Offline-Capable ERP Platform for Construction Operations
I designed the architecture and led the six-month development and testing of an offline-capable ERP platform for construction operations. The system synchronized site-local and central databases while supporting specialized workflows for staffing, machinery maintenance, knowledge management, and security.
- 6 months
- Delivery
- 4 engineers
- Team leadership
- Local–central DB sync
- Architecture
The engineering challenge
Available ERP systems did not adequately support the project’s combination of intermittently connected construction sites and specialized operational workflows. Sites needed to continue working through local databases without continuous access to the central system and synchronize their information when connectivity became available.
The operational requirements also differed from those assumed by general-purpose ERP products. Employee shifts and time-off rules followed construction-specific patterns, while machinery maintenance required dedicated data structures and workflows.
My role
I led the system architecture, development, and testing. Using UML, I defined how the system and its modules would operate together. I designed the relational schemas, backend logic, user-interface architecture, and synchronization model connecting site-local databases with the central database.
The team consisted of myself, one senior developer, two junior developers, and a system analyst. The analyst gathered requirements from intended users, and I worked closely with the analyst and senior developer to translate those requirements into architectural and implementation decisions. I set the technical direction, guided the development team, and led the work through testing and delivery.
What we created
The result was a custom, multi-module ERP platform implemented using ASP.NET, C#, and SQL Server. Its central architectural feature was a distributed data model that allowed local site operations to continue during periods without central connectivity and subsequently synchronize with the central database.
The platform included functions for:
- Employee shifts and time off
- Construction machinery maintenance
- Operational workflows
- Knowledge management
- Security and access control
These capabilities were designed within a shared architecture rather than assembled as separate applications.
Delivery
The team completed the system’s development and testing and delivered it within six months. My contribution spanned the full technical process: defining the architecture, designing the data and application structures, directing implementation, and leading the team to completion.
Documentation of the system’s later operation is no longer available, so I will make no claims about the number of deployed sites, duration of use, or operational impact.
Discuss an Industry or Research Problem
I collaborate with asset-intensive organizations, research teams, and technical founders on problems involving maintenance, fleets, reliability, asset lifecycle, operational modeling, and system architecture.
If your organization has data, analytical models, or technical capability but still lacks a usable decision system, I would be interested in understanding the problem. Schedule a 20-minute introductory conversation to discuss the problem, its current constraints, and whether there is a useful basis for collaboration.