The boom years for the construction industry are set to continue, which means it’s a good time to start thinking about how technology can help make business growth scalable and sustainable.
Australian cities are evolving at a rapid pace; so fast that sometimes it’s hard to keep up. Thanks to a boom year for construction in 2017, Sydney became Australia’s ‘crane capital’, with surveying company Rider Levett Bucknall revealing that of 685 cranes deployed across Australia, 350 of them were at project sites in Sydney (for comparison, Melbourne was next highest with 151).
As cities continue to expand up and out, civil construction engineers face the challenge of dealing with the pressures that expansion places on core infrastructure like road and rail networks.
When it comes to the planning and development of infrastructure, civil construction is vital in supporting city growth. More and more industries are realising the benefits of adopting newer technologies, particularly when it comes to efficiency and productivity, to support this growth and make is sustainable.
While implementing an entire infrastructure overhaul is a challenging task, there are a number of things to consider before implementing a new system. But by putting in some thought at the start, you can avoid a lot of problems down the line.
1. Make it tailored
Every business, like a jobsite, is different, so it stands to reason that the technological features needed will vary across companies and industries. To support new and existing developments and proposals, the ideal construction system will be tailored to meet the requirements of each business.
For example, some construction companies might need comprehensive support, which can be provided by an end-to-end solution covering the entire development and implementation of a project. On the other hand, some companies might only need some specific features to support specific projects.
Scalability is also key when it comes to providing the foundations for business growth and sustainability. Both inside and outside of the construction industry, many organisations have faced the need to replace existing systems to better provide the flexibility needed by a growing business.
2. Make it simple
People are the foundation of a good business, making user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) the most important factors when it comes to choosing technology solutions, given they govern every point of interaction.
As such, construction software needs to be intuitively designed to allow users to quickly and easily adopt it. It’s best to avoid using software with blocky, outdated interfaces in construction management, particularly those with excessive or unnecessary features such as pop-up windows.
The business will ultimately benefit from construction software based on convenient UI and UX designs, as they help employees minimise disruptions and learn the system quickly. End-user support is key, as without it new technology is at risk of being ignored.
Given this, when looking to adopt new technologies, make sure to involve staff in the procurement process to ensure it will meet their daily requirements.
3. Make it mobile and collaborative
A diverse range of companies actively encourage collaboration to increase productivity, and the same should apply to technology adoption in the construction industry.
Avoiding a stand-alone or ‘siloed’ approach is critical – you wouldn’t isolate your employees, so you shouldn’t isolate the technology they use. Look for programs that will integrate with other mission-critical software to ensure smooth collaboration between systems. Linking different programs together can open the possibility of distributing work through specialised functions, ensuring specific tasks are completed more efficiently.
The right technology can have a significant impact on increasing efficiency and reducing costs across a business if chosen correctly.
By adopting the right technologies, companies can ensure they remain competitive in the long term by delivering more intelligent construction with the help of intelligent solutions.