2012 JBKnowledge Construction Technology Report

Investigating the technology
solutions construction firms

use and how they integrate
for maximum efficiency.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MAKERS OF
THE 2012 CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION REPORT
INTRODUCTION
JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., makers of SmartBidNet, conducted the first annual
Construction Technology Integration (CTI) Survey May 30-June 16, 2012. The online, 20
question survey was emailed to thousands of commercial building professionals and
promoted via social media, eliciting more than 450 responses. The results were first
presented by JBKnowledge President, James Benham, at the Associated General
Contractors (AGC) of America 2012 IT Forum in Chicago, August 16. This report provides a
snapshot of the survey results, with commentary and analysis from the perspective of a
construction information technology provider. Any and all feedback is appreciated and
will help in developing the 2013 CTI Survey.
OVERVIEW
The 2012 CTI Survey grew from a need to • What solutions are industry professionals relying
understand the typical construction technology on to get construction projects done?
end-user, the various applications they employ, and • What is the current level of technology integration
how those solutions integrate to create a seamless between the various software solutions available?
experience for the user. The following questions • Are software users eager for more integration?
were posed during numerous discussions between • What integrations could prove synergistic?
the survey conductor and its industry clients,
further confirming the need for this survey.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY , MAKERS OF

PAGE 01
www.jbknowledge.com | Copyright © 2012, All rights reserved | www.smartbidnet.com
FOREWORD
I’m pleased to present the first annual Construction budget and on time while demanding the highest
Technology Integration Report and would like to level of technology available from the providers
thank every participant who contributed to the they depend on. Providers must also be more
data within this report. To have such a large attentive to the end-users' needs and work to
response in our first year of conducting this survey communicate the benefits and drawbacks of their
was truly encouraging and gives us high hopes for own and competing solutions with more due
conducting the survey again in 2013. diligence and attention to detail - especially in the
case of the notorious “cloud.”
As an avid construction technologist, the results of
the 2012 CTI Survey confirmed many of my beliefs As technologists, we forget that the age of Internet
about technology solutions in the industry. I must means end-users no longer have to take our word
say, however, I was not prepared for some of the for it. We have to provide proof that our solutions
more surprising statistics and insights on what are secure and the example of efficiency, or they
industry professionals are using on their projects will find a provider who can. Especially when it
and what level of technology solutions and comes to the cloud, we need to get better at not
integrations some users are settling for. I recently just producing solutions, but also communicating
stated in my keynote address at the 2012 AGC IT and supporting our solutions if we want end-users
Forum, and still believe, that many firms in the to trust in our technology. In the conclusion you’ll
construction industry are “just this side of pen and find our views on how to go about doing that, and
paper when it comes to technology.” Too many I hope to hear yours when you have time to write
companies are not integrating data nor seeking me.
solutions that integrate data. The incredibly high
numbers of professionals still using spreadsheets Thank you in advance for your time and interest in
for data storage, process, and transmission is this report. I hope it challenges, empowers, and
concerning. enlightens your projects and your technology
providers, as all good data should.
I hope this report serves as a call to action to both
construction software end-users and providers to Sincerely,
raise expectations and standards of data JAMES BENHAM
integration to the levels offered in other industries. President, Co-Founder
Construction professionals must look at the JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc.
processes necessary to get their projects done on Makers of SmartBidNet
james@jbknowledge.com

PAGE 02
THE SURVEY
We developed a series of 20 questions that began The survey was sent to over 10,000 construction
with asking what role the respondent played in industry professionals, and presented to thousands
their construction firm. Respondents then went on more via social media sharing mediums. It is
to identify the number of software solutions they important to note that among these recipients was
use during a normal work day for everything from the entire SmartBidNet user base, therefore
preconstruction to project management and then questions on invitation to bid software and
we asked them to identify the various solutions occupation may be statistically skewed, as
they use. Respondents could select more than one SmartBidNet users are heavily involved in
solution and/or write in an “Other” solution if theirs estimating and bid processes.
was not listed. After identifying the solutions and
methods they use, the survey went on to ask how It is also important to note that when selecting
those solutions integrate with each other, if at all, their provider of any certain category of software,
and how integration and mobile capabilities play respondents were able to select more than one,
into purchasing decisions. since many large firms use a combination of
software. Therefore, the bar graphs presented do
not necessarily add up to 100 percent.

