Why Tech Transformation Fails Without Translation

“We’re rolling out a new cost planning tool. The business can expect a 5% efficiency uplift.”

Sounds good on a slide deck. But to the project manager knee-deep in RFIs, juggling subbie calls, checking site diaries and replanning because of another wet weather delay, it doesn’t mean much.

They’re not pondering efficiency uplifts. They’re wondering why it takes six clicks to log in, why the platform keeps timing out, and whether the drawings in the system are actually the right version.

Construction employs over 1.3 million people and contributes nearly 8% of GDP. Yet, productivity has barely improved in 30 years. We’re 30% behind other major industries – a $60 billion annual hit to the economy, according to the Australian Constructors Association.

But individuals aren’t thinking about industry-wide productivity stats. They’re thinking about how to get home on time, avoid rework and stay safe on site.

Lost in Translation

If we want technology to stick, we have to speak the language of the project team. That doesn’t mean dumbing it down. It means making it real for the site.

Infrastructure Australia’s latest Market Capacity Report supports this. When 200 construction business leaders were surveyed on their perceptions of productivity, investment in digital and innovation had the least impact.

This doesn’t surprise me. 

We say “optimise workflows” and “drive consistency”. People on site hear: more admin. We say “centralise communication”. They hear: more logins.

Tech adoption doesn’t fail because people hate technology. It fails because no one ever explains what it had to do with them.

Words matter. They tell people whether you get their world or not. Whether you understand people’s time, pressures and constraints. It’s the difference between:

• “We’re digitising QA/QC to improve compliance,” and
  “Tick a box, take a photo, and prove it’s done right first time.”
• “We’re centralising project communication,” and
  “No more chasing updates. Everything’s in one place.”
• “We’re streamlining documentation,” and
  “Less time on forms, more time on the actual job.”

Hard Hats, Soft Skills

Construction isn’t a monolith. With 800,000 construction businesses across Australia alone, it’s a thousand micro-cultures. So, if we want tech to land, we need to translate, not just implement.

Construction is a people and materials game. Materials are an output of the design process and that’ll be what it is. But when it comes to our people, we can and must do more.  In the face of skills and resource gaps, mental health challenges, diversity issues, we can at least do something about how people experience technology.

No one gets excited about ‘business efficiencies’. They get excited about knocking off earlier. About being less frustrated.  About doing their monthly report in an hour instead of a week.  Tech needs to work for the people who make the industry work.

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