CBPP at the heart of e-best practice

Citation

(2001), "CBPP at the heart of e-best practice", Facilities, Vol. 19 No. 10. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.2001.06919jab.011

CBPP at the heart of e-best practice

CBPP at the heart of e-best practiceKeywords: Construction industry, World Wide Web, Best practice

Record numbers of registrations and support from the industry has proved that the Construction Best Practice Programme's re-designed Web site (www.cbpp.org.uk) is acting as a major portal for best practice information in the construction industry.

Figures for January demonstrate the quality of the site, with over 65 per cent of enquiries coming from senior management in the construction industry. This is clear vindication of the new, easier to use format and this is supported by an average of over 500 new registrations every month since the November re-design and a constant demand for fresh information and advice each day.

"In order to respond to the complex demands of the construction community it is vital to know their habits and profiles", explains CBPP's IT manager, Canute Simpson. "Therefore a first step in the restyling was to introduce a registration and login facility."

The second step was to make the site more user-friendly and faster. Research showed that the site has a role to play as a provider of news and developments in the industry as well as responding to demands for instant access to best practice background material. However, feedback showed it was taking people too long to find the information.

"Web users need to see where they are going, so we have introduced a pull-down menu assessable as you scroll across the Home Page", continues Canute Simpson. "This acts as an 'image map'. You can now see where you are going on the site and so avoid 'death by a million clicks', as a result of having to search through page after page of data."

Another innovation is the instant news and updates section on the Home Page which means there is no need to drill down through specific sections to access the information. This is supported by a search facility and an on-line resource centre. The speed and quality of these designs put the CBPP site in the frontline of construction e-business.

"The resource centre is the essence of CBPP", comments Canute Simpson. "It is an easy way to access all you might need to pursue best practice, with details of tool kits, events, profiles, case studies and reports being just some of the information available."

For example, company profiles provide a real-life snapshot of how best practice can be successfully implemented within an organisation.

Designed to promote success and demonstrate how achievable best practice is in reality, the Featherstone profile, is the second in a series of 15 profiles to be released and details the path to improvement that the company has successfully followed.

Featherstone's Best Practice Approach includes: outsourcing for expert help, conducting internal market research, implementing a programme of improved internal and external communications and creating a stronger customer and staff care system.

Kim Featherstone, director of Featherstone, says: "There are plenty of people and organisations out there who can help you set your direction and run an improvement programme, as long as there is an internal commitment to change and improvement."

Developed to further supplement the Programme's Company Visits Scheme and the case studies, the series of profiles will focus on the identification of key events leading up to or facilitating improvement as well as the tools and methodology engaged.

In order to attract a wider audience to the benefits of best practice, both small and large companies will be participating in the series, with profiles on Rollalong, and Whitby Bird due for publication in the spring.

Zara Lamont, Director of the Construction Best Practice Programme, said: "Our hope is that the profiles will encourage companies to consider implementing best practice schemes within their own organisations, through learning from and sharing the experiences of the profiled companies. The profiles prove that real and exciting benefits can be obtained from adopting best practice.

For copies of the Featherstone profile or for more information on the Construction Best Practice Programme, contact: +44 (0) 845 605 55 56 or visit the Web site at: www.cbpp.org.uk Kim Featherstone, director, at Featherstone, can be contacted on: +44 (0) 1473 231135.