From Hype to Help: Making Construction Tech Work for You

New tools flood the AEC industry with promises of transformation—AI, digital twins, cloud platforms. But without a clear purpose, most end up unused, misaligned, or abandoned.

In an industry where 70% of projects run over budget or schedule (McKinsey, 2023), we can’t afford to chase hype. The real challenge isn’t picking the right tech—it’s solving the right problem.

Start with Users, Not Features

Too many solutions are chosen top-down, without understanding how teams actually work. That’s why construction tech often fails: it’s not built around users.

The good news? The software industry has figured out how to avoid this trap. Here are five proven methodologies we can adapt to make construction tech actually work:

Five User-Centered Methods That Work in AEC

1. Design Thinking: Start with empathy. Interview project engineers, architects, and site manager. What slows them down? What workarounds are they using?

2. Jobs to be Done (JTBD) Framework: Don’t ask “what do you want in a tool?” Ask, “What job are you trying to get done?” This reframes tech as a means to an outcome—not a feature checklist.

3. Lean Startup Methodology:  Pilot tools on a single phase or project before a full rollout. Learn fast, iterate, scale only if it works.

4. Value Stream Mapping: Visualise how work actually flows—like RFIs, reviews, or clash detection. Find the digital pinch points. Fix those first.

5. User Story Mapping: Fit tech into daily workflows. How will a design manager or site manager interact with this tool day to day? If it doesn't match their reality, it won’t stick.

Imagine the difference this approach could make:

An engineering firm is considering adopting a new AI-powered collaboration tool. Instead of immediately implementing it company-wide, they:

1. Interview project engineers → identify silos and delays (Design Thinking)

2. Reframe the problem: "We need to reduce coordination lag" (JTBD)

3. Pilot it on one project (Lean Startup)

4. Map how design review currently works (Value Stream Mapping)

5. Build a user journey for the tool in context (User Story Mapping)

Result? Clear feedback, stronger adoption, better outcomes.

Make Tech Work Like It Should

Construction doesn’t need more tools—it needs better ones, chosen with purpose.

By focusing on user needs and validating early, AEC teams can reduce delays, lower costs, and boost adoption.

Let’s stop chasing trends. Let’s fix what’s broken.