Take a Sneak Peek at This Year’s Sessions
Up-Leveling the IT Professionals at the Heart of your Integrated Tech Stack
With the emergence of new construction technologies delivering comprehensive data to contractors, the IT department, at the center of a construction business’ operational infrastructure, can find themselves lacking control. Today more than ever, its critical for IT professionals to be aware of the many technologies that are now available to contractors and know how they can and cannot operate together with systems already in place.
A distinct differentiator in the construction businesses coming out on top today is being mature about their tech stack and integrations. Contractors who have adapted to incorporate current technology tools into their businesses are able to make strategic improvements internally with comprehensive business intelligence to grow their bottom lines. IT professionals are at the center of this decision process and play a major role in this financial success; they are wise to seek solutions that act as a single source of truth through integrated technology vs. a single source of references with disjointed tools.
Join us for a moderated panel discussion/presentation with industry leaders on the current landscape of construction technology systems and where IT professionals play a major role in the selection of these tools for construction businesses. This session is designed to educate the IT audience on business system integrations and how technologists are at the center of this key business initiative. Get up to speed or get left behind.
Risks and Realities of Ransomware in the AEC Sector
Labor, Materials and Equipment are commonly agreed on as the factors that will make or break your project. But given the fact that one in six AEC firms will experience a ransomware attack we need to rethink the building blocks that will determine our success. Join Kevin Soohoo (Dir of AEC Practice @ Egnyte), Nick Espinosa (Cybersecurity Consultant to NECA & MCAA), and AGC Members Alberici, Carroll Daniel Construction, and KAST Construction to discuss the risks and realities of what actually happens during a ransomware breach and what to do to reduce the risk of becoming a victim.
In addition, Egnyte will share their analysis of the impact ransomware has had on their 3000+ AEC customers.
How Mid-sized Firms Use BIM Ideas and Digital Tools to Improve Lean Collaboration
This presentation demonstrates how medium-sized contractors can reduce Lean’s administrative burdens and empower team members for continuous improvement by applying Lean construction methods with BIM concepts and processes. Supported by jobsite videos, photos and program demonstrations, the speakers provide best practices and a practical framework drawn from their field experience with FPI Builders, a medium-sized general contractor based in Texas. Completing 8 to 10 projects per year, FPI Builders uses Lean and BIM practices to stay competitive and profitable.
Attendees will learn how to use digital representations of schedules, constraints, tasks and other project details to create a dynamic digital model and use it to free the jobsite’s doers from administrative tasks. Attendees will also learn how to convert “old school” crew leaders to avid Lean practitioners with an intentional Lean culture and easily-accessible project details. If team members can access and update project information through tablets and smartphones, every crew leader and contractor can accurately answer questions and immediately recognize waste and variability.
Dumping the 8 Wastes Using Technology
As industries go, construction is one of the least efficient. So much time is spent dealing with the immediate fire drills of the day—from lawsuits and upset clients in the office, to labor and materials shortages on job sites—that most companies don’t feel like they have the time to focus on becoming a more efficient business. That’s where most construction companies are wrong.
Lean construction is a thorough system of processes and behaviors that can transform the industry. Lean thinking and processes deliver better employee retention and quality of life, safer worksites, reduced project waste and greater project value and technology plays a crucial role.
Cybersecurity: Rolling with the Punches in 2022
While we’ve all heard of Business Email Compromise, phishing and ransomware, we often don’t realize the ramifications events like these have on our industry and organizations. Sometimes hackers hit us square in the eyes, while other times we feel the pain of blows from unexpected changes in Cyber-Insurance requirements, security reviews, or when new regulations in our client base hits us in the ribs. In this session, we look at how hacking trends have permanently changed and continue to change our world, and what we as leaders can do to help our IT department more effectively roll with the punches.
The VDC Maturity Curve – Taking Your Team to the Next Level in Project Execution
Every year, we see more companies and individuals becoming comfortable with virtual design & construction as a part of their day-to-day workflows, spanning from architects and engineers to general contractors and their subs. As the industry has evolved, however, we’ve seen a huge variation in results, leaving leaders wondering where to make investments in technology and innovation. While some companies are still in the exploration and awareness phases, others have reached levels of excellence and mastery that allow them to build more quickly, more efficiently, and more safely. What sets those organizations who consistently yield better outcomes apart from the pack?
