On capital projects, chaos is costly.
Engineering and construction teams operate in high-stakes environments where safety, precision, schedule, and budget certainty are non-negotiable. Yet many projects are undermined by a familiar problem: information chaos. Drawings live in multiple systems. Document versions conflict. Critical data is difficult to trace or trust. And as teams and contractors change, information continuity breaks down.
When the information behind a project is disorganized, inaccessible, or unreliable, delivery suffers—often in the form of delays, rework, cost overruns, and risk.
Why Information Is a Critical Project Asset
Capital projects generate enormous volumes of information across every phase—from pre-FEED and design through construction, commissioning, and operations. Drawings, specifications, transmittals, models, and records must be accurate, current, and accessible to keep work moving safely and efficiently.
When information is managed intentionally, it becomes a project accelerator. When it isn’t, it becomes a bottleneck.
This challenge is especially acute on large, complex projects involving:
- Multiple contractors and engineering firms
- Long timelines and shifting priorities
- Handoffs between project phases and teams
- The need to preserve information for long-term operations and maintenance
Without strong engineering information management, teams spend too much time verifying information—and not enough time delivering results.
The Cost of Getting Information Wrong
Industry data shows that a significant majority of large EPC capital projects exceed cost or schedule targets, often by wide margins. While there are many contributing factors, poor information management is a common thread.
When teams can’t rely on the information they’re using, the consequences add up:
- Delays caused by rework and clarification cycles
- Increased safety and quality risks
- Misalignment between engineering, construction, and operations
- Loss of knowledge when projects end and teams disband
Information issues may not appear on the critical path—but they influence nearly every decision made along it.
Engineering Information Management Across the Asset Lifecycle
Engineering Information Management (EIM) is about ensuring that the right information is available to the right people at the right time—across the full lifecycle of an asset.
Rather than treating information as a byproduct of projects, EIM treats it as a managed asset that supports:
- Design and construction execution
- Commissioning and handover
- Ongoing operations and maintenance
- Future modifications, expansions, and audits
With a lifecycle approach, information doesn’t lose value once a project is complete. It remains accurate, traceable, and usable—long after teams have moved on.
A Smarter Way to Support Delivery
Effective EIM requires more than tools. It requires alignment between strategy, systems, processes, and people—and the ability to adapt as projects evolve.
Organizations that invest in engineering information management gain:
- Greater confidence in the accuracy and completeness of project information
- Improved collaboration across internal teams and external partners
- Reduced risk throughout the asset lifecycle
- Stronger continuity from project delivery into operations
Instead of asking, “Where is the latest version?” teams can focus on a far more important question: “How do we keep this project moving forward safely, efficiently, and on schedule?”
Learn More About Engineering Information Management
To explore how Engineering Information Management supports capital project delivery—from early design through long-term operations—Access Sciences has created an Engineering Information Management fact sheet with additional detail.
Download the Engineering Information Management fact sheet to learn more about:
- How organized, traceable information supports delivery certainty
- What effective EIM looks like across the asset lifecycle
- How organizations reduce risk and improve outcomes on complex projects