AEC_document control_construction_inaction

Agoria Article – Document Governance in Construction: A Strategic Lever to Reduce Costs and Secure Projects

This article was written by Agoria and published on their website agoria.be

In the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector, information has become an asset as essential as materials or technical skills. Yet, poor document management continues to generate considerable costs, site delays, and significant operational risks.

According to data relayed by PlanGrid & FMI Corporation (2018), nearly $177 billion is lost annually in the US construction sector due to faulty communication, rework, and poor data management. Faced with this finding, the question is no longer whether to structure document management, but how to do it effectively.

Information at the Heart of Project Performance

The proliferation of stakeholders, document versions, and digital tools makes the flow of information increasingly complex. The consequences are well-known to industry players: design errors, difficulty in traceability, problems during audits, delivery delays, or incomplete transfer of data to operations teams.

To address these challenges, our Agoria member, Exquando, has developed an approach based on information governance and Document Control, with a clear objective: to make reliable information a true lever for organisational performance.

The approach relies on three complementary elements for controlled document management:

Clear and shared procedures
The implementation of common rules for naming, revision management, document statuses, and approval processes forms the basis of a reliable system. These standards allow all project stakeholders to work with the same references and avoid ambiguity.
A single source of truth
Centralising documents on a common platform ensures that every stakeholder accesses the correct version of the information. This “Single Source of Truth” approach facilitates collaboration between contracting authorities, design offices, contractors, and operators.
Document Control experts
Beyond the tools, success also relies on human skills. Specialists ensure the quality, compliance, and availability of documents throughout the project lifecycle.

“In engineering and construction projects, the challenge is no longer simply to produce and share documents, but to guarantee that every stakeholder has the right information, at the right time, and in the right context. Effective document governance becomes a real factor in risk control and operational performance.”
Marc Ansoult, CEO of Exquando

A Vision Covering the Entire Project Lifecycle

Document governance is not limited to document archiving. It accompanies every phase of the project.

Upstream, audits help evaluate the existing situation, define roles and responsibilities, draft document management procedures, and select appropriate tools.

During project execution, monitoring deliverables, quality controls, validation workflows, and monitoring dashboards help maintain a high level of document control. Indicators notably allow the measurement of document progress and completeness by discipline (architecture, BIM, HVAC, etc.).

Finally, during closure, “eHandover” processes ensure a structured transfer of information to the exploitation and maintenance teams, a step often critical for the durability of assets.

To facilitate adoption and maximise data value, document management solutions must be able to integrate with existing environments.

Exquando thus works with several widely used platforms on the market, including Autodesk Construction Cloud, SharePoint, OpenText, Aconex, Bricsys, and AODocs. Automation tools also simplify the classification, marking, and transfer of files while reducing low value-added administrative tasks.

Concrete Results on the Ground

Several leading organisations have already integrated these document governance practices into their projects.

Here are different examples:

At imec, the standardisation of technical documentation and the optimisation of transfer to operations have strengthened operational excellence thanks to structured document management rules.
For Fluxys, the main objective was to improve the traceability of engineering approvals. The implementation of an integrated system combined with continuous quality control of data has strengthened the document governance of critical infrastructure.
As part of the gigantic Princess Elisabeth offshore wind farm project off the Belgian coast, Elia‘s engineers called upon Exquando’s Document Control expertise to ensure document tracking and control.
As part of the expansion of their sites in Wavre, Singapore, Canada, and Germany, the engineering teams at GSK had to manage several construction and engineering projects simultaneously. The need to centralise and standardise the management and control of their technical documentation thus became imperative, and Exquando’s intervention allowed the delegation and centralisation of all technical document management; project managers could thus devote themselves entirely to piloting their construction projects.

A Strategic Opportunity for Companies

As we have seen: at a time when projects are becoming increasingly complex, the mastery of information appears to be a determining factor in competitiveness. Solid document governance not only helps reduce costs related to errors and rework but also improves collaboration, traceability, and trust among stakeholders.

“Digital transformation is not limited to adopting a new platform. Above all, it relies on alignment between people, processes, and technology. When this balance is achieved, document management ceases to be an administrative constraint and becomes a lever for value creation.”
Sabine Boël, COO of Exquando

Thus, investing in the quality of information is no longer a question of administrative compliance. It is a strategic choice that contributes directly to the success of projects and the sustainable performance of the organisation.

To help organisations evaluate the maturity of their document management practices, Exquando has developed a diagnostic tool based on over 15 years of experience in supporting complex engineering and construction projects.

By answering six questions, companies obtain an initial assessment of their maturity level in “Document Control”. The diagnosis helps identify the main points of attention related to information governance, the organisation of document exchanges, and management processes. Participants can also request a more detailed analysis report highlighting potential impacts on their projects and suggesting improvements tailored to their maturity level.