Takeaway 1: The Design And Construction Industries Have Embraced The Use Of Digital Workflows To Connect Internal Departments

Internal digital workflows are used by nearly all responders (92%). These workflows enable them to share data and participate in procedures within their own organizations' divisions.

This is not surprising considering that firms are seeing enhanced internal process efficiency, better-informed decision-making, and the capacity to execute higher-quality projects faster through digitizing workflows.

However, only a quarter of respondents (24%) use digital workflows to exchange 50% or more of their project data and engage in procedures among the organizations that comprise the larger construction project team.

Reason to look further: The data shows that there are clear distinctions between the types of firms that commonly use digital workflows and those that lag in adoption. General contractors/construction managers, for example, are the least frequent users of internal and external digital workflows.

Takeaway 2: Connected, Digital Workflows Will Become Increasingly Vital Over The Next Five Years

Over half of those who use digital processes infrequently or never said they will become critical or extremely significant to the whole construction sector in the next five years.

Owners, in particular, are considerably more likely to believe in the future value of these workflows. This implies that owners will be able to drive the digital transformation of the various project actors, finally assisting the industry in achieving long-elusive productivity benefits.

However, there remain roadblocks to more widespread digital workflow adoption. The most common barrier mentioned by all types of businesses is that digital documentation is not considered important enough to be required contractually. This may change as more organizations adopt more digital workflows, which will push them to request digital solutions from project partners.

Reason to look further: Each project participant has a distinct opinion about how much their competitors use internal digital processes and multi-company digital workflows. These may agree with the self-reported findings, but not always. Continue reading for more information.

Takeaway 3: General Contractors And Construction Managers Stand To Benefit The Most From Linked Construction

General contractors/construction managers are the most commonly called out for communication breaches across all sorts of enterprises. This is consistent with the reality that GCs/CMs are the organizations with which most other types of corporations most commonly connect, but it highlights the need for improved means for GCs/CMs to connect with their fellow project players on a consistent basis.

However, all stakeholders must stress training in order to improve communication with the rest of the project team. Respondents who are currently dissatisfied with their level of connectivity to other project stakeholders believe that increasing training on using digital processes would be the most effective strategy to enhance satisfaction (42%).

Reason to look further: Where GCs/CMs prioritize digital workflows is not often where other stakeholders indicate the greatest need for tighter linkages. To learn about the disparities, read the report.

Takeaway 4: A Significant Obstacle To Connected Processes Is The Assumption That Connecting Workflows Requires Too Many Solutions

Because integration between multiple software solutions is sometimes limited, the requirement to use a large number of different solutions for digital workflows might hinder information flow both internally and externally. Fortunately, more than half (57%) of survey respondents report using five or fewer types of software for digital operations.

However, this is an increasing challenge for the entire sector. Almost half (46%) of respondents said the number of software solutions utilized for digital workflows is increasing. This can make it difficult for them to communicate with one another. Consolidating vendors saves complexity and costs while also enhancing service. A cloud-based service that integrates critical workflows could be the answer.

Reason to go deeper: By far, organizations that employ digital workflows have a significantly better understanding of how project and administrative processes directly contribute to project errors and delays. This emphasizes the importance of keeping digital solution integrations efficient and successful so that enterprises can gain a better knowledge of how their processes contribute to project challenges and make changes to improve future projects. The data can be found here.

Takeaway 5: There Is A Great Chance To Connect The Field And The Office

Almost all (92%) of the owners, designers, and contractors polled say their companies employ digital processes to connect internal functions. By far the most linked department for contractors and owners, project management ranks second for architects, engineers, and trade contractors. This makes sense because project management needs input from other departments in order to fulfill its important role in projects efficiently.

However, field operations is the least connected internal department for both GCs/CMs and trade contractors (62% and 49%, respectively). Contractors who invest in digital workflows to get teams in the field and teams in the office on the same page will likely have a competitive advantage over contractors who pass on efficiency, productivity, and predictability improvements.

Reason to go deeper: The report goes into much more precise detail regarding the preconstruction, administrative, field/crew management, construction operations, and construction closeout processes and activities each stakeholder group is digitizing. Check out how your company stacks up here.