Data management

Question 1

How long should you keep data for?

Answer 1

• 6 years if contract signed underhand hand
• 12 years contract executed as a deed
• RICS recommends up to 15 years 

Question 2

What sources of pricing data are there?

Answer 2

• BCIS
• SPONS / pricing books
• Previously tendered rates
• Rate books, eg DfE template

Question 3

What are pricing books, such as SPONS?

Answer 3

• A book of prices used for construction materials and labour
• Can be used as a basis for benchmarking, feasibility studies and cost unit pricing

Question 4

What kind of data systems does your organisation use?

Answer 4

• Hard systems, such as hard copies of contracts and files
• Electronic systems, such as shared hard drives, teams channels, staff intranet, project extranets

Question 5

What might your organisation keep hard copies of?

Answer 5

• Books
• Contracts
• Tender documents
• Design drawings

Question 6

What is a project extranet?

Answer 6

• An electronic system in which project information can be distributed to the relevant parties, which is a secure way to collaborate

Question 7

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a project extranet?

Answer 7

Advantages include:
- Improves communication
- Accessible 24 hours per day
- Efficient
- Secure

Disadvantages:
- Can be expensive (subscription)
- Requires maintenance
- May require user training

Question 8

What are the benefits of a cloud based storage system?

Answer 8

• Easily accessible by all users
• Secure, and access control restrictions can be implemented
• Low set up cost

Question 9

What is BIM?

Answer 9

• Building Information Modelling
• A collaborative way to manage and design construction information throughout a buildings lifecycle

Question 10

What are the benefits and drawbacks of BIM?

Answer 10

Benefits:
- Extract quantities quickly
- Efficient and quick to produce cost report directly from drawings, eg through CostX

Drawbacks:
- Model could be unreliable if not compiled correctly, therefore due diligence must be undertaken on quantities
- Sometimes requires data manipulation to get information into the correct format for use

Question 11

Are you aware of any regulations to protect data?

Answer 11

• General Data Protection Regulation
• Data Protection Act 2018

Question 12

What is GDPR?

Answer 12

• General Data Protection Regulation
• EU regulation that covers data protection and privacy in the EU and EEA
• Also covers the transfer of personal data outside the EU and EEA

Question 13

What is the Data Protection Act 2018?

Answer 13

• UK equivalent to GDPR
• How personal information is used by government bodies and organisations

Question 14

What is the purpose of GDPR?

Answer 14

• Harmonise data privacy laws across all members of the EU and EEA, providing greater protection for individuals
• Also addresses how business can handle information of those who interact with them

Question 15

Who are the key people named under GDPR?

Answer 15

• Data Subject: who the data is about
• Data Processor: who processes the data (such as assistant to the data controller)
• Data Controller: deals with how and why the data has been collected / is being used
• Data Protection Officer: implements the data protection regulations

Question 16

What constitutes personal data under GDPR?

Answer 16

• Name
• Photo
• Email
• Bank details
• Medical information

Question 17

What are the 7 key principles under GDPR?

Answer 17

Lawfulness, fairness & transparency
Accountability
Data minimisation
Storage limitation

Purpose limitation
Accuracy
Confidentiality & Integrity

(LADS PAC)

Question 18

What are the 8 individual rights under GDPR?

Answer 18

The right….:
1. To be informed
2. To Erasure
3. To rectification
4. To access
5. To data portability
6. To object
7. To automated decision making & profiling
8. To restrict processing

Question 19

Who enforces GDPR?

Answer 19

• The information commissioners office

Question 20

Are you aware of any legislation that allows you to access your personal data? Or data from a public body?

Answer 20

The Freedom of Information Act 2000

Question 21

What is the Freedom of Information Act?

Answer 21

• Provides public access to information held by public authorities
• This can be through public authorities publishing information, or the public can request information from local authorities, under the act

Question 22

If you were clearing out the office and you were going to destroy a paper copy of a document, what would you consider?

Answer 22

• Is this an original copy?
• Do we have a backup copy, eg saved on the shared drive?
• Could this be required for legal proceedings, such as litigation

Question 23

What measures would you take to ensure client confidentiality?

Answer 23

• Files should be locked away or password protected
• Non-disclosure agreements could be signed
• Physical separation of staff

Question 24

What is an information barrier?

Answer 24

A physical or electronic separation of individuals within the same firm to ensure confidential information is protected

Question 25

How would you protect data that was being transferred to your client?

Answer 25

- Password protect - Use secure networks and software - Recorded special delivery - Marked as confidential

Question 26

Can you tell me the difference between an intranet and an extranet

Answer 26

- Intranet = private network for employees to communicate and collaborate internally within an organisation - Extranet = private network outside of a company that allows authorised users to access, communicate and collaborate