PAGE 03
INTEGRATED PROJECTS DIRECTOR | CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT EDUCATOR | SENIOR ENGINEER | SCHEDULING DIRECT
ASSISTANT PROJECT ESTIMATOR | VICE PRESIDENT - ESTIMATING | OPERATIONS MANAGER | IT DIRECTOR | COST/SCHEDULE
| PROJECT COORDINATOR | PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER | VIRTUAL DESIGN MANAGER | SR. VP - DIVISION MANAGER | BIM
MANAGER | DIRECTOR OF ESTIMATING | ARCHITECT | PROJECT ENGINEER | FACILITY MANAGER | IT PROJECT LEADER | CIT
ASSESSOR | SR. PROJECT CONTROLS ANALYST | DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION | PROJECT CONTROLS MANAGER | CONSTR
MANAGER | PROCUREMENT & CONTRACTING DIRECTOR | COST CONTRACT CLAIM & QUANTITY SURVEYOR EXECUTIVE | DE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & COUNSEL | COMMISSIONING AGENT | SENIOR CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT | COST MANAGER |
PRECONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR | DRAFTING SUPERVISOR | VP PRODUCT MANAGEMENT | PURCHASING MANAGER | MANAG
WE SURVEYED OVER
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY | INTEGRATED PROJECTS DIRECTOR | CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT EDUCATOR | SENIOR E
SCHEDULING DIRECTOR | ASSISTANT PROJECT ESTIMATOR | VICE PRESIDENT - ESTIMATING | OPERATIONS MANAGER | IT DIR
COST/SCHEDULE ENGINEER | PROJECT COORDINATOR | PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER | VIRTUAL DESIGN MANAGER | SR.
DIVISION MANAGER | BIM MANAGER | DIRECTOR OF ESTIMATING | ARCHITECT | PROJECT ENGINEER | FACILITY MANAGER
PROJECT LEADER | CITY ASSESSOR | SR. PROJECT CONTROLS ANALYST | DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION | PROJECT CONTRO
MANAGER | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | PROCUREMENT & CONTRACTING DIRECTOR | COST CONTRACT CLAIM & QUANTIT
SURVEYOR EXECUTIVE | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & COUNSEL | COMMISSIONING AGENT | SENIOR CONSTRUCTION CO
| COST MANAGER | PRECONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR | DRAFTING SUPERVISOR | VP PRODUCT MANAGEMENT | PURCHASING
| MANAGER OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY | INTEGRATED PROJECTS DIRECTOR | CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT EDUC
SENIOR ENGINEER | SCHEDULING DIRECTOR | ASSISTANT PROJECT ESTIMATOR | VICE PRESIDENT - ESTIMATING | OPERATION
MANAGER | IT DIRECTOR | COST/SCHEDULE ENGINEER | PROJECT COORDINATOR | PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER | VIRTU
MANAGER | SR. VP - DIVISION MANAGER | BIM MANAGER | DIRECTOR OF ESTIMATING | ARCHITECT | PROJECT ENGINEER |
MANAGER | IT PROJECT LEADER | CITY ASSESSOR | SR. PROJECT CONTROLS ANALYST | DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION | PR
CONTROLS MANAGER | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | PROCUREMENT & CONTRACTING DIRECTOR | COST CONTRACT CLAIM
QUANTITY SURVEYOR EXECUTIVE | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & COUNSEL | COMMISSIONING AGENT | SENIOR CONSTRU
CONSULTANT | COST MANAGER | PRECONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR | DRAFTING SUPERVISOR | VP PRODUCT MANAGEMENT |
PURCHASING MANAGER | MANAGER OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY | INTEGRATED PROJECTS DIRECTOR | CONSTRUCTI
MANAGEMENT EDUCATOR | SENIOR ENGINEER | SCHEDULING DIRECTOR | ASSISTANT PROJECT ESTIMATOR | VICE PRESIDEN
ESTIMATING | OPERATIONS MANAGER | IT DIRECTOR | COST/SCHEDULE ENGINEER | PROJECT COORDINATOR | PRECONSTR
MANAGER | VIRTUAL DESIGN MANAGER | SR. VP - DIVISION MANAGER | BIM MANAGER | DIRECTOR OF ESTIMATING | ARCH
PROJECT ENGINEER | FACILITY MANAGER | IT PROJECT LEADER | CITY ASSESSOR | SR. PROJECT CONTROLS ANALYST | DIRE
CONSTRUCTION | PROJECT CONTROLS MANAGER | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | PROCUREMENT & CONTRACTING DIRECTO
CONTRACT CLAIM & QUANTITY SURVEYOR EXECUTIVE | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & COUNSEL | COMMISSIONING AGEN
CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT | COST MANAGER | PRECONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR | DRAFTING SUPERVISOR | VP PRODUCT
