The Berlin x Downtime event is getting closer and closer. The event will be hosted on the 24th of October and we can already announce that John Smeets from Boels, Laura Tönnies from corrux and Vincent Koch from klarx will be speaking at the event. It is going to be a great event where will discuss the implications of downtime, the digitization of the construction industry, efficiency and collaboration.  If you would like to join our event in Berlin, you can still reserve a seat


This month I have found some great reads about digitalization, IoT applications in construction and how to communicate uncovered data in a way that everyone understands. It is important that companies wanting to digitize have the core business in mind when attempting to digitize. Communicating data effectively is also a critical point in becoming a digital company. While those who work with data every day will understand large amounts of data, many will not understand the severity of it. This is why I have chosen an article from HBR about communicating the true meaning of data. Finally, we will take a look at the applications of IoT in the construction industry. While I am sure that there are already many well-known applications it is always interesting to read more about the possible uses of technology in the industry. This has also lead me to this month's key questions to consider: 

  • Beyond the uses of technology that we see in construction today, which other uses of IoT would be valuable in the construction process? 
  • Are you implementing your digital practices in day-to-day functions to familiarize your team with new technologies? 
  • How would you relate data to some aspect of daily life that would communicate the importance of new-found data to someone who does not work with data on a daily basis?
 
 

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND UAVs


IoTforall.com: "IoT Applications in Construction"


Application of IoT in construction is giving every stakeholder in the construction process the ability to understand exactly what is happening at any given time. Many companies in the industry are motivated to find new solutions by low productivity, inflated budgets, delays and increased competition. We have already started to see the application of IoT in construction such as the automation of service scheduling or the ordering of new materials and spareparts. We have also seen many examples of fuel and power monitoring to improve maintenance. And being able to track machines to reduce theft has also been a large motivator for many in the industry to adopt new technologies. There are also applications which are not as popular yet. Such as the adoption of autonomous vehicles or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). Wearables, using AR, VR and MR, are also becoming increasingly important. This technology will allow users to see wiring behind a wall so that they can make educated decisions on how to deconstruct it, or drill holes in it. IoT will also allow for BIM optimization, where 4D models will lead to better monitoring of the building process. These applications of technology will not result in the loss of human jobs. Instead, it will lead to better working life and increased safety for those who work in the construction industry.

 
 
FACING THREATS FROM DIGITAL CHALLENGERS

McKinsey: "Mastering the duality of digital: How companies withstand disruption"


Companies are always looking to digitize their business to make sure that they do not lag their competition. However, many companies are not sure how to digitize leading to many failures. In order to successfully transform, companies need to innovate, but they also need to digitize their core business. Being able to innovate new areas of business while digitizing core business leads to higher success rate of digitization. A key component of a successful digitization is strong IT capabilities. This will make digitization much easier and allow companies to implement digital technologies in day-to-day functions. Developing familiarity with the technology means that managers, as well as employees will be able to develop their own skills through the process of digitization. 


 
 
GIVE MEANING TO YOUR DATA

Harvard Business Review: "3 Ways to Help People Understand What Your Data Means"


 Making sure that everyone in your business understands the importance of new-found data is critical for your company’s success. One way of doing this is by giving relatable meaning to your data. This can be done through relatable size, time, or something that is relatable to your audience. The authors of this article use Jeff Bezos as an example, he is the richest man in the world with $114 billion. We as readers understand that this is a lot of money. However, in the article they state that Jeff Bezos would be able to buy every homeless person in America a home, and still have $19.2 billion left. This is a way of quantifying how much money he has. They also use examples of relatable time and size. Although this is a very basic example, it can be used to quantify or visualize the importance of any data that you would like to communicate with others. 



 
 
If you would like to take a look at past x Downtime events you can check out event highlights here. You can check out upcoming events as well as videos or an archive of past newsletters.
 
 
Through collaboration and partnerships we can get closer to our goal of eliminating downtime by 2025. 

If you have any great reads, please share them with me at: sbj@trackunit.com

- Søren Brogaard Jensen, CCO Trackunit

 
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