Master’s thesis ACEX30 Increasing implementation of digital tools on the construction site

Abstract

In recent years there has been an increasing digitalization of the Swedish construction industry. However, the digitalization has mainly been aimed at the design phase, even though there are digital tools well suited for the construction phase. Research has shown that the increase in productivity within the construction industry has decreased, and that there likely is a correlation between low productivity and low digitalization. Furthermore, there is a great potential for reducing costs, increasing client and coworker satisfaction, and increasing the quality in the production phase while using digital tools. This thesis is therefore aimed at investigating how the implementation of digital tools at the construction site can increase. This is done by semi-structured interviews with professionals at various positions connected to digitalization of the constructions site, both at a studied company and some similar companies, to get an industry context. Different organizational and managerial aspects are identified and researched to give an understanding of how the organization can promote innovations such as digital tools to the construction site. Furthermore, the construction phase and its prerequisites are researched and related to knowledge about change, innovation, and implementation to get an understanding of the setting where the digitalization is taking place. One specific digital tool, Dalux, is further investigated since it is the tools currently under implementation at the studied company. It is evident from the study that in order to successfully increase the digitalization of the construction process it is important to not only consider the project teams and the technical capabilities of specific tools, but to also consider human aspects through the management and culture of the wider organization. There are great potential benefits to gain from utilizing digital tools in the production phase. Short-term benefits are found in aspects such as improved production management, enhanced quality, increased documentation, and modernized communication. Moreover, there are long-term benefits from generating data which can be used for improved work processes and taking more informed decision regarding future projects. Being in the forefront of the increasing digitalization will also attract more competencies in the area, contributing to the long-term growth of knowledge and competence within the organizations. This study argues that the studied company is among the forefront companies digitalizing the Swedish construction industry in general and the production phase in specific. However, to enable increased utilization of the digital tools and to remain a prominent digital construction company in the increasing pace of digitalization, more efforts are needed. To increase the usability of collected data and increase the organizational learning there is a need for common frameworks and guidelines regarding digital tools in production. The support regarding these tools, and digitalization within the organization at large, must also be improved to be better structured. To align efforts towards digitalization, both in the projects and in the wider organization, there is a need for clearly defined goals and visions for the digitalization. Finally, the digitalization is not a project with a start and an end, rather it is a continuous effort towards improved productivity and quality within the construction industry and should therefore be a part of the core activities of construction companies. Future studies could be aimed at researching the monetary value of using digital tools in production, to convince the individuals recalcitrant towards digitalization, as this has been identified as a hindrance.