MANAGEMENT | PURCHASING MANAGER | MANAGER OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY | INTEGRATED PROJECTS DIRECTO
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT EDUCATOR | SENIOR ENGINEER | SCHEDULING DIRECTOR | ASSISTANT PROJECT ESTIMATOR
PRESIDENT - ESTIMATING | OPERATIONS MANAGER | IT DIRECTOR | COST/SCHEDULE ENGINEER | PROJECT COORDINATOR
PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER | VIRTUAL DESIGN MANAGER | SR. VP - DIVISION MANAGER | BIM MANAGER | DIRECTOR OF
ESTIMATING | ARCHITECT | PROJECT ENGINEER | FACILITY MANAGER | IT PROJECT LEADER | CITY ASSESSOR | SR. PROJECT
ANALYST | DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION | PROJECT CONTROLS MANAGER | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | PROCUREMENT
CONTRACTING DIRECTOR | COST CONTRACT CLAIM & QUANTITY SURVEYOR EXECUTIVE | DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & C
COMMISSIONING AGENT | SENIOR CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT | COST MANAGER | PRECONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR | DRA
PROFESSIONALS FROM ALL LEVELS OF CONSTRUCTION
SUPERVISOR | VP PRODUCT MANAGEMENT | PURCHASING MANAGER | MANAGER OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY | INT
PROJECTS DIRECTOR | CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT EDUCATOR | SENIOR ENGINEER | SCHEDULING DIRECTOR | ASSISTA
PROJECT ESTIMATOR | VICE PRESIDENT - ESTIMATING | OPERATIONS MANAGER | IT DIRECTOR | COST/SCHEDULE ENGINEER
COORDINATOR | PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER | VIRTUAL DESIGN MANAGER | SR. VP - DIVISION MANAGER | BIM MANAGE
DIRECTOR OF ESTIMATING | ARCHITECT | PROJECT ENGINEER | FACILITY MANAGER | IT PROJECT LEADER | CITY ASSESSOR
PROJECT CONTROLS ANALYST | DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION | PROJECT CONTROLS MANAGER | CONSTRUCTION MANAG
PROCUREMENT & CONTRACTING DIRECTOR | COST CONTRACT CLAIM & QUANTITY SURVEYOR EXECUTIVE | DEPUTY EXECUT
DIRECTOR & COUNSEL | COMMISSIONING AGENT | SENIOR CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT | COST MANAGER | PRECONSTR
DIRECTOR | DRAFTING SUPERVISOR | VP PRODUCT MANAGEMENT | PURCHASING MANAGER | MANAGER OF CONSTRUCTI
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
TECHNOLOGY , MAKERS OF
PAGE 04
THE RESULTS
Respondents Analysis
457 industry professionals responded to the survey, While the survey being only 20 questions long may
the largest percentage being in an estimating role have helped, it seems industry professionals
within their firm. The second largest demographic responded in large numbers because they already
came from Owners/Principals and the third largest know which software is out there, but really want
were respondents who indicated “Other” and wrote to know, “What are our peers and competitors
in their more specific role/title (see all write-ins using and how are they using it?” Participants had
throughout Page 4). The roles varied from Project the opportunity to provide their contact
Controls Analyst to BIM Manager to Chief information at the close of the survey to receive the
Information Officer to Vice President of Estimating. results and over 60% chose to do so.
Every stage of the construction process was
represented from procurement and These numbers also indicate the expanding roles of
pre-construction to design and facilities construction professionals due to the proliferation
maintenance. of technology solutions. No longer are software
purchasing and implementation decisions limited
to the IT department or outsourced consultant,
employees from all levels and departments are
involved in the selection and implementation of
software and are even hired based off of their
technological savvy with various solutions.
ESTIMATOR 38.6 %
OWNER/PRINCIPAL 19.7 %
PROJECT MANAGER 14.5 %
ADMINISTRATION 5.4 %
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 4.9 %
OPERATIONS 3.7 %
OTHER (SEE ALL WRITE-INS ABOVE): 18.0 %
This survey was sent to thousands of construction industry professionals including the
SmartBidNet user base, many of whom are estimators, so the results from this question
may be biased.

