Managing A Technology Driven Construction Industry

Four areas of construction and project management being influenced by technology

The construction industry, just like everything else, is evolving. Technology is becoming more prominent and more important for equipment, jobsites and management. Keeping up with changing technologies is tough. Incorporating technology into your construction business can be a challenge. And managing projects in this technology-driven world is a skill construction contractors will need to master.

An article by Matt DeVries in AGC's Constructor e-newsletter takes a look at areas where technology is becoming more prominent and having an effect on the construction industry. DeVries singles out four areas of the construction industry where technology and project management collide.

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1. Project management and collaboration

The success of any construction project will depend on how well all the key players work together and how efficiently they communicate. Project management software, cloud computing, smart phones, these are just some of the technologies being used in the construction industry to keep the flow of communication moving and to make collaboration easier.

2. Networking

According to DeVries, "Networking that once began with a handshake and occurred exclusively in person now starts with a click of a mouse and develops through online activities and communications." Customers and contractors are interacting online through social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. It seems that now a days if you don't have a website many customers either won't find you or may not give you a second thought compared to your competition that does have a presence on the web. And these networking opportunities can serve the same purposes between contractors and subcontractors.

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3. Contracts

Many construction contracts are now available online or saved and shared through email or in the cloud. ConsensusDocs is a great example of how technology is changing construction contracting.

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4. Technology driven construction processes

Building Information Modeling (BIM), integrated project delivery (IPD), lean project delivery (LPD), these are all construction processes where technology plays an important role in project management, collaboration and execution.

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How has technology permeated your construction business? Are you embracing new technologies as they emerge? Does your company try to stay on the cutting edge of construction technology? Share your experiences and thoughts with us in the Comments box below.

Read DeVries full article, "Planning and Managing a Technology-Driven Construction Project".

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