Over the past three to five years, the number of new technology opportunities for AEC has skyrocketed. There are more construction technology startups and VCs than ever before. Incumbents are also updating and augmenting their products to keep pace with the latest trends. AEC SMEs have many options; the question is which investments make the most sense from a business perspective?
Here are some key questions I would recommend any decision-maker ask before making the jump.
1. What problem are we solving, and how do we know it’s a priority?
If the problem or opportunity is unclear, the solution will be misaligned. If it’s not a priority, it won’t get used.
You can update digital infrastructure to meet modern requirements, relieve a measurable pain in business processes, extract valuable insights from data, or gain a competitive advantage through strategic investments. Evolving client requirements, regulations, and new collaboration standards may also necessitate tech investments.
NOTE: Before you can define a solution, please confirm whether the workflow is stable enough to digitize. If core processes vary by person or project, standardize first to avoid digitizing variability.
2. What outcomes will justify the investment, and how will we measure them?
Technology is a cost until it becomes a benefit, and benefits are tied to your business goals. Define your business case before buying; for example, reduced time or expense, improved accuracy or predictability, increased sales or capacity, or fewer failures and less rework.
Align outcome metrics with incentives. If teams are rewarded for speed but technology drives accuracy, adoption will stall unless the incentives are realigned.
Quantify expectations: “If this tool saves X hours/month for Y employees, does that justify the cost and change effort?”
3. Do we have the capacity to adopt and sustain it, not just buy it?
Most SME tech failures stem from adoption, not the product. Ask who will own the rollout and training. Who will maintain the configuration and data? What competing priorities might derail adoption?
Identify internal champions and detractors early. Adoption often fails due to hidden resistance rather than a lack of training.
If no one has time, the investment won’t work.
4. What are we giving up to make this succeed?
SMEs have limited attention, budget, and talent. Saying yes to something means saying no to something else. Identify which projects or tools we will stop or phase out. Which workflows will we simplify and systematize before introducing tech? Which internal roles will shift?
Change requires eliminating low-value initiatives, not just adding new ones.
If everything remains “priority,” nothing is.
5. What risks does this investment add, and how do we mitigate them?
Tech always introduces new dependencies. Here are some risks to map:
- Vendor lock-in
- Data ownership and exportability
- Cybersecurity exposure
- Reliance on key individuals or consultants
- Cost escalation in the future
- Mismatch with your technology or data architecture
Assess not only technical risks but workflow fragility. If a process relies on “tribal” knowledge, tech may reveal gaps rather than solve them.
A good solution should reduce operational fragility, not add to it.
6. What’s our exit plan if the vendor, tool, or strategy changes?
SMEs often get stuck with legacy systems because switching becomes painful.
You should make sure there’s a way to get your data out in an open format. Also, consider alternative vendors or internal options. Finally, ask how complex migration is after 2–3 years.
Knowing how to leave gives confidence to start.
7. Can we run a meaningful pilot before committing to a full implementation?
The goal isn’t a perfect test; it’s evidence.
Pilot criteria:
- Test with real data
- Measure outcomes
- Involve future users
- Time-boxed learning
- Decide go/no-go based on facts
Time‑box the pilot and define a clear go/no‑go threshold based on outcomes, not enthusiasm. Avoid pilots that become production systems unintentionally.
8. Will this investment make us more independent or more dependent?
Automation can free capacity or trap you. A tech investment makes you independent when the capability grows inside the business. It makes you dependent when the capability shifts outside the company.
Evaluate whether capability growth remains internal. If expertise shifts entirely to the vendor, margins and leverage may follow suit. This is especially true with AI systems.
The best tools make the business more capable, not just more digitized.¨
9. Are we getting the full value from what we already use, and what’s holding us back?
Finally, evaluate what you already have and whether you’re making full use of it. If not, why? A new tool won’t help if you have a broken process or poor management.