PAGE 05
THE RESULTS
Accounting Technology Analysis
The survey proceeded to ask if participants use This question had the largest percentage of
certain categories of construction software, and if participants (50.5%) selecting “Other” and writing in
so, which ones, starting with accounting their solution. Excluding Quickbooks and JD
technology. In regards to accounting technology, Edwards®, the write-ins also varied greatly. This is
we did not ask participants if they used a solution not surprising due to the sensitive nature of
but rather which solution they use; we assumed accounting data and the reluctance to adopt new,
they were using something to manage accounting cloud-based solutions for handling such data. The
data. Sage 300 was the most commonly used majority of write-ins for this question named
accounting solution with CMiC and Viewpoint tied solutions non-specific to the construction industry
for second. Quickbooks® and custom in-house built and non web-based, respondents clearly preferring
systems came next as write-ins. to install desktop software and host their own
accounting data in-house.
SAGE 300 24.7 %

CMiC 8.7 %
VIEWPOINT 8.7 %
MAXWELL SYSTEMS™ 3.1% Other Write-Ins: 50.5%
JONAS™ 2.6% QuickBooks® 7.4%
COMPUTER GUIDANCE CORP 2.3 % Custom 5.4%
COMPUTEREASE 1.0 % JD Edwards® 4.3%
FOUNDATION 0.3 % Microsoft® Excel™ 2%

PAGE 06
THE RESULTS
Estimating Technology
The majority of survey participants said their NO 30.4%
company is employing some sort of estimating
software for plan file takeoffs, On-Screen Takeoff® 69.6% YES
being the leading preferred solution with Sage 300
coming in second.
Analysis
Of all software categories surveyed, estimating software was the most widely used. Respondents also indicated
a clear favorite among estimating software, with almost half of survey participants employing On-Screen
Takeoff®. It’s also worth noting that On-Screen Takeoff® is the leading estimating software when it comes to
number of integrations with complementary project management and/or bid solutions available.
ON-SCREEN TAKEOFF® 43.2%

SAGE ESTIMATING 25.6%
PLANSWIFT® 8.6% Other Write Ins: 38.0%
PROEST® 4.9% MC² ICE® 4.9%
CLOUD TAKEOFF 1.9% HardDollar® 3%
Custom 2.6%
MAXWELL SYSTEMS™ 1.9%

