capabilities a key driver in HanmiGlobal's choice of vendor, project teams can increase functionality and integrate with existing systems as and when required. 

Powerful visualisation tools allow a real-time view of the project lifecycle 

With the system requiring the engagement of multiple participants, HanmiGlobal's Digital Transformation Office (DTO) created a simple user manual to bring them up to speed quickly and easily. In a project's early phases, the DTO supports the new users in applying and customising the system to their needs. 

Smartsheet now ensures that project status reports are relayed efficiently and accurately using single data sources. By integrating Smartsheet data with Tableau dashboards, HanmiGlobal has transformed the digital work process using powerful visualisation tools. Enterprise-level data is now available to project participants with specialised data visualisation at hand, allowing for more accurate decision-making. Dashboards have been particularly helpful for international clients, allowing them a real-time view of the project lifecycle as it progresses in Korea. 

With data updating in the dashboard in real-time, project managers can focus on the task at hand, reducing time spent on administration and reporting. Client satisfaction is critical to further Smartsheet advocacy across projects. 

Planning for the future with Smartsheet and KYCMFIRM 

Keen to further transform work processes and data management, HanmiGlobal is planning for the future in conjunction with their domestic partner, KYCM Firm. A recent winner in the 2021 Smartsheet APAC Partner Awards, KYCMFIRM consults with Smartsheet users, ensuring they're getting the best from their software. 

To accomplish their goal of increasing the number of Smartsheet projects and users, HanmiGlobal's Digital Transformation Office is preparing education programs for construction project managers. These programs will include tailored employee training and system integration protocols, enabling Korean project managers to use Smartsheet with custom project management templates. As the number of experienced users increases, more data will accumulate in the Smartsheet platform, facilitating improvements in the user experience.

Smartsheet will also integrate with a project management platform developed by HanmiGlobal. The construction project management platform, named ezCDE, aims to provide various project management tools in the cloud environment. By integrating ezCDE with Smartsheet, pre-defined templates can easily connect with the platform, further finessing HanmiGlobal's project management systems. 

In addition to internal Smartsheet expansion, HanmiGlobal and KYCM Firm plan to share their experiences with the wider Korean construction industry. By sharing their successes using Smartsheet with others, they are excited to help drive efficiencies and collaboration in the industry. 
 

For more information about this story, please see our case study.