Digital transformations have been happening since the advent of the first computer, but were largely reliant on having the means to support them. Remember when BlackBerry took corporations by storm while most people were using flip phones? That changed with the announcement of the first-generation iPhone. The consumerization of digital technology had begun, and now almost everyone carries around advanced mobile devices in their pocket.
Shortly thereafter, the need arose for a cloud backbone to support the explosion of personal mobile technology. Today, the cloud is everywhere, with our ever-increasing use of data catapulting cloud businesses to exponential consumer growth.
But there are two often-overlooked components that arguably have been more vital than these prior examples. User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) have taken center stage as developers work to accommodate new screens and faster data speeds. No transformation has ever been successful without first being intuitive to the end user, and the move to consumer mobility is no different. As evidenced by the rapid growth of UX professionals from 100,000 in 2010 to over a million in 2020, tech developers make platforms easier to use and, therefore, easier to saturate into the market.
What does this have to do with construction? The rapid consumerization of technology has business benefits, too. The very first versions of estimating software required a dedicated machine loaded with a set of 12 floppy disks, installed in a particular order. Thanks to the enterprise advancements in cloud computing, it now is as simple as typing a URL into a web browser on your PC.
The same is true of mobile devices. Most on-site personnel already carry a smartphone, and downloading an app can transform it into a project management tool. Not only does this significantly lower a company's hardware costs, but it also reduces the amount of time users need to become comfortable with the device. Training can be delivered within the app itself, allowing users to learn while on the job.
Again, the foundation of these advancements is UI improvement. Button colors, volume sliders, swiping on screens - the list of intuitive smartphone features is endless. Combining that with mobile, "software as a service" cloud computing delivers the real win to organizations: greatly reduced time, costs and resources required for the implementation of a digital transformation.
Next stop: Transformation
There are three areas in construction that are ripe for a digital transformation. First, the way project drawings are managed has struggled to evolve over the past 30 years. What was acceptable then is no longer capable of addressing the large data demands of a rapidly changing, modern construction site. While there has no doubt been some improvement, version control is still a struggle for most projects.
Second is another paper process: timecard and progress management. This goes beyond payroll, as it also pertains to safety, work quality and more. Without a level of digitization, it remains a labor-intensive, manual process.
Finally, without digital transformation, the future value of the data being collected remains hidden. History and past costs might be stored somewhere, but without proper access, indexing and reference points, companies are unable to take actionable steps to improve plans the next time, or to reduce rework. It is no wonder the construction industry continues to be plagued by projects that are behind schedule and over budget.
Where to begin
The magnitude of digital transformation may still seem daunting. While it is often difficult to understand where to begin, here are three questions that can help set you up on the road to success:
- Are we truly prepared for this?
- Do we know what is important to us?
- Do we have the right people in place?
Remember, this is an ongoing journey, not just a one-time project. Thanks to the commercialization of the digital transformation race, now more than ever, success is attainable for companies of all shapes and sizes in the construction industry.
For more information, visit www.ineight.com/bic or call (866) 225-9570.
