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The NCCTP (Network for Construction Collaboration Technology Providers) formed in December 2003. The current members of the network, managed by Constructing Excellence, are (in alphabetical order):
4Projects, Business Collaborator, Causeway Technologies and Sarcophagus.
The network will help to promote the effective use of online technology to support collaborative working on projects and capital developments in UK construction. It aims to increase interoperability between systems — engendering easy transfer of data through definition and adoption of standards. The Network will promote the benefits of using collaborative technology and demonstrate the value of collaborative working. Importantly, it provides a single independent body with whom clients can communicate regarding the future development of collaboration technology.
Project 'extranets' allow the sharing of information. Users are also able to view most formats of CAD drawing, and other more complex computer files, without the need or the license to run the particular software application, which generated the file in the first place. Moreover users are able to mark-up ("redline", "blueline", "comment", etc), revisions, which effectively become an integral part of the original document.
And because this is all done in a closed network, where no-one is allowed in without permission, and everyone is identified (through an individual user ID and password) then it is possible to automatically track who has seen what, and what, if any, comments, or changes they made. And of course because of the system of individual user IDs, it is possible to introduce a project hierarchy into the system, which allows documents or areas of the project to be restricted to only people at certain levels of seniority, etc. See Collaboration Technologies Explained for a fuller explanation.
The NCCTP seeks to promote the benefits and use of collaborative technology in the construction and related industries.