It may feel like the AEC industry has been immune to the technological advances that have disrupted other industries, but that is no longer the case. As of 2022 AEC companies, at least the ones who jumped late on the tech wagon, are facing what is called the “tech flood”- being forced into a state of technological barriers and obstacles that looks and feels almost insurmountable. Why is this the case? And how can we overcome it?

1. Why?

Operating any kind of business is tough but operating an AEC company can be especially challenging. Unlike their tech or other counterparts where the roles and contributions are clear for all stakeholders and the labor is available and well trained. AEC companies are different, due to the high complexity, the interdisciplinary nature of the domain and the inherent human dependency.

1.1- Vast interdisciplinary domains

Designing, bidding and executing a project, can vary in skill requirement drastically depending on the project nature. An estimator who spent decades working on multifamily projects struggles in estimating a school or a commercial project. A design firm that specializes in Hospitals will find it challenging to design a multifamily or an industrial project. Add to that, the qualified labor, is extremely hard to get by.

1.2- Fear!

Unfortunately, these are not the only constraints that have made it difficult to adopt new technologies, “Fear” is also one of the great barriers that hinders this process! Maintaining a low operation overhead and managing the human resources is the main concern of these companies and this is what technology is offering them, yet there is a huge discrepancy between what they want and where they are. And I think this comes down to the mainstream rhetoric, of “humans will become obsolete, as a workforce” is one of the biggest causes of extreme fear of technology. On top of this understandable fear, AEC employees/owners must meet deadlines and achieve a high rate of productivity, adopting new technology can hinder that goal, therefore resulting in fear of underperformance in a rapidly growing world economy.

2. How can we overcome Fear and the complex steps of a digital transformation?

2.1-Leader driven initiatives

The short answer is Leaders. Leaders are the driving force of initiatives.
They must be, because there will be a lot of trials and errors. We all know that making mistakes is an essential part of learning and growth. Therefore, it's important to have a safe and compassionate environment cultivated by our leaders, where people can feel comfortable taking risks.
That way, we can all move forward together and learn from our collective experiences.
Obviously, these initiatives must be strategic and strike a good balance between risk and reward. Otherwise, we are back to square one.

2.2- Facing the consequences of late adoption

As an AEC company, it is difficult for us to make the decision to adopt new technologies.
It seems that every time we make the jump, there is a new wave of technologies that require us to take another leap. And so, we find ourselves in the same situation we were in five years ago: struggling to keep up with the times.

The problem is by this point, it is no longer feasible to make such large leaps. The pipelines are outdated, the understanding of the current tech scene is slipping away, and worst of all, the competitors have already pulled ahead. If we don’t act soon, we will be left behind for good.

2.3 Communication and trust

It's no secret that the world of business is constantly evolving. In order to stay competitive, businesses must constantly adapt and evolve as well. This can be a difficult task, especially for employees who are used to doing things a certain way. However, there are some general principles that can be applied in order to create a productive and positive work culture.

One key principle is communication. It is crucial for employees to feel they can communicate with their managers and colleagues freely and openly. This includes sharing both good news and bad news, as well as giving and receiving feedback. Employees who feel like they can speak up without fear of retribution are more likely to be productive and engaged in their work.

Another important principle is trust. Employees need to trust not only each other but most importantly the leadership. Allowing themselves to step outside of their comfort zone and push the organization that extra mile, where great things happen.

The AEC apocalypse is coming, but that doesn't mean we are doomed. In fact, it's precisely because of these changes that we need to start preparing now. We need to embrace new technologies like BIM and learn how to use them in order to stay ahead of the curve. If you're not sure where to start, don't worry. We (the BIM community) can help you get started on your journey into the world of BIM today. All you have to do is reach out and ask for help.

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