During this session, panelists from across the construction industry will dive into the value proposition of a well-executed VDC process. How can organizations advance along the “VDC Maturity Curve”? How can we unlock new value propositions by moving from BIM to VDC? How can we bring the right people, with the right information, together at the right time? And how can we get greater ROI from investments in technology? We will explore how the audience can become champions for change within their organizations by taking a look at a playbook for success – from aligning VDC to corporate strategy, to telling the story of success through metrics.
Always Reach for the Stars….
A discussion on the trials and tribulations of climbing the ladder of success, getting to a top leadership position, staying there, and sometimes when you least expect it, climbing even higher. Sam Lamonica presents his views on going from an entry level IT slot to CIO of a multi-billion construction firm, and then going even higher as a chairman of a board.
Embarking a GC Digital Transformation Journey
Are you wondering what it takes to become an innovator in an industry with relatively low digitization? We did, too! Our leadership team recognized it was critical to act fast to continue growing as a company, attract new talent, and improve relationships with subcontractors. To satisfy the needs of a demanding industry, technology was going to play a key role. However, evaluating and implementing new technology can be a challenge. In this session, we will embark on Miller-Davis’ digital transformation journey from the conception of its digital roadmap to the companywide implementation of digital tools. You’ll learn how a Common Data Environment (CDE) can enhance collaboration and improve communication between the office and the field through a diverse set of tools for project management, quality control, and safety. To wrap things up, we’ll discuss strategies to cultivate “Digital Champions” and encourage innovation within the organization.
iPad Laser Scanning – Field to Office Workflows
Utilizing reality capture tools to collect existing equipment or structure information can be very beneficial to the design and coordination processes. It can be challenging to find technology that can be easily used in the field and implemented into that coordination process. This presentation will show how SiteScape on an iPad can be used to collect that data, and then easily inserted into the data workflow for coordination.
Microsoft Teams for Construction Practices
This will be a case study on how Mortenson rolled out Microsoft Teams for Construction Document Management and eliminated Box to reduce technology spend. In this session, presenters will discuss:
1. Business Case to eliminate Box and replace with 0365 suite of Tools ( Teams, SharePoint, One Drive, Planner ) to gain Operations Supports
2. Standardizing a global platform tool to work for the Construction Industry. Streamline how this interfaces with our other core applications.
3. How we developed and implemented the tool to work for Mortenson and construction processes; and how are are continuously improving the tool based on users feedback
A Large GC’s Problem-Based Approach to Ideation
When you try to utilize a solution-based ideation program, you end up just testing whatever shiny new toys your operations partners hear about, which has several limitations:
1. You don’t know what problem the solution is trying to solve
2. You don’t know if you already HAVE a supported solution for that problem
3. You don’t have a way to measure the success of the solutions
4. You’re not setup to adequately evaluate scale for all of your solutions
5. You don’t know what steps to take to deploy a solution and ensure its adoption
A problem-based ideation platform steps back and requires you and your partners to identify exactly what problem you’re trying to solve. This helps in a few ways:
1. You can identify what defines a successful solution to the problem
2. You can determine if a solution should be a process change, or a new tool
3. You can ensure that you don’t already have a solution to that problem, which may not have enough adoption
4. You can test multiple solutions to the problem and determine which one solves your problem best for you
At the start of the process, you can decide what “next steps” will ensure a successful roll-out and adoption of the solution.
This is what Swinerton’s Explorer Program does, and my presentation will show how we use this approach to support our 5,000 employees putting $5B or work into place each year.
Data, Data Everywhere…
And not a drop to drink. We are all hearing about data as the new currency, the new lingua franca of business. There is some underlying truth to this but like many trends you have to ask the question, are construction businesses ready to capitalize on this direction. This session will look at how data itself has been evolving in most construction firms and how it will be changing from application-based to a more centralized model (think data warehouse). IT departments are being asked much more frequently to develop a “data strategy” by people that may or may not fully appreciate the implications or what they will do with the data once they have it. That being said, most organizations are struggling to get good information from the very applications they use daily…let alone an abstracted layer from those non-integrated applications.
