Fix construction data interoperability to eliminate silos, improve project outcomes, and drive industry-wide collaboration with scalable tech.
Inconsistent data can lead to several consequences for the construction industry, including: inaccurate project prioritization, lack of visibility into planning and project selection processes, incomplete or misinterpreted project scopes, and inaccurate estimates. And the consequences are real. According to a study released in September 2021, bad data in 2020 may have caused $1.8 trillion in losses worldwide and was potentially responsible for 14% of avoidable rework, amounting to $88 billion in costs.
The problem:
- Data silos: Data sources and systems are often fragmented, with data collected in isolated databases.
- Data quality: Data can be inconsistent due to manual input, human error, and outdated technology.
- Data sprawl: Can happen when there are many sources of data that are siloed from one another, there is no centralized management system in place, or companies adopt too many software tools without considering how they’ll fit together.
- Privacy and security concerns Construction projects generate sensitive data, including project plans, financial information, and personal data.
The Solution of Interoperability and Collaboration
So what’s to be done in getting all the information to flow effectively? The answer is interoperability. Construction projects are notoriously complex, involve numerous people, and require careful coordination. Language and cultural differences, technical jargon, and unclear project goals and objectives can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunications. Lastly, some stakeholders hold on to legacy systems, resisting changes in processes, procedures, and organizational structures necessitated by collaboration.
The technology providers creating products for the industry are part of the problem right now. Everyone is building their own railroad with no connections. Companies need to design and build solutions that are more interoperable. There are hundreds of tech solutions out there for AEC projects. On any given build, different stakeholders collaborating on the same project are using different programs made by rival developers. These programs aren’t built to communicate with one another, and so neither can the people using them. An update made by one worker won’t be reflected in the software used by another. The inefficiencies that result hurts everyone involved.
There are four key principles of collaboration, according to Jane Wei, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley and Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Nora Silver, Ph.D., University of California at
Berkeley:
- focus on mission before organization;
- manage through trust, not control;
- promote others, not yourself;
- and build constellations, not stars.
With those principles in mind, our collective mission should be to elevate the AEC industry’s production quality, improve safety, and eliminate unnecessary waste. If that is an agreed upon goal, we can do that via working better together, creating interoperability among our solutions and products. By fostering a culture of teamwork and collaboration, it is possible to break down silos and improve project efficiency and success.
Some specific ways we can work better together:
- Focus on Mission/Promote Others: We can and should innovate project management platforms and other solutions so they are built to work together with other systems to track progress, share documents, and let teams at all levels of a project communicate in real time.
- Create Constellations: Create teams with specific ideas. Use tailored training programs for employees, depending on their role on the project. When team members’ are clear on their roles and responsibilities, successful teamwork is more likely to happen. Encourage a culture of asking questions if something is not understood. This can help solve problems quickly vs. wasting time and money.
- Manage Through Trust: Have strong leaders. When collaboration and the use of a technology solution is led by a trusted, reliable person on the team, everyone is more willing to work together and try new things.
We can fix this, together. Every technology developer for the AEC industry needs a culture mindset of collaboration, a concerted effort to work together to prevent unnecessary losses. Embracing interoperability is not just a choice but a necessity for growth. By developing software that’s as interoperable as possible, developers can help to minimize administrative costs, ultimately boost productivity and provide greater profits for every contractor in the market. I truly believe that by focusing on improving collaboration between developers we not only create a better work environment for our customers, but we will see our own company’s growth in profits.
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