Bridging the Gap: Insights & Innovations in Construction

Finding Familiarity in Change

How do you feel about change in construction? Do you prefer doing things “the way we’ve always done it”? Join host Todd and guest Maret Thatcher as they discuss Maret’s connections with both construction and law, how difficult it is to cause genuine change in the industry, the fun and challenges involved in augmented reality, and how to frame innovation in a way that people may already be used to.
Maret Thatcher is the CEO of Argyle. Previously, she was in the family construction business--a flagging contractor (you’ve seen the signs--Stop/Slow), Maret paid for law school on the jobsite. She was inspired when she tried the Hololens and was told someone would put the BIM on the jobsite. Alternate realities on top of this world made more sense to Maret than arcane legal theory, and Construction called back to her. Now she spends her days helping people understand that AR is just Star Trek for the Jobsite.
Todd Takes
The more we can integrate technology into our normal everyday workflow and project management the more likely it is to be practically used. This will help allow us to better align data to the jobsite.
AR helps to enhance your own builder’s intuition and intelligence into a kind of superpower with a ton of potential. Harness it. The last couple years of seen a ton of growth in construction innovation. As easy temptation that we need to avoid is reverting back to what was comfortable. Let’s keep up the momentum and encourage the try it mentality.
I love that Maret brought up the importance of being personable and mental health. It is ok to be willing to talk about the personal side of things in construction. Get to know the person behind the employee. You will be amazed at the benefits that brings across the board.

Taking Pride in the Trades

How vital do you consider training to be? How about relationship-building on the job? Join host Todd and guest Rebecca Lewis as they discuss misconceptions around “blue collar” and “white collar” jobs, the strange competition between trade schools and colleges, the best way to defend tech adoption to naysayers, and the biggest hurdles that currently face the industry. Rebecca Lewis is an Electrical Revit & CAD Design Engineer at Allison-Smith Company LLC in Atlanta, Georgia.
 
Before I share my Todd Takes, I wanted to give a shout out to a past guest Walker Lockard of DADO for setting up the introduction with Rebecca. I hope you enjoyed hearing her perspective as much as I did. Personally, I walked away with so many points to think about it was difficult to narrow it down to just 3 takes.
 
TODD-TAKES
To Rebecca’s point on taking pride in your work, we as tech providers need to communicate better how technology actually enables field workers to regain pride in their work they feel may be threatened. It starts by taking the time to listen, engage and truly empathize. Then take the needed action to meet them where they are and make it easy to use.
Training that resonates is a critical component as well. By making it more of a hands-on job simulation you increase the likelihood of retention. Take time to explain the why behind the what you are doing. Intentionality will always rule the day with everything from a new tool to leveraging BIM. Get everyone on the same page from the start.
Construction is a relationship business. Do not discount any relationship along your path. The simple fact is that you have to get along with people in order to get any results.

EXCLUSIVE: The Bridge to Connected Data

Join host Todd and guest Sameer Merchant as they discuss the recent developments and “skyrocketing” tech adoption within Autodesk, how the industry has been reinventing itself over the years, the advent of Autodesk Bridge and how it relates to current workflows and software, and what sustainability will look like in the future of construction.
Sameer Merchant is the Head of Product Development for Autodesk Construction Solutions. He leads product development and delivery efforts for Autodesk’s site construction and preconstruction product portfolio, which includes BIM 360 and PlanGrid. Sameer joined Autodesk with the acquisition of PlanGrid, where he was vice president of engineering. Prior to joining PlanGrid, Sameer co-founded and was CTO at AdMarvel, a mobile advertising platform acquired by Opera Software in 2010. While at Opera, Merchant was Vice President of Mobile Commerce, where he started and grew the company’s mobile and data services businesses, managing a global team of more than 400 employees. Merchant began his career at VeriSign, setting up and leading engineering teams across three countries for several business units, including Public Key Infrastructure, Payment Services and Telecommunication Services. He and his team built massively scaled products that were used by Fortune 500 customers and partners including Adobe, Netscape and Microsoft.
 
