With a turnover in excess of £1 billion each year, and an enviable reputation to maintain, independent UK construction and property heavyweight Willmott Dixon has always valued planning. Recently, they wanted to move to Powerproject, and kick-started a process of change which will drive long-term benefits and support the company’s BIM and digital construction ambitions.

FIIT Time, which stands for Focused Innovation and Improvement Team for Time, resides officially in the a mandate to help people across the corporation, including in its Interiors and Homes businesses, become more involved in, and more conscious of, planning and time.

Over the past year, the activities of the time team included facilitating a wholescale change of planning platform from Microsoft Project to Powerproject, along with delivering guidance and commencing training to help engage all Willmott Dixon staff to support planning excellence.

Changing software for a process that is so much a part of day-to-day operations had to be handled carefully. Willmott Dixon’s FIIT Time team developed a strong working relationship with Elecosoft in order to roll out the software efficiently.

Willmott Dixon is on a BIM journey. It believes it is important to do more than simply talk BIM and 4D. Ensuring that the software choice would support strategic directions such as BIM and digital construction was a clear business priority.

As the roll-out of Powerproject continues, the FIIT Time team also continues its wider work to embed excellent planning and time management into every facet of Willmott Dixon operations. With active senior management support, an enterprise-wide commitment to a common planning approach and platform, and the strides made in enabling planning involvement by all, the team is proving that time is more than just project critical, but can be part of planning the business’ future.