Structuring Your Software Selection
Are you considering a significant business software purchase for your company? Accommodating the needs of multiple stakeholders and making a group decision around a major software system can be a daunting task. How do you create and manage a data-driven process to make sure all business needs have been incorporated and the chosen software fulfills those needs?
Tilson representatives Tracy Bell and Jen Stastny will present a “how-to” session on a structured software selection process, using Tilson’s years of experience with software selections to educate attendees on practical methods to set up your company’s purchase evaluation process for success. Attendees will be trained on the components involved in a formal data-driven software selection and guided on how to manage those steps successfully, including planning, requirement gathering, demos, and due diligence. Anecdotes and examples will be shared throughout the presentation to help drive attendee interest and engagement, and opportunity for questions and answers related to attendee’s pending projects will be provided as well.
IT’s Role In Building a Connected Construction Environment
This session will be a panel discussion of IT directors who have integrated new technical solutions into their organizations and the lessons learned along the way. They’ll share how they decided they needed to upgrade their tech and better connect their workforce and operations, and what it took to connect data and workflows throughout their organization, including challenges overcome and tips for others who are considering similar upgrades. From how to achieve technology buy-in from your management team, to how to successfully implement new technology across hundreds, if not thousands of employees, attendees will come away with insight into best practices for how to achieve a true connected construction experience, from the field to the office, and beyond—and why it’s well worth the investment.
Leadership DNA – Traits for Successful Leadership
What does it take to get to the next level in your career? Leadership. It may seem that some people are natural leaders and others are not. The truth is that leadership requires constant refinement and learning. Do all leaders need to have a team reporting to them? No. Join me as I walk through 20 years of technology leadership experience. I’ll share tools and techniques to analyze your current state and chart your path to success.
Attitudes Toward Technology – Psychology Profiles for Technology Adoption
Peyton Kringlie identifies the adoption hurdle in the Construction Industry, and attempts to tackle the problem locally and distribute incentive to coworkers for adopting new tools. Through research and application, Peyton utilizes existing psychological literature to leverage adoption in his company. The 3 Profiles, per Colin DeYoung, PhD, are Confidence, Approval, and Interest. These factors are created through statistical factor analysis and can be acquired through a small sampled survey. Peyton, Business Analyst at LS Black Constructors, acknowledges the industry’s need for practical frameworks and actionable insight. This comprehensive breakdown, technically and practically, of the Technology Profile Index for individual attitudes toward technology will help any leader, director, executive, manger, etc. understand their teams attitudes and what programs are needed in their organization.
Why IT Projects Fail
More than half of IT projects fail, and in construction, there are an added set of challenges for making a project successful. In this session, we will cover the different elements of what makes an IT project successful and how to engage with your business to ensure both IT and Operations are happy and successful.
How Big Data Is Transforming the Construction Industry
There is an ocean of data crashing and flowing all around us. Most of us swim in this ocean every day, both consuming and contributing to it, only sticking our heads up long enough to catch a breath before diving back in. Together we create a staggering 2.5 exabytes (EB), or 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day–enough to fill 10 million Blu-Ray discs. What are we to do with all of this data (i.e., how do we leverage data created on jobsites)? And what happens when the ocean grows beyond our ability to make sense of? In this session, we will explain what Big Data is, layout some of the barriers to its adoption, and explore a few of the ways it’s being successfully used in the world of construction.
Innovation and Culture are Driving Industry Transformation
For many legacy industries, culture change is the biggest challenge of digital transformation. How can companies, associations, and unions working in industries that are in the midst of this foundational shift become more agile and innovative without alienating their best employees or wrecking the best of their existing practices? In this presentation, we will explore these topics and highlight technologies and innovations that could potentially disrupt our legacy industries. We will share stories of how other professions have been impacted and look to learn from their successes and failures.