PAGE 07
THE RESULTS
Invitation to Bid / Analysis
Because of the massive amounts of paper
Plan Room Technology associated with project documents, bid and plan
As mentioned before, questions regarding room software has lead the way in web-based
invitation to bid software reflected a clear bias for construction management solutions. This category
SmartBidNet as the user base was among those of software is the only one where the top solutions
surveyed. More than half of the professionals are all web-based - unsurprising considering the
surveyed use some form of invitation to bid or plan amount of document collaboration and storage
room software, the top four solutions being capabilities needed for bid communications and
SmartBidNet®, iSqFt®, GradeBeam®, plan files. There are still a large number of firms, the
and Blue Book®. 14.9% “Other” write-ins, using some form of FTP,
email and file sharing solution combination as a
makeshift plan room.
SMARTBIDNET 55.4%
iSqFt ® 23.9%
BLUE BOOK® 12.6%
NO 40.8% YES GradeBeam® 6.8%
59.2% Other Write Ins: 14.9%
eBid eXchange 1.4%
e-Builder® 0.9% Custom 3.6%
PIPELINESUITE® 0.5%
This survey was sent to thousands of construction industry

professionals including the SmartBidNet client base so the
results from this question may be biased.

PAGE 08
THE RESULTS
Project Management Technology Analysis
Second to estimating technology, project As one of the most all-encompassing solutions
management technology was the most widely available, it’s not surprising that most firms have
used, and respondents confirmed that there are some sort of project management software in use
many solutions available and in use. Primavera and but that there is no clear favorite according to our
Prolog® led the way in number of users but Sage survey participants. Project management software
300 was not far behind, and even the 5th place typically depends on the additional software in use,
solution, Viewpoint, still showed a good number of as it needs to pull data from a variety of sources
users. and processes to give a complete picture of
projects in the past, present and future. If one
software category illustrates best the need for
cross-application integration, it would be project
management software. Many of the software
solutions surveyed have formed alliances with
complementary accounting, bid, or estimating
software or have simply acquired such
technologies in hopes of building a one-stop suite.
PRIMAVERA P6 23.6%
PROLOG® 21.5%
SAGE 300 14.5%
NO 34.5% CMiC 9.1%
VIEWPOINT 7.4%
65.5% YES
AUTODESK® CONSTRUCTWARE® 5.8%
PROCORE™ 2.1%
CO-CONSTRUCT™ 0.4%
eCMS 0.4%
Other Write Ins: 23.6%

MICROSOFT® PROJECTS 2.5%
Custom 2%

PAGE 09
THE RESULTS
BIM Technology Analysis
Almost 50% of survey respondents said their The results from this survey question were some of
company uses a Building Information Modeling the most enlightening of any question in the
software. The numbers indicate Autodesk® survey. BIM is a widely used buzz phrase, but is
solutions as clear favorites, with very high adoption normally accompanied with “expensive,” “intensive,”
of both Revit® and Navisworks®. and “harder to scale for small firms.” To see such a
large usage rate at 42.5% of over 450 respondents,
from small, medium, and large construction
companies, is encouraging from a tech provider's
point of view.
AUTODESK® REVIT® 80.6%

AUTODESK® NAVISWORKS® 58.7%
INNOVAYA 12.3%
YES 42.5% TEKLA® STRUCTURES 12.3%
57.5% NO AUTODESK® QTO 12.3%
VICO 8.4%
Other Write Ins: 19.4%
Beck Technology DProfiler™ 3.9%

