Considerations in the Field

There are multiple issues affecting the success of technology initiatives on projects. Technology stakeholder responsibilities, the rapid rate of change in technology, technology lifecycles, economic timing, holding periods, labor markets, intuitive design assistance, and evaluation and collaboration between trades are affecting project outcomes and bottom lines. Failing to understand these…

This week’s focus is on the current lack of skilled labor and how it affects construction productivity, including risk and costs. Boom and bust cycles have always affected the labor force; however, the recession after 2008 was particularly disruptive due to the size of the baby boomer generation and its…

Can you believe the smart phone in your pocket is more powerful than the computer used by NASA during the Apollo mission? I purchased my first mobile phone in 1989, spending over $2,500 for a bag phone connected to a large battery case hardwired in my vehicle – no texting,…

As a technologist in the building industry it surprises me that construction managers tend to order communications circuits from their local service providers late in the project. Ordering communications towards the end of a project, typically a month preceding fire and alarm installation, elevator testing or building occupancy, is often…

Do you find yourself bogged down with the technology aspect of a build – struggling to ensure that the technology itself, contractors and finished product work together to create a positive end-user experience? You are not alone. When considering an investment into a new construction project, the stakeholders turn to…