Frequently Asked Questions
About ALICE
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ALICE is a generative construction software that enables optioneering for construction projects. ALICE is particularly beneficial when it comes to large capital projects by helping you explore scenarios that make the most optimized use of project resources (labor, equipment, and materials).
Additionally, ALICE unlocks the ability to quickly and efficiently adjust to changing conditions with confidence, allowing you to -
- Explore multiple scenarios and generate fully resource-loaded 4D schedules in minutes. Think of it as iterative scheduling
- Visualize the build approach
- Optimize the sequencing of the build
- Maximize labor, equipment, and resource utilization
- Facilitate project recovery if your project goes off-track
Watch this short video that provides an overview of the ALICE platform.
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Understanding generative construction begins with first understanding generative design. We put together this free-to-download ebook that explains exactly the concept of generative construction.
In this exclusive ebook, you'll learn:
- What is generative design & generative construction?
- How AI is helping to generate optimized scheduling options.
- What it means to parametrize the construction process.
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- Simply put, construction optioneering examines all available alternatives and options to find the ideal approach and plan for building a construction project.
- Construction optioneering considers a broad range of potential solutions, alternatives, and options to ensure that a given solution aligns with project objectives, and makes the best use of resources.
- “Optioneering” is an established concept outside of the realm of construction, but ALICE’s recent technological advances have streamlined the process for construction optioneering in complex projects.
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ALICE is suitable for a large range of construction projects including but not limited to commercial, infrastructure, industrial and heavy civil projects. ALICE is best used on projects with a value above $75M.
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ALICE can be leveraged during all phases of the construction lifecycle from bidding/tendering to execution. But we highly recommend implementing ALICE as early as possible in the planning stage to get the most out of the solution.
Using the ALICE platform during the bidding phase gives general contractors a distinct competitive advantage, as it enables them to maximize their odds of winning profitable business.
During planning, ALICE gives users the ability to easily explore construction choices, make the most efficient use of project resources and chart a path that best balances risk, time and cost.
During the execution phase, ALICE can be leveraged to facilitate project recovery when things go wrong.
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- Structural work - projects with lots of concrete or steel
- Evaluating different slab zoning options
- Evaluating formwork types (e.g.: flyers vs. table forms etc)
- Optimizing use of expensive, heavy or limited availability equipment i.e. Tower cranes
- Complex interdependencies between systems:
- Identifying potential impact of delay in critical equipment e.g. CRAC units, generators, VFD’s etc
- Performing sensitivity analysis on crew availability, material and equipment
- Optimizing for cycle time for each server hall
- Identifying risks due to unforeseen weather conditions. What-if this year you have a harsher winter (i.e. 20-additional days of no concrete work on-site)
- Site capacity (e.g.: truck/delivery queueing, material staging, spoils off-haul)
Getting Started on ALICE
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To start optimizing a project in ALICE, we recommend having access to the following information:
Baseline Data:- Project’s existing baseline schedule (if one already exists)
- 3D model or drawing
- Logistics or phasing plans
Baseline Resources
- Project's labor/crew mix and unit costs (if known)
- List and cost of critical equipment mix required for the job (either for purchase or rent)
Costs & Monthly Overhead Costs
- The project’s estimate or cost data (or approximation)
Speak with an ALICE representative for details.
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No, you do not need a 3D model to start using ALICE. If you’d like to have one for use in ALICE and don't have the bandwidth or capacity to provide one, we can build it for you at no extra charge.
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No, ALICE does not need any historical or previous project data. Simulation and optimization is purely based on the parameters and data you input for your current project.
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No - nothing to install! ALICE is a cloud-based web application which means you can access your projects and dashboard in ALICE from anywhere.
ALICE: The Technology
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ALICE separates planning from scheduling, where planning is the management of constraints while scheduling is the calculation of possible solutions. A schedule is really the result of total work & constraints; how much needs to be installed, when can it be installed, what order does work need to be installed in (aka: sequencing), how fast can it be installed, what resources are available for labor, equipment, & materials, how many hours a day are being worked, etc.
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ALICE and Monte Carlo are two quite different things.
- ALICE is a modeling engine wherein a user defines a problem (simulation model) which the algorithm then solves millions of times to generate the best solution set. ALICE generates new optimal solutions (schedules) which satisfy layers of complex constraints (resources and construction methods).
- Monte Carlo traditionally does not resolve constraints to generate solutions. Starting from an existing solution (schedule) a Monte Carlo simulation can be run as a subsequent step to assess how robust the initial solution really is and check the statistical aggregates of the desired risk metrics.
Check out our blog post on this topic for a more comprehensive insights about the key differences between ALICE and Monte Carlo Simulation.
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First, ALICE is much more than a scheduling software. It is a comprehensive construction optioneering platform of which one of the outputs is fully resource-loaded schedules.
The primary objective with CPM scheduling is to create a schedule. After reviewing some drawings and understanding what you’re building, you start transferring your understanding of the project into individual tasks. You then add precedence logic and durations for each task, repeat hundreds of times, and at last, you have a single schedule. How do you know if A → B → C or B → C → A or C → A → B is the more efficient sequence? You don’t! CPM does not provide you visibility into these other options and exploring more options will significantly add weeks to your planning or rescheduling process.
ALICE with a single optimization run will give you many solutions and different options in minutes that you can then choose from because mathematically there are thousands and thousands of ways to build a project, even with the simplest design.
Check out our blog post on this topic for more comprehensive insights about the key differences between ALICE and CPM Scheduling.
Pricing
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Every construction project is unique, likewise there is no one price that fits all. For more information or to get a customized quote - get in touch with us.
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For more information or to get a customized quote – Contact us.
General FAQs about ALICE Technologies
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ALICE Technologies is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with offices in Prague, Czech Republic and Pune, India. Additionally, ALICE employees are remotely distributed to cover customers across various geographies including the UK, France, Australia and Canada.
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To view all the open positions at ALICE, visit our careers page. Select the position you would like to apply for and hit the button ‘Apply for this role here’. It will take you to your email client after which you can submit your resume and cover letter, if required for our review.
If you don’t see any current opening for your desired role, feel free to reach out to us anyway at careers@alicetechnologies.com and we will get back to you.
See ALICE in action.
Take a custom tour of ALICE and learn why the world's top GCs are using it to optimize their most strategic projects.