Are you thinking about getting a AI CCTV construction site system but aren’t sure if you want to spend a lot of money on it? The best way to test the technology, show a clear return on investment, and build stakeholder trust is to run a structured 90-day pilot [1]. This step-by-step plan is for Singapore contractors who want to try out a AI monitoring system with little risk and a big effect.
Phase 1: Building the Base and Setting the Scope (Days 1–15)
Goal: Set clear goals and make sure you can measure your success.
- Choose the Pilot Zone: Pick a small, valuable area like the main site entrance, material storage yard, or a critical work zone. This narrows down the options and makes the test more focused.
- Define Specific Use Cases: Don’t try to test everything at once. Choose two or three scenarios that will have a big effect [2]:
- Safety: Detecting compliance with PPE (Helmet/Vest).
- Security: Intrusion after hours in a restricted area.
- Operational: Counting vehicles at the gate or entering an unauthorized zone.
- Set up KPIs and metrics: Work with your vendor to figure out how to measure success [1].
- Main KPI: Incident Detection Rate (the percentage of real incidents that the AI correctly flags).
- Important KPI: False Positive Rate (alerts that don’t lead to a real incident). Try to make the decrease steady.
- Operational Metric: Fewer hours spent by security staff on manual monitoring.
Phase 2: Deployment and Configuration (Days 16–45)
Goal: Set up the system and teach the AI how to work in your specific site environment.
- Hardware and Setup: Your vendor should give you a complete pilot kit, which usually includes [3]:
- 2–3 existing or upgraded IP cameras that cover the pilot zone.
- An edge AI appliance (processing unit on-site) set up in your office.
- Networking tools that are needed (PoE switch, cables).
- Site Calibration and AI Training: This is the most important step. Technicians will [4]:
- Set up the camera angles so that the AI can see best.
- “Teach” the AI by setting up detection zones, like “this is the edge of the storage yard.”
- Set up what to look for, like “a person without a yellow vest.”
- Give the system 1–2 weeks to learn, and adjust it so that it doesn’t react to normal site movement (like cranes swaying or leaves moving) to cut down on false alarms.
Phase 3: Live Monitoring and Evaluation (Days 46–85)
Goal: Run the system, collect data, and see how it works in the real world.
- Training for the Team: Set up a 30-minute meeting for site supervisors and security to talk about [1]:
- How to see AI-generated alerts on a mobile app or dashboard.
- The steps to take to check alerts, like “Check camera 3 for an intrusion alert.”
- How to keep track of feedback on false positives and missed detections.
- The Evaluation Sprint: Run the system for 30 days straight.
- Reviews every week: Get together with the vendor to go over the KPI dashboards. Look into: Are the rates of detection going up? Are there fewer false positives?
- Gather Qualitative Feedback: Ask the site team, “Do the alerts help you respond faster?”
Phase 4: Analyzing ROI and making a go/no-go decision (Days 86–90)
Goal: Figure out how much it costs and make a data-driven choice for full rollout.
- Calculate Pilot ROI: Use the data you gathered to make a simple business case [1]:
- Risk Mitigation Value: The number of incidents that were stopped (for example, unauthorized entries caught) times the possible cost of theft, vandalism, or safety fines.
- Efficiency Gain: The number of hours saved by not having to do manual patrols or reviews times the cost of labor.
- Pilot Cost: Compare the above value to the pilot investment.
- Final Review & Decision: Give a final report that answers [1]:
- Did the AI reach the KPIs that were set?
- What effect did it have on operations in real life?
- Does the system work well in Singapore’s weather (rain, glare, and low light) [4]?
- What do you think the ROI will be for a full site deployment?
Why a Pilot Reduces Procurement Risk
A pilot turns a AI monitoring system in Singapore from a risky buy into a useful tool [1]. You pay to test, not to guess. It makes the decision less risky for financial controllers by giving them real proof of performance and real numbers to use in a return-on-investment calculation.
Next Step: Hire a reliable VSS vendor for construction sites to run a formal pilot program [3]. A good provider will want to work with you to make this plan because their success depends on showing results. This way of working together makes sure that the final system fixes your specific problems, making the site safer, more secure, and more efficient.
References
[1] McKinsey & Company. (2020). The Next Normal in Construction: How Disruption is Reshaping the World’s Largest Ecosystem
[2] Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. (2023). Advisory on Technology-Enabled Safety Solutions. Note: This document is typically available through the MOM portal.
[3] Shunamite Pte Ltd. (2023). Pilot Program Framework for AI Video Surveillance Systems. Note: This is likely an internal company document.
[4] Shunamite Pte Ltd. (2023). AI-Powered Video Analytics for Construction Site Safety.
