About ALICE

ALICE is generative construction scheduling software that utilizes artificial intelligence to optimize construction planning and scheduling. It offers a holistic, data-driven approach to planning and scheduling construction projects and is particularly powerful for large-scale capital or mega construction projects.

In fact, at this point in time, ALICE is primarily used on projects with a construction value above $50M (and often much higher), and while commercial GCs use ALICE, the software is used mostly on infrastructure and industrial projects. ALICE can be generally considered a “point solution” as it focuses on planning and scheduling needs.

About Primavera P6

Oracle acquired Primavera Systems in 2008 and developed the tool into the Primavera software that is widely utilized today. P6 facilitates the planning, oversight, and implementation of projects ranging from small to large scale and caters to diverse sectors such as construction, manufacturing, energy, and IT. It is primarily utilized by project managers and schedulers.

Oracle offers Primavera P6 in two main versions: P6 Professional and P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (EPPM) and it has also recently introduced a cloud-based Oracle Primavera P6 Cloud PPM platform. Each of these versions has features that differ slightly from the others.

ALICE

Core Capabilities

• Generative construction scheduling
• AI-powered optimization
• Resource optimization
• Generative risk mitigation
• Scenario analysis and comparison
• Critical path optimization
• Digitization of construction means and methods
• Reporting and analytics

Available platforms

• Web/Cloud-based 

Target audience

• Large-scale industrial and infrastructure project owners
• EPC contractors
• Capital project general contractors

Customer support availability

• Online knowledge base
• Dedicated Customer Success Manager
• FAQ and tutorials
• Handles implementation for you
• Professional services

• ALICE offers custom pricing based on the type and size of a project or at enterprise-level requirements.
• Unlimited user seats
• Request ALICE pricing

Primavera P6

Core Capabilities

• Project management
• Resource management
• Resource leveling
• Risk management
• Critical path method-based scheduling
• Work breakdown structure
• Reporting and analytics

Available platforms 

• P6 Professional is desktop-based
• P6 EPPM and P6 cloud are web/cloud-based 
• Mobile applications for iOS and Android

Target audience 

• Large scale projects and programs in construction, manufacturing, business and IT

Customer support availability 

• Online help center & knowledge base
• Oracle University training & certifications
• Online community
• Can handle implementation for you
• Professional services and maintenance are offered through partners and authorized resellers

Pricing 

• Oracle offers all Primavera products based on individual user seat licensing
• P6 professional - $3,520 for a perpetual, on-premise license
• P6 EPPM - $2,750 for a perpetual web license
• P6 cloud PPM - $1,320 user/year

While ALICE is specifically built for the construction industry, Primavera P6 was built to support a diverse range of industries. Here are the pros and cons of using ALICE as construction scheduling software as compared to P6:

PROs:

• Generative construction scheduling: ALICE employs AI-driven algorithms to automatically generate, evaluate, and optimize multiple scheduling scenarios. Starting from a 3D model, a 2D diagram, or an existing schedule, ALICE analyzes millions of potential ways to build a project and automatically surfaces optimal schedule solutions. Displayed on a time-cost scatter plot, these solutions allow construction teams to understand the time and cost impact of different choices available to them.

In contrast, P6 relies on manual scheduling, lacking AI-driven algorithms. This manual approach is time-intensive, often prone to human errors, and only gives decision-makers one schedule option to consider.

The difference between this traditional, manual approach and generative scheduling is often measured in millions of dollars of cost savings.

• ALICE is a parametric software: ALICE parametrizes project data to automatically generate construction schedules and optimize work sequences and resource allocation based on user-defined rules, objectives, and constraints. ALICE utilizes advanced algorithms in a feature called “Recipes.” 

ALICE is the only construction scheduling software that is parametric in nature and able to dynamically generate optimal construction schedules in minutes.

• What-if modeling: As resource availability or constraints change, users can use ALICE’s “what-if” feature to preemptively model different scenarios and have AI generate alternative options or optimize scenarios based on the constraints. This feature also allows for rapid modeling of different risk scenarios to generate optimized alternatives, facilitating informed decisions and risk mitigation against unexpected challenges.

On the contrary, the 'what-if' feature in P6 requires a hands-on approach. Users must manually adjust activities based on their level of expertise and intuition to craft alternative scheduling options - an approach that can take weeks or sometimes months.

CONs: 

• Specialized Use: ALICE focuses primarily on construction scheduling. While powerful, it might lack some of the comprehensive project management features found in broader tools like Primavera P6.
• Learning Curve: Due to its unique AI-driven approach, users might initially find it challenging to adapt to ALICE, especially if they're used to traditional scheduling methods.