TODD-TAKES
One of my mantra’s this year is down with silos. I was excited when I heard about Autodesk’s Bridge announcement because it plays right into my mantra. Making sure our technology and data points are connected and flowing seamlessly is mission critical into for us to create growth at scale.
The illustration of the wave building momentum Sameer used when describing the tipping point when innovation becomes practical is a great one. Don’t be one of those people that realizes the wave has broken and passed them by without taking any action to ride the wave. There is a lot of innovative workflows and technologies in construction today. Be intentional to look at them and assess what makes the most sense for you.
I agree with Sameer that “we owe it to each other” to streamline processes, reduce waste and drive to a more lean and sustainable construction industry. It will take all of us coming together to make strides. Connected data is one of the major lynchpins in this endeavor.

Simplifying Construction

How do you avoid overcomplicating construction? What should the role of innovation be in construction firms? What is the true potential of Industrialize Construction? Join host Todd and guests Jeevan Kalanithi and Adam Settino as they discuss the story behind OpenSpace.ai, setting aside time and space for innovation on the job, the importance of finding and considering different perspectives, the role of Industrialized Construction moving forward and more.
Jeevan Kalanithi is the CEO of OpenSpace.ai. Jeevan sold his first company, Sifteo, to 3D Robotics, where he eventually became the President. 3DR, a 200+ person company, launched a drone which made $45M in its first year. Jeevan was most recently an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Lux Capital. He holds a BS from Stanford and an MS from MIT, where he was a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow.
Adam Settino is a Solutions Engineer Manager at OpenSpace.ai. He spent seven years in design as an architect and the last ten years in construction as Director of Virtual Design and Construction. Most recently, his fiery passion for identifying where technology can improve how we design and build has led him to the tech world, joining the team at OpenSpace as their Solutions Engineer Manager.
TODD-TAKES
There is no need to overcomplicate things. Simple is always better. I know this is easier said than done. However, with some intentional focus on the goal to simplify you will be able to achieve just that.
It is so important to get different perspectives early and often. If people are involved in the planning, they are much more likely to be bought in during adoption.
We need to democratize innovation throughout the company and encourage finding and bubbling up those small 1% improvements. When you are able to stack 1% improvements on each other you will be amazed the distance you can go.

Combining Tech and Human Expertise

Are the lines between construction and manufacturing starting to blur? What does that mean for you? Join host Todd and guest Gil Mayron as they discuss the ins and outs of 3D printing, the competition and dedication that goes into automation, recent shifts in perception in the industry, and more.
Gil Mayron is the Founder and CEO of Cobot Nation, Architects of Automation™. He is a pioneer of the consumer 3D Printing industry as the Founder and CEO of Botmill 3D, which manufactured and sold the first fully-assembled consumer 3D printers. Mr. Mayron continued to lead corporate development strategies for the consumer division at 3D Systems. He composed the first ever licensing deals involving 3D printing with Sony, Viacom, NBA, DreamWorks and many others.
 
TODD-TAKES
I really resonated with Gil’s line at the start of the show to create something out of chaos. Construction at times can seem an industry with chaos infused in the DNA. However, that just means there is a tremendous opportunity to innovate and make something incredible.
If you don’t start automating tasks where needed now, your competitors will. Remember it is a journey and not as simple as flipping a switch for innovation. Don’t be one of those people that realizes they are in catch up mode and 2-3 years behind everyone else on the transformation path.
Innovation must be paired with a logical path to get there. Take time to plan your innovation and be intentional.

The Future of Skilled Trades Labor

What is the future of the skilled labor trades market? Why do younger workers seem to be moving away from it? Join host Todd and guest David Broomhead as they discuss making the skilled trades more attractive to the younger generation, the opportunities for change that arise with “the great resignation,” the role that technology plays in the industry’s future, and more.
David Broomhead is the CEO and Founder of Trade Hounds, a construction-only platform that allows Tradespeople to network and improve their craft through engaging our community. David likes the mighty North Queensland Cowboys, the New England Patriots, surfing, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
TODD-TAKES
We have talked about it before but there is a great need in the industry for everyone to come together and share a collective message that resonates with those outside the industry. The labor shortage is a problem the effects all of us and so all of us need to band together to solve it.
I think it is time to do away with the outdated “blue collar” vs. “white collar” branding divide. It creates a false perception and does not adequately show the full extent of options and possibilities in the construction industry.
Be proactive in reaching out to the younger generation. David and I talked about creating apprenticeship programs to provide exposure to the industry. I think that is a great idea to get people excited and knowledgeable on what is happening in this great industry.