PAGE 10
HOW THEIR SOLUTIONS INTEGRATE 1

+6
Integrations Available 22.8%
15.0%
Those surveyed were asked how many software
solutions they employ on a daily basis. The majority
17% 2
answered that they use more than six solutions on
5 10%
any given day, with three solutions and two
solutions also a common answer.
14.5% 20.7%
4
3
1 2
ALL 8.6% 21.3%
A powerful statement of the survey is made in the
4.3%
next question’s results - how many of those
software applications integrate with each other?
39.4% answered that none of their software
16.2% 3 integrate with each other or exchange data in any
way. Only 4.9% said that those six applications they
39.4% 4.3% use all integrate. 21.3% were able to say two of their
applications integrate.
NONE 4.9% 1% 4
+6 5
Analysis
These days, when downloading or installing a desktop or mobile application, or registering for a web-based
service, the setup process almost always involves the opportunity to sync complementary data from your other
applications for use in the new application. Professionals can sync their social media accounts, their email
address books, their photo sharing accounts, and more. The cross integration of data facilitates a seamless
experience for the user in employing the new application. Why isn’t the same level of cross-application data
integration available in construction management solutions? Why can’t your new project management
software ask for your bid software information and automatically import? Why are integration options limited to
purchasing a one-stop software suite or manually transferring data? This is largely because end users have not
held business software providers to the same standards as they hold their consumer software products. It also
has to do with the complexity of integrating software in a rapidly changing competitive landscape without the
presence of a dominantly used industry data standard.

PAGE 11
HOW THEIR SOLUTIONS INTEGRATE

Transferring Data Analysis
52.1% of survey respondents said for applications These numbers indicate a passive acceptance of
that don’t offer data integration, they transfer data the lack of software integrations available. Such a
manually via Microsoft® Excel™ spreadsheets. 33% large number of respondents using spreadsheets
use another form of manually data transfer, and an instead of custom in-house systems or choosing
astonishing 18.2% just don’t transfer data. Almost not to transfer data at all shows industry
30% of participants said they have dropped a professionals have accepted their solutions’ lack of
software solution due to lack of data integration integrations. Since 70% have never abandoned a
capabilities. software due to lack of integration, they’ve grown
comfortable with the manual transfer of data,
seeing it as a necessary step as opposed to an
inefficiency. The comments written in on these
questions also implicate a mistrust of
cross-software integrations, stemming from a fear
of losing or corrupting data in the transfer. The level
of trust placed in web-based applications and
services like email and social sites that sync data,
time, and place has not transferred over to
construction management solutions.
EXCEL SHEETS 52.1%

OTHER MANUAL PROCESS 35.3%
WE DON'T TRANSFER DATA 18.2%
IN-HOUSE CUSTOM SYSTEM 13.2%
CSV 11.6%
XML 5.8%
OTHER 4.1%

PAGE 12
CORPORATE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

Data in the Cloud
To understand the parameters these professionals operate their IT within, the survey asked which solutions,
according to corporate policy on data storage within the corporate firewall, are allowed to be cloud-based and
which cannot be cloud based. Invitation to bid software was the most commonly permitted cloud software,
with “No solutions allowed outside corporate firewall” coming in second.
INVITATION TO BID /
PLAN ROOM 39.7%
NONE 30.4%
PROJECT MANAGEMENT 22.3%
ESTIMATING 18.9%
ALL 14.9%
BIM 14.4%
OTHER 7.6%
ACCOUNTING 6.5%
75.1% of those surveyed said accounting software is not allowed “in the cloud” and must be kept within the
corporate firewall, with 40.9% adding that estimating software must also be hosted in-house.
ACCOUNTING 75.1%
ESTIMATING 40.9%
BIM 14.5%
OTHER 8.3%
ALL 6.2%
INVITATION TO BID / PLAN ROOM 2.6%

PAGE 13
CORPORATE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

Operating within those standards, invitation to bid and plan room software were the most common software
actually operating from the cloud, with project management being the second most common, and BIM and
estimating tied for third place.
INVITATION TO BID / PLAN ROOM 52.6%

