TECHNOLOGY TRENDS


Leveraging Technology: A Necessity in the Construction Industry


By Julian Pisani, Rhumbix “Come on, man. Not another read on


this article or not. Never mind the subsequent and/or general decision of actually prioritizing technology for your company. But let’s just take a step back and


F


think about something for a second. Every morning when you drive to the home office or jobsite, you know there is a potential for traffic. It’s a huge variable that impacts the time, gas, and your mental fortitude. As such, you have a few options for dealing with this scenario: 1. Get in the car and just drive. 2. Evaluate traffic reports ahead. 3. Evaluate and use technology to provide updates in real-time based on your position.


It’s fitting that oftentimes the red


line of traffic on a Google Maps Route is centered around a construction icon. And if you’re in it, it’s likely because you didn’t analyze and prepare appro- priately. Te absence of technology at your company produces the same results – operating somewhat blind and making reactionary decisions.


The Productivity Link Leveraging technology for sharing


data in a real-time capacity is not a nice- to-have anymore; it’s a necessity. But this necessity is welcomed, because it unlocks the ability to become unified, to share data across the organization, and to learn from why you were productive or not. Just like in Google Maps for re-routing based on a missed turn, leverage technology to automatically


16 September/October 2017


technology … I know it’s important, but I’m too busy.”


or most of you, this is the exact thought that comes to mind when thinking about reading


inform you of where and why you’re unproductive. Te reality is, technology adoption


is inevitable. Statistics show that by 2020, over 50 percent of our workforce is going to be millennials, all whom which learned about life (reading, writing, etc.) through a digital lens. So if this is reality, and we know construction is inherently unpredictable and that there’s never a convenient day, this is just a formula of an opportunity cost. One day you’re just going to have to bite the bullet based on your own internal perception of diminishing competitive advantages. So why wait? If you continue


to wait until you reach a tipping point (by realizing thinner margins, inability to retain talent, etc.), you’re just “keeping up.” An undeniable truth about life is that “survival of the fittest” doesn’t let up or discriminate for anything or anyone. But enough about the


philosophical stuff. I want to make two very clear points in this article. 1. Tis crazy notion of the “older” generation vs the “younger” generation.


2. Implementing technology where there’s leverage, not singular efficiency.


Let me first preface everything


I have to say with this: It’s my belief that the only possible way to develop effective, adoptable, and sustainable technology is through the input from our most experienced workers.


Input of Experienced Workers Is Key


I’m in the camp that experience and wisdom are the guiding principles


in which to advance society. However, there’s this notion that the “older” generation can’t and won’t adopt technology. Well, isn’t this the most ridiculous and backwards perspective ever? How can we perceive a certain demographic to only learn certain things or that they should only need to learn certain things? Tat’s not only insanely disrespectful to our mental processing capacities, it’s fundamen- tally limiting for everyone in and out of construction. Construction is almost by definition the conduit that allows for most of our advancement as a species (pun intended?).


It’s really disappointing to hear


how there’s this lack of enthusiasm for technology from the “older” generation. Because if we think about it, having the veterans of our industry guide how we continue to advance is quite literally the smartest thing we can do. Innovation without experience is no different than a guess and/or not optimal, and the construction industry is too influential to all of us to not have this participation. So let’s all drop this limiting notion


about age, education, and whatnot. Instead, let’s focus on what we should


California Constructor


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