MAY 2025CONSTRUCTIONTECHREVIEW.COM8IN MY OPINIONBy Rick Dunlap, Vice President Project Controls, BrandSafwayA JOURNEY OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTThis is an exciting time in the construction industry. Technology has evolved from novel or interesting one-off gadgets into an essential, comprehensive strategy for construction leaders and the companies they manage and run. At a minimum, we in the construction industry must adopt certain technologies to stay competitive-- either through efficiencies or differentiation. But it's the leaders who leverage tech, while continuing to innovate, who are best positioned to maintain that competitive advantage.THEN AND NOWBefore many of our industry's technological enhancements were implemented, companies in the construction sector often faced similar challenges: processes were manual, siloed and challenging to replicate broadly. A need would arise, and we'd create a solution to solve the problem. But these manual systems were difficult to share and replicate for a wider benefit. Back then, the inability to collaborate effectively with clients and project stakeholders created massive amounts of duplication, re-work, schedule overruns and other costly impacts for clients. Fortunately, new technology emerged that broke down these silos, enhanced collaboration and could be shared broadly, improving alignment and communication. CONSTRUCTION VS. OTHER INDUSTRIESHowever, the construction sector has lagged or remained stagnant in its adoption of technology. There are many who rebuff innovation for a variety of reasons. We've heard dozens of real or perceived misconceptions regarding the adoption of technology, from "construction is too complicated; we can never get everyone on the same page" to "I'm just going to manage my contract."In addition, some fear sharing their solutions is to risk giving away trade secrets, and others reject the notion of standardization. Many assume they can't afford to innovate, losing sight of long-term gains. Rick Dunlap
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