Ways Cloud Computing Will Change Construction

The disruptions that are inherent in cloud computing are going to change the faces of many industries, according to John Hagel III and John Seely Brown co-chairmen of the Deloitte LLP Center for the Edge. These thought leaders say it’s a matter of focusing on the things cloud computing is going to let you do that you haven’t been able to do before while using traditional IT models. Oh, and by the way, there are also going to be the well-known disruptions that come with cheaper and highly scalable IT.

If you thought IT was specialized before, just wait. Not only will new services multiply faster than rabbits, but they will come at you from many different quarters, on a global scale. Of course for some there is going to be a lot more competition. Take a niche software supplier selling hard copies of an estimating program to small and medium sized construction firms. A few well-thought out, highly scalable and highly accessible cloud estimating applications will bring significant pressure to bear on those who cling to boxed or downloaded software as a model. Nowhere is that more evident than with Autodesk’s recent announcement of its cloud efforts. When a company with a huge stake in boxed software begins moving to the cloud, you know the handwriting is on the wall.

The authors also point out that the cloud is going to have an enormous level-the-playing-field effect. Imagine a contractor who builds four houses a year having the same computing power as one that builds thousands. The upward pressure on efficiency is going to make for some very interesting results as builders of all types start competing with the same tools. Custom builders for example may have to start differentiating even more with speed, features, price and extras.

Construction, architecture and engineering businesses are also going to have to focus more intently on how their core industries are evolving so they make sure they equip their companies with the right capabilities to stay competitive. BIM is already advancing rapidly but getting everyone equipped with BIM capabilities that really make a difference has been a slow, and sometimes costly process. As the costs of BIM tools come down because they are cloud-based and scalable, there will be new opportunities to consolidate information. So for example, once the manufacturers link their databases with BIM applications in the cloud it’s going to be BIM nirvana, and the users won’t have to give the software and hardware a second thought.

But, since the cloud computing hype cycle was reached this past spring, as reported by Gartner, there are those who question the promises being made. I’d like to explore more of the contrarian points of view here, just in the interests of balanced reporting. Leave a comment, or send me an email if you would like to offer views from the other side of the cloud computing paradigm.