What does Internet-enabled mean to the average construction professional?

Expanding the use of Internet tools, such as intranets, will provide your business with new opportunities to work smarter and, in some cases, generate new sources of revenue.

Is it something that should be provided and required of software vendors?

Not necessarily. Software vendors can prepackage solutions only within certain parameters. Three parameters that stand out are value, range, and time.

The first parameter, perceived value, means that if you can get free Internet software developed for the masses, will a vertical market like the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry be willing to pay for Internet tools focused on the masses? AEC? ? This is a difficult question for software vendors to answer, since the perception in the AEC market is that Internet software should remain free, regardless of the added value. Large software vendors are addressing this problem by integrating Internet technologies into their traditional software offerings. As for fully developed solutions that you can buy out of the box, they don’t exist yet.

Internet technologies are not just software. Therefore, software vendors who claim to have total solutions are not telling the whole story. The second and most important element of integrating Internet technologies within your business is Cultural. The ease of use and low initial cost of implementation make the cultural shift to the information age (aka Internet-enabled) an easier shift than any previous phase of information technology we have gone through as an industry. But just because it’s easier doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its pitfalls. Getting your business to switch to doing its traditional jobs electronically can be a daunting task. Add to the problems that most of AEC’s work is done remotely outside of the office, and you have quite a challenge.

Another parameter is the range. The Internet and its associated technologies are best implemented when you combine business goals (ie, communicate more effectively with the field) with the right level of technology (ie, an Internet connection to the field). This brings a difficult level of detail for software vendors. If there isn’t one way that all businesses accomplish tasks, then how do you write computer code to handle all possible scenarios? The Internet allows you to perform your job functions quickly and easily without the need for proprietary software. But it makes sense that certain tasks, like CAD production, would be Internet-enabled through your existing software.

An additional parameter is time. If Internet technologies change every 12 weeks on average, how can an established software provider react to changing technologies in a timely manner? Bringing AEC-specific Internet products to market is a major hurdle facing our existing AEC software vendors. One solution being considered is the distribution of software over the Internet as a download. The complex issues of traditional software and other members of the software team will need to be addressed before this means of bringing tools to the AEC community can be seriously addressed.
Are there different levels of Internet access that a contractor should look for?

There are three different levels of Internet access that a contractor can be compared to.

One: Computer Aided Businesses

Our industry began its integration of information technology by adopting computers to automate manual tasks. We started using computers to write letters, write specifications, draft electronically via computer-aided drafting (CAD), and many other tasks that we used to do manually. This period of technological expansion has been known as Computer-Aided Business. Although it is a necessary first period of evolution, the computer-assisted business model has limitations. During this period, individuals create digital information available only to them on individual computers. This has led to “islands of automation” within our business environment. In the Internet environment, this may be related to a company putting up a website that acts as an electronic brochure.

Two: Computer Integrated Businesses

The next evolutionary step can be called connections. We assemble our “islands of automation” by allowing computers to communicate with each other over computer networks. By connecting our different computer hardware, different software programs, and different locations, we bring together a collective knowledge that we couldn’t have using traditional methods. We are beginning to see the infinite power and value of computer integration by connecting different locations through the Internet. As we, and technology, mature over time, we ask technology to do things that cannot be done manually. Technology brings with it new ideas and thoughts about how we can perform our tasks more productively and efficiently. As we become more comfortable with technology, we allow it to be integrated into our businesses. We begin to use the potential of technology beyond traditional methods. This period of growth is known as the Computer Integrated Business. We are no longer held captive by traditional manual solutions to our business problems. We began to hope that technology would provide a solution.

Three: Information-Based Businesses

The final phase is when the technology becomes transparent to the business. During this period, it is no longer a strategic competitive advantage to have the latest and greatest computer hardware and software. It is expected as a natural occurrence. The use of technology and information during this phase becomes as transparent and factual as the four walls that define the office. This ultimate goal is known as the Information-Based Business. Simplifying hardware, software, and connectivity gives you and your business the true power of information technology in a cost-effective and profitable way. Applied technologies such as Intranets and Extranets are the forerunners of this concept. Web-enabled construction documents are an outgrowth of this concept. The implications of “live” specifications and drawings by linking information on your computer, on your network, and on the Internet are already being used by companies around the world. The implementation of Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Virtual Work Trailers and Electronic Plan Rooms are also the results of an Information Based Business.

What industry trends will make the use of Internet-like media critical to the majority of the construction profession?

The integration and coordination of distributed and digital project information is one of the great challenges of our industry. This has been exacerbated by the increasing use of the design/build method of project delivery, where timely information is critical to the overall success of the project and its team. The Internet provides a cost-effective and powerful solution for every person on the project team, no matter how computer literate they may be.

Just compete?

Competition is always a driver for the adoption of concepts in action. Of course, if your core competition has found a competitive advantage through the use of Internet technologies, you will adopt these technologies yourself. But a bigger driver is required internet use by owners and customers.

Owner/operator involvement?

One notable trend that has come to the fore in recent years is the announcements by major corporate clients that knowledge of how to use the Internet is now considered a requirement to continue doing business with them.

The only team member who will directly benefit from the implementation of Internet technologies on a project is the owner. The time saved through the use of these technologies directly affects the overall output of the building. In other words, the sooner the building can be occupied by the owner, the more aggressively the solution will be implemented. The different ways in which you can implement Internet technologies within your own business will be the differentiating factor between you and your competition.

What are the limitations of the Internet today and how will they be solved in the near future?

Two main limitations are perceived capabilities and Internet bandwidth.

Too much hype and little business adaptation of AEC have damaged the image of the Internet. Having a website does not guarantee business growth. Only through a carefully planned Internet/Information Technology strategic plan can a company hope to harness the power of the Internet. It will not be used by “Brochure-ware” websites, but by implementation in the daily process of each AEC business. This problem is being addressed and led by owners/customers who require these technologies, just to keep doing business with them. It is remarkable how quickly a technology is adopted and cultural issues disappear when a customer requires a technology.

What are some other ideas regarding the implementation of the Internet?

There are 10 powerful emerging trends in our industry that the Internet is having a direct effect on:

1. Customer IT demands/project extranets
2. Value migration
3. Construction Information Management (CIM): Systems Integration
4. Powerful remote devices
5. The paper does not disappear
6. Virtual private networks
7. Architectural Information Systems (IS) as Profit Centers
8. IP addressable objects
9. AEC franchised information and service centers
10. Wireless access