Digital Tech Adoption Construction

How to Scale Digital Construction Tech: Part 3

Now that you’ve found and implemented a technology solution, here’s how to determine if you’ve achieved a return on investment

Digital transformation requires a financial investment that your organization undoubtedly hopes to recoup and profit from. Start by identifying what positive return on investment (ROI) looks like at a project and organizational level. That way, you can have multiple wins.

Set a budget and establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure ROI. Your solution provider can help you identify the most relevant KPIs. Then ask yourself some pointed questions to set and track ROI:

  • What are the long-term business needs for the solution you’re planning to implement?
  • If you document those needs, can you regularly assess how you’ve advanced?
  • Were your needs and desired outcomes six months ago the same as they are now?
  • Have there been shifts in the way you need to deliver projects or business?
  • What quick wins could you achieve in terms of productivity gains, cost and risk reduction, or quality control?
  • Does the solution’s value continue as you reach digital maturity or will you need new tools?
  • Is there ongoing training and communication in place to ensure you gain the most from the solution?

The right technology can help you build audit trails, spot managed risks, ensure compliance and ultimately drive learning to make projects more efficient. The ROI will come from greater value and a higher-quality deliverable and outcome.

Case Study: Hilson Moran Compares Analog vs. Digital Side by Side

Hilson Moran is a large, UK-based mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) firm that wanted to move from paper to digital delivery of projects and track the results of software usage. It had a unique and ideal situation for making a comparison—two similar projects and teams working for the same client.

The analog-based team drew from their experience, sketched out plans on their existing systems and merged the results. The digital team used Bluebeam’s Studio Sessions to complete the project in a cloud-based collaborative environment.

Bluebeam Studio was almost 60% more efficient based on the side-by-side comparison. Using Studio Sessions will reduce Hilson Moran’s paper costs a projected 50% in a five-year period.

Working within a real-time secure environment and subscription to Studio Prime also helped accelerate the company’s cross-office collaboration. Hilson Moran coordinated design, review and collaboration across multiple offices in the United Kingdom—London, Farnborough and Manchester—and with the Qatar and Abu Dhabi offices, allowing for a chase-the-sun workflow.

The IT department set administrative controls over user access to Studio Sessions to ensure only authorized staff could use the tool. Within 18 months, Hilson Moran deployed Bluebeam as the standard project software in the organization.

Stay tuned for the final installment in this scaling digital technology series.

Read Bluebeam’s complete guide to making digital scalable.