Leveraging Technology to Improve Construction Productivity

The extent that a technology can improve productivity is often dependent on factors that do not necessarily relate to the technology itself. An organization’s or a project’s current work processes and what it means to successfully implement a new technology is critical. Most new technologies require work processes to be changed in order for their greatest impact on improving productivity to be realized. A willingness to change work processes requires total support from management. (RS240-1, p. 37)

Changes in equipment, material, and the automation and integration of project work functions are related to improvements in construction productivity. (RS240-1, p. 8)

 

The use of automated materials identification and localization technologies improves materials management, which is a vital function for maintaining productivity at the construction workface. (RS240-1, p. 12)

Understanding how past technologies improved construction productivity can be used as a predictor of how future technologies might do the same. (RS240-1, p. 22)

Organizations should approach their adoption of new technologies in the same manner they would approach developing any well-balanced investment portfolio. There is risk with investing in some new technologies whose benefits have not been measured and proven in actual field processes. (RS240-1, p. 38)