The construction industry is ripe to benefit from advances in technology. However, with all the available technology choices in the market today, how can an organization determine which technology is worthwhile to implement?
The process for developing a strategic technology plan is no small undertaking. It requires a project champion to spearhead the effort, buy-in from executive management and department heads, and considerable planning.
Establish a Strategic Technology Plan
A strategic technology plan helps align new technology project implementations and changes with the future vision for the organization and its objectives.
For example, if a construction firm decides that one of its business strategies for the next year is to enhance decision-making capabilities of project managers on remote jobsites, it may decide to invest in the following:
- cloud-based file sharing resources;
- tablet computers with larger screens;
- improved graphic displays with higher image resolutions; and
- faster broadband equipment located at jobsites as part of its technology budget.
Five-Stage Process
An organization can anticipate and map out the resources to purchase, implement, train and deploy selected solutions.
The plan’s process can be divided into five distinct stages:
- establish a steering committee and brainstorm;
- review the current setup;
- interview key individuals;
- analyze and assess the data; and
- prioritize plans.
Establish a Steering Committee and Brainstorm
Assign a steering committee of the various stakeholders in the organization, including owners and executives, engineering, project management, superintendents and administrative teams.
Begin by brainstorming. Think big. What information do you wish you had at a time and place for business advantage? Get an outside perspective. Methods can be learned from other industries to gain benefits.
Key considerations for the brainstorming process include:
• increasing resource utilization;
• improving schedules and forecasts;
• lowering working capital tied up in work-in-process projects; and
• streamlining routine processes to create more efficiency.
Results of a brainstorming session will help reveal areas to pursue real organizational value. This phase should produce a high-level roadmap of improved organization and information capabilities and a vision statement that illuminates the value.
Review the Current Setup
Next, get a lay of the land with regards to the IT environment and its current capabilities.
Ask these critical questions:
- What data am I not getting from existing systems that would help our team deliver better services?
- What setup and access limitations exist in the network and systems?
- How can current IT systems provide faster and more accurate access to data needed at jobsites and project planning meetings?
Interview Key Individuals
Interview executive managers, engineering, project management, information technology, sales and marketing leaders, as well as administration services professionals in accounting, procurement and the front office.
The purpose of these interviews is to:
- obtain an understanding of everyone’s pain points and deficiencies when it comes to the daily use of existing systems;
- understand what system improvements they need to make their jobs easier and operate more efficiently; and
- gain insight on how their jobs may be evolving based on the industry’s direction.
The interviews should allow executives to update the high-level roadmap and vision statement completed during the initial brainstorm. Interviews can be supplemented with targeted research on technology innovations and improvements being leveraged by peer firms, or even organizations outside of the construction industry.
This could be a good time to consider pilot projects to test a new technology. Pilots can be quickly implemented, uncover additional considerations, reveal other related value and build support for broader implementation.
Analyze and Assess the Data
It’s necessary to analyze and assess the data to identify technology needs and deficiencies.
Analysis and assessment of the data collected should consider the following questions:
- How do the needs of the individual organization units match up to the strategic goals set by executive management?
- What technology projects should the organization undertake to address its needs, and which projects are most beneficial to the organization as a whole?
- What are the expected resource needs—capital, time, and people—to ensure that the strategic technology plan is actually feasible and realistic?
A potential list of technology projects should result from the analysis and assessment exercise.
For each potential project, there should be ample information provided to help with the prioritization and plotting of the project in the plan schedule.
Key information includes:
- clear description of the project that states—in layman’s terms—what it is and what issue or need it fulfills;
- strategy it addresses;
- benefits of implementation;
- drawbacks or risks;
- order of magnitude costs for acquisition, implementation, customization, consultation needs, employee training and maintenance;
- people resource needs in terms of anticipated project hours for employees, consultants and vendors; and
approximate duration for completion.
Prioritize Plans
Hold a project prioritization meeting among the steering committee. The purpose of the meeting is to identify and prioritize technology projects that should occur over the next three to five years.
Each project should be discussed and scrutinized by the steering committee to determine if it’s worthwhile to pursue.
Criteria considerations may include:
- Does the project benefit the entire organization?
- Is the project customer-focused?
- Will it have an immediate impact on revenue growth?
- How long will it take to implement?
- What resources are needed?
- What’s the degree of risk involved?
- Can an overall cost be determined?
As projects are prioritized, they are subsequently plotted on a timeline. Anticipated availability of funds for special projects should be noted for each year of the plan.
Developing a strategic technology plan that aligns with overall organization-wide strategies can help leaders navigate technology changes and guide technology spending over future years.