BIM 11.0%
ESTIMATING 11.0%
ALL 6.6%
ACCOUNTING 4.8%
OTHER 29.8%
Analysis
Cloud solutions that have not been fully embraced know the address of. Web-based cloud technology
by the industry most likely fall into one of two has a ways to go to convince construction
categories: those too young to have a reputation of organizations that out of sight data does not mean
proven data security and those who don’t know out of mind. For now, if the process does not
how to thoroughly communicate how their data is involve large files (like in BIM), users from multiple
secured and managed. Unfortunately, as evident in locations and offices (like in project management),
the above responses, not enough solutions can or large amounts of bandwidth (like in online plan
and are guaranteeing the security and safety of rooms) - the numbers indicate that the majority of
data hosted in the cloud and the industry is not end users believe data in the cloud is not worth the
willing to take any chances with current economic risk. Private/Public Hybrid Cloud solutions, blending
conditions competitive as they are. Data drop off, the benefits of both private data storage and public
theft, dilution, and solicitation are just a few of the data distribution are starting to be more
fears end-users have in putting financial, project, commonplace and stand to bridge the gap
subcontractor, plan file, etc. data in a server room between customer data security and management
they don’t manage themselves and may not even needs.

PAGE 14
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION EXPECTATIONS
28.8%
When it comes to mobile capabilities, over half of
the survey participants indicated that mobility is an
41.1%
important factor when considering IT solutions.
30.1%
In addition, if integration capabilities, mobile or

otherwise, are not available for a particular type of
26.1% software no matter the provider, the respondents
were asked if they are likely to develop a custom,
in-house integration, such as a mobile application
51.4%
or other form of data interchange. 51.4% said they
were not very likely to develop an in-house
22.5% integration, lacking the resources, while the other
half said they were either likely or very likely to
develop custom integration on their own.
Analysis
Mobile and other forms of integration, that sync data across locations, time, and devices, were once a luxury but
are now part of the user expectations needing to be met. Commonly called “the consumerization of business
software,” end users expect their mobile solutions to be as seamless as the consumer software they use on a
daily basis. Companies look to their software providers to simplify and streamline their technology, not simply
add another login and touch point to manage. Construction companies, with no specialty in information
technology, are resorting to developing their own data integration when their technology providers fall short.
The need for technology providers to improve their offerings is there, but it seems the pressure is not.

PAGE 15
CONCLUSION
The Current State of Construction switch solutions. This is mainly due to technology
Technology Integration providers’ failure to communicate the benefits of

streamlined integration and the end-users’ failure to
As a whole, the survey numbers indicate that expect it.
construction companies are using more software
solutions than ever before but lack the integration In addition, corporate policies remain conservative
to fully harness the power of the data from their when it comes to adopting new and web-based
various solutions. Analysis of the survey numbers technologies, especially for sensitive financial and
suggests several barriers hindering integration project data, and the “transfer” of data facilitated by
development. The fact that each product category integration is synonymous with the “vulnerability”
was led by a different company should be reason of data leaving the corporate firewall.
enough to take a hard look at breaking down those
barriers. Technology providers must start leading the way
with integration and mobile solutions rather than
Fear of data security in the cloud remains a taking the reactionary stance of the past, and
hindrance to full cloud services adoption and technology purchasers need to start demanding
integration. As a result, in-house solutions, desktop interoperability. The proliferation of the cloud
solutions, and manual solutions like spreadsheets means that corporations today no longer have to
are still a dominant part of IT systems. This means be hoarders of static data and instead have the
solutions like Microsoft® Excel™ are being used as potential to be collaborators and analyzers of
application, data storage and data transfer dynamic, centralized data.
mediums regularly, between thirty and forty
percent on most survey questions. Firms are too End-users today experience a high level of
comfortable with these manual, non cloud-based innovation and out-of-the-box integration from
solutions and the demand for web-based solutions their other technology providers but for some
and the available integration that comes with them reason do not expect the same of their
is therefore lagging. construction Software as a Service providers. SaaS
means a continuous relationship as opposed to a
The increasing demand for mobile capabilities may one-time product sale, and construction
spark more integration development, but mobile is technology providers are not being held as
still not a limiting factor for firms willing to develop accountable as personal and corporate technology
their own integrations or manually transfer data. providers to that definition.
Firms recognize the lack of integration capabilities
they are offered but do not want it bad enough to

