Aveo streamlines defect management to operate at scale
The Challenge
Managing redevelopment projects at speed and scale required a new approach to defect management
Retirement communities in Australia are undergoing increasing demand as the baby boomer generation enters the market. With each new generation of retiree comes higher expectations on maintaining lifestyle and choice particularly those looking for inner city locations close to established infrastructure and facilities. To meet the market and cater for increasing demand, Aveo continually evaluates its portfolio of over 90 retirement and care communities.
As Senior Development Manager Siobhan Greathead explains: “A number of our inner urban sites are well suited to medium density living. This densification provides more choice for a greater number of retirees to stay in their own community, while living in a sophisticated, modern property, with higher levels of recreational amenity than previously offered – all within a village community.”
Defecting at scale drives a new approach
The issue for Aveo came at a particularly busy time in their development cycle, with up to 10 developments in play at one time. “Defecting is tedious and time consuming, especially when you need to do it at scale,” Siobhan said.
“We were using Excel, however this is a laborious method of capturing defects that involved as much time in administration as it did out in the field capturing the defects. Incorporating photos is also particularly tedious using this method. We needed a proper tool to document and track issues and allow us to communicate progress with internal stakeholders.”
The ACCEDE defect management solution was deployed and has since been used on 20 development projects across the country.
“No room to argue”: The upside of better defect data
Siobhan’s team takes direct responsibility for defect management. While they used to outsource defect inspections to a third party, they now handle this function in-house. “Most of us have an architectural background, and taking full ownership means we can set very high standards,” Siobhan said.
The Aveo team uses iPads to perform defect inspections. “In the field, ACCEDE is a simple tool to use – we haven’t had any issues with it,” said Siobhan. “But it’s when you’re back at your desk where it really comes into its own. It can handle a huge amount of data and it’s a logical, sensible system. You can always find what you need to – you have a plethora of information right at your fingertips.”
Siobhan sees ACCEDE as a vital management tool with contractors. “ACCEDE removes the ambiguity, any game playing that can occur, the disputes, and the inefficiency of various teams trying to find your defect” she said. The incorporation of photos is indisputable. “Not only can we flick information to everyone immediately, but you can’t argue with the data and the reports. We can very quickly see where the issues are, compare contractor performance and also see where the same issues are occurring across different sites. I can see who is letting me down, but most importantly, I can get defects rectified and get it sorted quickly.”
ACCEDE also lets the development team communicate effectively with Aveo management. “We can communicate the issues, explain what we are doing to rectify them, and confidently demonstrate the timeline to completion,” she said.
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