Part 1 of 4 - Cutting through complexity

This is the first of a series of posts in the run up to Digital Construction Week 2015, a unique 2 day conference and exhibition where industry leaders and professionals from across construction converge to share best practice on the application of technology.

Few would deny that the majority of the challenges faced by professionals and clients in the construction sector boil down to communication. The surge in the volume of information produced on any digitally driven project is extensive - and undoubtedly aids the process by providing a central, single source of truth at any given time; yet, how much of our focus over recent years has been about distilling and simplifying the outputs of the increasing amounts of digital data we now routinely produce on every project? It is certainly undeniable that this capability enables informed decision making and drives certainty into each stage of the process - but we do need to get better at representing our outcomes in a way that is relevant to each distinct target audience. Aside from the relative few on each project who are tasked with preparing and coordinating this data, there are a far greater number of project participants and stakeholders who may struggle to extract meaning. In order to present this data in a way that is digestible as knowledge, it is the responsibility of industry professionals to understand their audience and present information in ways that will resonate and solicit the desired responses.

"How much of our focus over recent years has been about distilling and simplifying the outputs of the increasing amounts of digital data we now routinely produce on every project?"

As it stands - there is a narrow, but incredibly deep, chasm between the information the construction industry produces and all of the stakeholders outside the immediate project team with which it must formulate connections. Often, the most influential people involved in construction projects are external forces over whom we have little control - we can't always predetermine backgrounds, cultural preferences, levels of industry knowledge or even personal tastes. However, this enormous group of clients, tenants, end-users, planning officials and community representatives can be reached by removing the layers of unnecessary complexity that reside internal to the project and then framing the entire proposition within a context that addresses the unique viewpoint of that individual or group.

"Often, the most influential people involved in construction projects are external forces over whom we have little control."

Historically, our industry has relied on a mixture of artistic and technical representations to convey intent and develop ideas to the point of execution. In many ways, this remains analogous to the options previously enabled by software for the visual depiction of construction projects. Where computer-generated media has extended the quality of engagement over the painted/drawn equivalent and digital computer models have enhanced the interaction and flexibility available with hand-built physical models. We are now seeing the advent of a whole new generation of thinking around sensory representation of our projects and as the latest interactive platforms enhance our ability to present by combining the best aspects of high quality media and digital models in a single first-person environment.

In the next article we will explore the ways in which the perceived boundaries of visualisation in construction are being challenged.