PAGE 16
CONCLUSION
The Future of Construction during the keynote address at this year’s AGC IT
Forum held in Chicago. Founded by five
Technology Integration independent construction software providers and
The current lack of construction technology empowered by the results of this 2012 CTI Survey,
integration leads end-users to believe that their best the organization hopes to gain traction among end
bet is to adopt an all-in-one suite or develop one users and technology providers passionate about
in-house instead of demanding more from their quality relationships and user-friendly, open
individual software providers. This survey hopes to integration between the various software solutions
convince end-users that they do indeed have the their clients depend on most.
choice to ask more of their providers instead of
accepting the status quo. Quality integration of technology within the
construction industry starts with software providers
In 2007, the Associated General Contractors of but depends on the construction professional
America launched the AGC XML initiative to develop end-users like the 450+ surveyed here to demand
a standard data interchange format for industry the level of streamlined integration available in
solutions to facilitate a structured flow of data other areas of their corporate and personal
between software solutions. Today, the standard has technology. The same integration of data they see
seen zero adoption, not even among the initial in their CRM, email, mobile, scheduling, and other
technology providers who contributed to its solutions should be applied to the construction
development. It has been said that there was no management solutions they depend on every day.
demand from the user-base to motivate adoption. Quality, robust out-of-the-box integration of
solutions can and should be achieved for the
Hoping to reignite the campaign to standardize benefit of software vendors, end-users, and their
software integration in the industry, the projects alike.
Construction Open Software Alliance was
founded in early 2012 and officially announced

PAGE 17
SPECIAL THANKS
Thank you to every survey participant who We look forward to hearing from you again next
contributed to these results and report. We know it year as we dig deeper into technology integration
took time out of your day and your projects to help and its development over the next year within your
with ours and we sincerely appreciate you doing companies. If you have any additional feedback or
so. Thank you also to the many media publications, questions for us, please do not hesitate to contact
organizations, companies and other online us via our company website
mediums who shared the survey to help us gather www.jbknowledge.com or product website
responses. We hope this report adequately met www.smartbidnet.com.
your expectations for the survey and would like to
hear from you if it did not.

PAGE 18
ABOUT US
JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. is an information focusing on the construction, risk and insurance
technology services provider and maker of the industries. JBKnowledge is also a founding member
SmartBidNet construction bid software and of the Construction Open Software Alliance. As a
SmartCompliance certificate of insurance rapidly growing business year after year,
management software. JBKnowledge specializes in JBKnowledge is a four-time recipient of the
enterprise application and database development, Aggie 100 and Newman 10 business growth
electronic data interchange, strategy consulting, awards. The company, and President/Founder
mobile solutions, web design and development, James Benham, are headquartered in
Bryan/College Station, TX.
Company Website SmartBidNet Construction Bid Software

www.jbknowledge.com www.smartbidnet.com
Construction Open Software Alliance President, Founder & Public Speaker James Benham
www.constructionosa.org www.jamesbenham.com
Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

PAGE 19

2012 JBKnowledge Construction Technology Report

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2012 JBKnowledge Construction Technology Report

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Investigating the technology

solutions construction firms

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SAGE 300 24.7 %

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ON-SCREEN TAKEOFF® 43.2%

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This survey was sent to thousands of construction industry

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Other Write Ins: 23.6%

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AUTODESK® REVIT® 80.6%

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HOW THEIR SOLUTIONS INTEGRATE 1

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HOW THEIR SOLUTIONS INTEGRATE

EXCEL SHEETS 52.1%

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CORPORATE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

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CORPORATE TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

INVITATION TO BID / PLAN ROOM 52.6%

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TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION EXPECTATIONS

In addition, if integration capabilities, mobile or

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Technology Integration providers’ failure to communicate the benefits of

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Company Website SmartBidNet Construction Bid Software

BROUGHT TO YOU BY , MAKERS OF

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