How to Avoid the Hype and Use Technology to Solve Project Specific Issues | Ep. 124

How to Avoid the Hype and Use Technology to Solve Project Specific Issues

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the latest technology available in the Construction Industry. This can lead to overwhelm, inefficiency and wasted money if the solutions you choose don’t solve project specific issues. 

In this week’s podcast episode, I speak to Karl Sorensen. We talk about how his experiences have shaped how he looks at the implementation and use of technology in construction companies. We also discuss why most construction companies struggle with identifying the right tech to use. Karl then pinpoints why leaders and those underneath them should come together to talk about what tech works and what doesn’t. In the later part of our discussion, he gives action steps to avoid the hype, and integrate technology effectively to solve specific problems. 

Take the time to listen to this podcast episode! 

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Discussion Points:

0:00 Introduction 

3:05 Karl’s history and how it has influenced him 

6:42 The disconnect between millennials and the older generation around technology 

8:27 Why there is a struggle identifying the right technology 

10:35 Best way to start leveraging technology at the moment  

13:40 The importance of a good process in building a technology solution   

15:14 Advice for leaders when looking at technology and bridging the gap  

16:26 Frequency of meetings   

17:35 Culture of experimentation 

19:37 Specific areas to implement technology 

21:56 Using data collated and processing it to be beneficial to the company 

23:32 Effective model to roll out technology 

26:32 Understanding the minimal viable products perspective 

30:00 What technology is hyped nowadays but not useful at the moment  

31:17 Undervalued technology that is useful and will create a positive impact

34:16 Upcoming technology that is going to make a huge impact 

35:55 Where the construction industry is headed in terms of consolidation and integration 

38:04 Reasons technology implementation fails 

39:46 Action steps to integrate technology 

42:18 How technology should be driven effectively 

About the Guest: 

Karl Sorensen is HIIT’s director of projection solutions. His focus is on implementing construction best practices and deploying the right tools and technology on each job to enhance HITT’s ability to deliver exceptional project solutions to our clients. 

Karl has more than a decade of experience in the construction industry, bringing project management, operations, and construction technology experience to his role at HITT. In addition to leading the project solutions team, he also oversees HITT’s sustainable construction and virtual construction teams to optimize sustainability and efficiency across HITT’s job sites. 

Resources: 

Museum recommendation: 

Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Thank you for tuning in!