Achieving the Impossible: Here's How a Design and OS&E Firm Built Cross-Team Collaboration Using Fohlio

FF&E
OS&E
Multiple Workflow Management
Project Types
Commercial
Founded
-
Team size
10-15 Employees
Location
Austin, Texas
Business
Restaurant Design and OS&E
Use Cases

Multi-workflow management

At a Glance

What They Needed Help With:

  • The OS&E team needed to match the themes specified by the design team. Using spreadsheets, meant that they followed a linear workflow where design passes on work to OS&E only after they are done, resulting in longer project timelines.
  • Collaboration between design and OS&E was not possible before Fohlio.
  • Multiple workflow management allowed different teams to view each other's work and collaborate.

Folio's Solutions:

  • Allow both teams to work on one platform, using the same data. At the same time, allow separate workspaces that support distinct workflows.
  • Specification features, web clipper, and more accessible report building.

How They're Doing Now:

  • Visibility of design themes means the OS&E team can work simultaneously with the design team.
  • Web clipper and mood board made specification much more efficient.
  • The client viewing feature helped them report to clients and get quick feedback and approval.
  • Automated downloadable reports helped them save valuable work time.
  • Budgeting features also allowed them to make important decisions quickly.
  • SKU number identification allowed for easy product recognition and re-specification.

An Umbrella Company that Specializes in Both OS&E and Design

This company was a special case: These were two different companies that were under one umbrella. They take it up a notch- they do the designing and development of many restaurants and residential spaces and take care of every detail- including OS&E. That means napkins, cutlery, and placemats that match up with the whole design theme of their spaces. This has made them a strong choice for well-loved restaurants around Austin, Texas.

An Outdated Linear Workflow

The company had two teams that needed to work together (Specification and OS&E) to ensure the success of a project. The way they do this is by following a linear workflow. The specification team first builds their specs on a spreadsheet, ensures that all details are set, and only then are they able to pass the ball to the OS&E team.

The problem with this is that because these two teams have different sets of spreadsheets, the OS&E team becomes immobilized when the specification team can’t finalize their specifications. They need to wait for the specifications to finish to ensure that the supplies that they are purchasing match the interior. This means that OS&E has a long window where they aren’t productive, resulting in a longer overall project timeline.

Cross-Team Collaboration And Visibility On Demand

Collaboration between Design and OS&E was not possible before Fohlio. The ultimate goal of this company was to achieve shorter project timelines and improve cross-team collaboration to achieve deadlines.
With Fohlio’s multiple workflow management features, the OS&E team can view the design team's projects simultaneously, enabling them to secure their purchases while the design team finalizes specifications.

Additionally, they found a couple more features from Fohlio useful, proving to be very beneficial beyond the initial scope Fohlio meant to cover for them. Features like the web clipper and mood board made work more efficient. The client viewing feature helped them report to clients and get quick feedback and approval for their specs and OS&E. Automated downloadable reports helped them save valuable work time. The Budgeting features also allowed them to make important decisions quicker, and the SKU no. identification allowed for easy product recognition and respecification.

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