Preface

Several factors are reshaping the global economy, and no industry will be untouched by this upheaval. In spite of its traditional reputation, the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is just as susceptible to these disruptions as any other. The McKinsey Global Institute has highlighted that the construction industry has a long record of poor productivity. The annual productivity growth has increased by only 1% over the past 20 years, and there is a $1.6 trillion opportunity to close the gap [1]. Ways to overcome the productivity barrier have been known for some time, but the players have lacked incentives. Increasing global interconnectivity and a large upswing in remote work have accelerated the disruption and a shift to the new-normal in the construction industry. Rising requirements, supply-chain issues, and the increasing cost of labor, as well as newer technologies, materials, and processes, will all frame the dialogue for the AEC sector participants for years to come.

The AEC industry traditionally underinvests in innovation and technology. Construction is among the least digitized industries in the world according to the McKinsey Global Institute digitization index [2]. In the United States, construction comes in second to last ahead of agriculture. There is a direct correlation between the level of digitization and its productivity growth, which brings us to this book. This book is about technology, innovation, and digitization. It is about effective management of AEC technology, which includes not only efficient use of existing technologies but creating a system for evaluating, deploying, and monitoring new technologies. It is about cutting down hours and speeding up work both on-site and off-site. When done correctly, this reduces not only the monetary cost of performing work but also the mental costs associated with morale-crushing double entry, out-of-date technology, and dull repetitive tasks. Whenever mindless work can be automated (or eliminated altogether!), employees can spend more of their time on higher-level, more engaging pursuits.

It is also important to keep in mind that the implementation of digital delivery in buildings and infrastructure projects is not just a technology change but a process change. Digital technologies have changed not only the way design drawings and visualizations are created but also how information is consumed by project stakeholders. This book will primarily focus on fundamentals to effectively manage existing applications and evaluate emerging contenders amid the growing list of solutions providers. In addition, the book will summarize some of the new and emerging digital technologies relevant in the AEC industry and will aim to describe processes for their execution. The book aims to provide a platform for better technology decision-making for AEC professionals.

Why a Book on Managing Construction Technology?

This book is complete with practical tips, experiences, and case studies from industry experts on technology implementation. In addition, the book describes potential long-term developments needed to support the implementation in the coming years. The authors have selected case studies and management principles that are relevant to different building and infrastructure types, contracting strategies, team sizes, and talent development with a focus on technology. The variety of uses, benefits, and solutions presented will guide readers with best practices on digital construction technology implementation.

Who Are We?

Collectively, the authors have several decades of experience implementing the technologies discussed in this book. We have developed proven systems for managing technology applications within our own and our clients' organizations. We have been employed by or provided work to many of the leading AEC firms and associations, have presented to national audiences and taught in the classroom, and are connected to the leading edge of technology development.

While we have much in common, we also bring a distinctly diverse set of individual experiences and perspectives to this publication. Our geographic reach spans from coast to coast and, in some cases, globally. The scale of our work has ranged from a handful of users needing a low-cost, highly customized solution to multibillion-dollar capital programs and institutions. Some of us have highly detailed knowledge of technology applications and the infrastructure and standards needed to support them, while others bring a higher-level industry practitioner point of view to place any given solution within the larger frame of a project, program, or portfolio.

One final attribute that the authors share is an awareness of what we don't know. In spite of our exhaustive set of AEC technology experiences, there are always corners of the industry we haven't yet served and new applications we haven't yet discovered. For this reason, we devote a sizable portion of the book to showcasing stories from others within the industry. We hope these tales will provide not only the wisdom of the specific initiative at hand but inspiration to grow one's own network of peer experts.

Who Is Managing Construction Technology For?

The book is addressed to developers, owners, managers, architects, engineers of all disciplines, construction contractors, trade partners, and fabricators; and to students of architecture, engineering, and construction management. Many readers will find this book and its case studies a useful resource whenever they are confronted with terms and processes related to digital delivery and technology management in their course of work or study.

The book will review present and emerging digital technologies, future influence on the AEC industry, management principles on effective implementation, and its related cost and needed infrastructure, and it will promote better decision-making.

In addition, many firms are beginning to establish C-suite positions for technology leadership. The management principles and case studies in the text will serve as timeless best practices for industry professionals.

What Is This Book Not About?

If you're looking for a comprehensive menu of technology applications to utilize in each unique aspect of planning, building, and maintaining a project, you'll have to look elsewhere. Such a list would be out-of-date by the time we finish typing this sentence. More important, effective management of technology involves knowing what you shouldn't use even more than what you should.

Think about all the distinct tasks that are part of your workday and the technologies that are used to perform them (one could extend this exercise to all of the technologies that support your life outside of work, but that's another book all on its own). Many readers will interact with technology from the moment their day begins, whether by turning on a computer, placing a call, or maybe checking email while eating breakfast. These interactions will likely span most of the day-creating presentations, revising spreadsheets, making payments, updating schedules, reviewing drawings, filling out form after form, and completing timecards. Do all of these systems work perfectly every time? Chances are, there's at least one technology application in your day that takes more than it gives, that saps productivity and eats up valuable time, that everyone knows is a drag, but that lives on nonetheless. Is it really a bad piece of technology? Or is it a well-meaning application that could perform admirably in many ways but is being deployed for the wrong use or in the wrong manner? Is it maybe even the right program but not given enough training and support to make it flourish?

Whatever technology frustration came to mind for you, the path to its place in your work life began with a series of decisions, by people. Well-meaning people, in all likelihood. But somewhere along the line, things veered off the intended path. Maybe it was a lack of support from leadership. Maybe it was a compromise made to save budget. Maybe it was a poorly devised or executed training program. Maybe it was a great program when it was introduced but hasn't been updated to keep pace with changing processes or changing technology.

This book exists to eliminate these types of outcomes from the very beginning. The products will be ever-changing, but the principles of good decision-making and management will last far beyond the version update that was never even installed.

How Should You Use Managing Construction Technology?

We believe that to provide structure to the book and its underlying principles, the content of the book needs to be organized so that it offers a clear evaluation of the criteria. A structure or a recurring theme would also provide a strategic vision that will relate throughout the book and may help the readers in providing some answers to why some organizations are more successful than others, why some tools work better than others, or why there may be a disconnect between a tool practitioner and a tool developer. The recurring theme for this book focuses on the 3P approach to quality: People, Process, and Product.

The opening chapters will guide readers through the challenges and opportunities shaping the AEC landscape today, offering a clear lens through which to view the technology decisions ahead.

• Chapters 1-3 define the problem: how to review, analyze, and implement emerging technology trends in ways that deliver tangible value while ensuring they integrate seamlessly into practice.
• We...