How to be the digital advocate your organization and projects need

While it took centuries for the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry to move from the drawing board to computer-aided design (CAD), digital technologies are now transforming how we work with breathtaking speed. Project technologies director, John Kizior, sets out five of the most important core behaviors organizations and project teams need to stay ahead and realize the full benefits of digital transformation.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change

Charles Darwin

Echoing Darwin, much of the ongoing debate around digital transformation in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry emphasizes the need for individuals and organizations to embrace change and create a new digital culture — one that will transform the way we plan, build, maintain and use our social and economic infrastructure.

The rewards for both AEC professionals and their clients are clear. BCG estimates that, by 2025, digital transformation could generate (in nonresidential sectors) a total global cost-saving of up to $1.2 trillion per year in design, engineering and construction.

Yet, navigating your way through this kind of industry-wide disruption is never easy. Respondents to AECOM’s 2018 Future of Infrastructure report identified innovation as one of the most important skills for the future of infrastructure, but also the least available within the sector’s workforce.

Drawing on my 20 years in the sector, I’ve identified five core principles and behaviors that we all need to embrace to become digital advocates: champions for the use of digital technologies to deliver our work faster, smarter and better.

1. Lead by example

Everyone’s digital journey needs to start somewhere. Taking that first step, however, especially on large and high-profile projects, can seem risky. The temptation to rely on more traditional approaches for one last time can be strong. As always, the push for change must come from the very top of an organization.

First, teams need to set out a clear digital vision to deliver the required outcomes for their project. This should outline: the opportunities and benefits of digital delivery; potential risks and actions to mitigate them; the tools and data to be used; and the roles and responsibilities of every team member to ensure the work is completed effectively. This vision then needs to be agreed by service providers and clients — with leaders working to deliver it every day.

It is the responsibility of the user to keep up to date. The digital advocate is a professional who stays educated and aware of the changing tools of their profession. Additionally, a digital advocate shares that knowledge with others, such as their team or project members, so that use of the tool is optimized in their group. They don’t “push” their digital tasks on to their teammates or junior colleagues. Instead they recognize that “digital” is crucial to everyone’s work and success, and lead by example.

2. Culture matters

One of the biggest barriers to digital transformation is organizational culture. Teams are made up of individuals from a broad range of cultural and professional backgrounds working together — each with their own personal communication styles and organizational demands — to deliver, often, complex solutions.

Collaboration is a team sport, and every team member, whether on the client or project-delivery side, needs to be empowered and supported within their organizations to make the shift to a digital-by-default mindset and new ways of working. Ultimately, all of us in the industry, regardless of the roles we play on projects, are becoming ‘information managers.’ The files and information we work with are transforming into ‘databases’ that inform organizations’ decision-making.

As a result, digital advocates recognize that the processes to facilitate the creation and use of data are just as important as the data itself. For organizational leaders, this extends to attracting and retaining talent that is comfortable working in teams and respects the importance of digital practice as the foundation of project success; setting clear, measurable digital objectives for team members; giving them the tools they need to meet these expectations and collaborate successfully; and backing them up with performance frameworks that incentivize and reward good digital behaviors.

3. Be the digital advocate you want others to be

Everyone working on digitally-driven projects needs to ensure their participation actively supports collaboration, and doesn’t create additional work for teammates. Put simply, digital advocates treat others the way they want to be treated in collaborative environments. This sounds pretty basic, but it is probably the one piece of digital etiquette advice that is broken most frequently.

Digital advocates look after their technology and digital assets conscientiously, always leaving data in a better condition than they found it. They focus on a ‘deliver it right first time’ approach, which leads to faster, more cost-efficient, and higher-quality projects.

To be a digital advocate you must also ensure the feedback you give is constructive and inclusive. Successful collaborations, especially those driven by technology, rely on contributions from all perspectives. Don’t alienate anyone from this process with bad behavior. As our organizations and projects become more diverse and virtual, your ‘digital self’ may be the first and only chance you get to make a good impression. So make it a positive, professional one.

4. Understand the power of data — consistency is key

Connected data is exponentially more valuable to organizations than disconnected data. The data generated across projects should be consistent, accurate and stored in a managed and secure, common data environment. Digital advocates understand that adherence to standards and collaboration workflows underpins a team’s and an organization’s ability to leverage the power of connected data and does not cut corners, even if it appears to save them time on an individual task.

Digital advocates utilize and contribute their work to shared content libraries, so others can benefit and learn from this information. To that end, they don’t alter and customize, hide or hoard project data. They recognize that the maintenance of this information is a form of active communication with their team, and that their ability to work effectively with colleagues in this way is fundamental to the best professional practice. Even simple things, such as creating and following a file naming convention, reinforces a collaborative environment of tidiness, accuracy and organization in the virtual workspace that is vital to the success of any project.

5. Remove the mystery

It’s important to recognize that digital transformation will cause disruption, challenging long-held ways of working and it’s up to us, as digital advocates to demonstrate behaviors that allow projects to succeed in the face of this change.

Building on this, it is essential for leaders and team members to use language that works to facilitate digital transformation and learning across programs and organizations. So, don’t speak in acronyms, rely on plain language to explain the concepts and approaches you’re deploying and promote a common understanding of the digital approaches to be used.

People, process and technology

The reality is that digital transformation goes beyond just changing the tools you use every day, requiring action in every area of an organization, from people to structure, operating model to solutions, to ensure success. Every organization needs digital advocates to take away the complexity and create a seamless, integrated and better project experience for everyone.