New portal technology from Union Square Software

Leading UK architectural practice, bptw partnership, is rolling out 'Workspace', the knowledge management software portal from Union Square Software,

bptw partnership, a leading UK architectural practice, is rolling out 'Workspace', the knowledge management software portal from Union Square Software, as part of a drive to improve efficiency and productivity within the business, and support further growth across the UK.

To date, bptw partnership has worked successfully from a customised Filemaker Pro database system that it used for document control, filing, image archiving and project management, in addition to an Intranet that the company used for its internal communications, policy administration, business planning and staff induction and training.

However, the architectural practice's expanding size, diversity of service and development of more sophisticated business planning strategies, resulted in the need for an increasingly progressive and integrated information technology system.

Committed to best practices and working in partnership with clients and suppliers, bptw partnership needed an IT solution that integrated the needs of all four of its working practices - architecture, cost consultancy, project management and visualisation - and could provide a communications platform to work collaboratively with other organisations.

Workspace from Union Square was selected over a number of other systems due to its ability to integrate with Microsoft Office software, control bptw partnership's Quality Assurance procedures as well as merge with the company's existing Intranet structure and improve its knowledge sharing capacity.

Mark Waite, Partner at bptw partnership, comments, "Union Square's system demonstrated itself to be the most progressive in its concept, structure and use of technology, thereby demonstrating an ability to be 'futureproof' - a very critical factor for us in our evaluation process".

"Additionally, the portal approach and user-friendly features were key factors in our selection of the Workspace system." Workspace will provide centralised document control and knowledge management for bptw partnership's 80-plus staff while providing a system that will open up future possibilities for a bptw partnership extranet by creating a central enterprise portal for all of the company's corporate information.

With the first phase of the implementation already underway, the core implementation team at bptw partnership is very positive about the potential for 'Workspace' to support the company's ongoing business strategy.

bptw plans to use the knowledge management software as a tool to allow other consultants and clients to access and share certain information to help in project collaboration.

It is also keen to accelerate its business development, marketing and communications strategies to new levels as a result of using the system.

Waite concludes, "Union Square has provided us with excellent support services and advice and we are looking forward to working with its team over the coming months as we fully integrate this new system into our business processes".

Established in 1988, bptw partnership has grown from a small practice of four to a leading practice of over 80 people, including architectural, technical, quantity surveyors, cost and project managers, visualisation, IT, public relations and marketing, finance and administration staff.

The practice is a leading name in residential, mixed use and large-scale regeneration and urban design with an award-winning portfolio.

Back to top