How Empathy and Data Impact Your Strategy

What does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand their pain points when it comes to data strategy? Is this important? Join host Todd and guest Justin Fellows as they discuss starting with the right mindset, how to change from being reactive to proactive, common hurdles in tech adoption, developing the right data strategy and much more.
Justin Fellows is the Founder and Claims Consultant at 53 Quantum LD. He helps senior commercial directors, contract directors, planners and lawyers in the construction industry clarify construction data, minimize exposure to future disputes and financial risk, reduce delays and overruns and minimize the costs associated with them by using emerging technology such as machine learning and AI to provide results faster and more accurately.

What Wine and Construction Have in Common

What is the importance of social dynamics in the industry? Are those dynamics underrated? Join host Todd and guest Carole Filion as they discuss the dreams versus realities of the construction industry, how to engage in company-wide efforts in “broadening your scope,” and the surprising commonalities between wine and construction.
Carole Filion is a Construction Technology Specialist and Marketing Director. She is a fluently bilingual (French and English) creative problem-solver, trainer, coach, and writer for both technical and marketing communications to B2B audiences and internal business units. Her strengths are inter-personal, technical, marketing, leadership, and motivational skills. She claims focused vertical expertise in both the construction technology sector and wine industry. In addition, she is a strong strategic planner with proven results in creating measurable ROI for organizations.

The State of Leadership Development in Construction

What should leadership development look like? Does it need to involve a change in mindset? Join host Todd and guest Nanette Miner as they discuss job-hopping, how to know the difference between positive change and “indoctrination,” how to “step up” in your industry, what a good leader looks like, and much more.
Nanette Miner is a Consulting Manager/Learning Officer at The Training Doctor, LLC. She has additional experience as a Contributor to Leadership Development for Forbes Coaches Council and a Facilitator for the Association for Talent Development. She is passionate about developing leadership in organizations. She has spent 20+ years consulting to the Fortune 500.
 
TODD-TAKES
Every company wants to have great leaders throughout the organization. However, too many organizations are not intentional about investing and developing people to become those great leaders. Nanette said we should almost think of leadership development as our insurance policy, in that if we properly investing in our people, it is there when we need to rely on it.
As the younger generations are coming more into the workforce, it is becoming even more critical to explain the why behind why every job matters to the mission of the company and the positive impact it is having.
Down with silos across the board! We need cross-collaboration, especially in this industry. The more viewpoints and knowledge the better.

Avoiding the “Kodak Moment” in Construction

When it comes to how things “used to be done,” what should we retain and from what should we move on? Join host Todd and guests Nolan Browne and Diana Fisler as they discuss bringing a high-level attitude into the construction industry, how we’re accomplishing “incremental innovation,” encouraging growth mindsets, systemic barriers in the industry, and much more.
Diana Fisler is a Sr. Principal at ADL Ventures. She is an experienced industrial scientist and a variety of materials-related fields with a demonstrated history of working in the building materials industry and managing laboratories.
Nolan Browne is the Co-Founder of FieldNav, Inc. and the Founding Partner of ADL Ventures. Nolan combines his deep background in CleanTech and BuildingTech commercialization for the Fortune 1000 with nearly a decade of venture-backed founder / executive experience in Silicon Valley and Boston to help the world’s leading companies find, develop and scale deployment of CleanTech and AI solutions to simultaneously become more profitable and sustainable.
 
TODD-TAKES
Create a culture of continual improvement and innovation. When you give people not only the space but the permission to explore and test ideas, you will be amazed at the creativity and the initiatives that will come back. I was recently at the AEC iSummit presented by the Construction Progress Coalition where teams where essentially tasked with this mission. It was inspiring to see people throughout the industry come together to innovatively address and seek to solve systemic problems in workflows. It is possible.
Avoid the “Kodak Moment” in construction. As we discussed at length in this conversation, Kodak made the mistake of playing it too safe instead of playing to win. Instead, you should seek for daily small improvements that add up. I get it changing a mindset and process is really hard and uncomfortable. However, it pays dividends in the long run against your competition.
It may seem like looking back change happens with a “poof”, but as Diana said “when you are in the middle of the poof it feels like a series of pressures instead.” I love that line but it is so true. We are in the middle of the construction poof. There are so many internal and external pressures being placed on the industry to change. It is going to be exciting to look back and know we thrived in and after the “poof” of change.
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Other Relevant Links:
Nolan Browne’s LinkedIn
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ADL Ventures Website