A construction firm switched to a modular building method, in which large sections of each structure are assembled off-site in a factory and then transported for final assembly, replacing its previous method of building entirely on-site. In the year after the switch, the average time to complete a residential project fell from 14 months to 9 months. Firm executives concluded that the modular method itself caused the reduction in project timelines. Industry observers point out that the firm also began using a new project-scheduling software platform at roughly the same time, a tool that some argue could shorten timelines on its own by reducing delays from miscommunication between subcontractors, regardless of whether construction happens on-site or in a factory.