Is Construction Really That Far Behind in Digitalization? A Reality Check

We’ve all heard the familiar line: “Construction is one of the least digital industries.” It’s repeated at conferences, in whitepapers, and in countless headlines. But is it really true — or is it a narrative that’s out of sync with reality?

Having worked across industries and seen the digital state of sectors like aviation, healthcare, logistics, and public services, I’d like to offer a more balanced perspective. Yes, construction faces digital challenges — but we’re not uniquely bad. In fact, in several areas, we’re making meaningful strides. And it’s time we acknowledged that.

🧱 Where Does the “Construction is Behind” Story Come From?

The claim often originates from a 2017 McKinsey study, which ranked industries by digital maturity. Construction came in second to last, just ahead of agriculture. The metric combined factors like digital spending, process automation, and data use.

It was an eye-opener — and rightly so. At the time, many processes were still paper-based, collaboration was slow, and data wasn’t reused effectively. But here’s the problem: that narrative froze in time. And since then, the quote has been repeated endlessly without much scrutiny.

📈 What’s Changed Since Then?

1. Digital Tools Are Now Mainstream

Most project teams use digital project management, model checking, site logistics tools, and issue-tracking apps daily. Whether it’s BIM coordination, quantity take-offs, or 4D planning — we’re not in the paper age anymore.

2. BIM and openBIM Are Maturing

While adoption varies globally, Building Information Modeling has gone from novelty to standard in many regions. IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) and IDS (Information Delivery Specification) are improving interoperability, allowing stakeholders to collaborate more openly and effectively.

3. Prefab and Modular Construction Are Data-Driven

Offsite construction is booming — and it relies heavily on precise digital planning. Here, digital is not an option; it’s foundational.

4. Clients Are Driving Change

Large asset owners and public agencies now demand digital deliverables. The industry is adapting, because clients are no longer accepting PDFs as the endgame.

5. New Talent Brings New Expectations

Young professionals entering the field bring with them digital skills, automation know-how, and expectations of modern workflows. They’re not waiting around for change — they’re driving it.

🧠 So Why Is the Industry Still Being Portrayed as “Behind”?

This is where things get uncomfortable — but necessary to say. Some consultants, vendors, and media benefit from portraying construction as broken.

• The more “hopeless” the situation seems, the easier it is to sell a miracle solution.

• Transformation consultants frame the sector as backward to justify expensive frameworks and assessments.

• Tech startups pitch to investors using outdated stats to show the “huge potential” for disruption.

Is it all bad intent? Not at all. Many want to help and genuinely believe in their tools. But we must recognize the double tongue: presenting a problem as worse than it is to amplify the perceived value of the proposed fix.

🔍 Compared to What? A Look Across Industries

Every industry thinks it’s behind.

• Airlines still use decades-old reservation systems — some built on MS-DOS.

• Healthcare systems are riddled with proprietary software and poor interoperability.

• Public services often rely on Word docs, email chains, and file servers.

• Banking runs on COBOL from the 1960s, with layers of patches over ancient core systems.

So when we say “construction is behind,” the real question should be: compared to what?

✅ Time for a New Narrative

Let’s acknowledge the facts:

• Construction is complex, specialized, and physically (location) grounded, which makes transformation harder than in cloud-based industries.

• The sector has historically underinvested in digital tools — that’s true. We’ve covered the advantages of that earlier.

• But the pace of improvement is accelerating, and many project teams today work in ways that would’ve been unimaginable just a decade ago.

🙌 What We Should Do Instead

1. Celebrate what’s working. Highlight digital success stories and scale them.

2. Focus on interoperability. Tools don’t need to be perfect — they need to connect.

3. Avoid fear-based narratives. Fear motivates in the short term, but pride builds momentum.

4. Demand better metrics. Let’s stop using 2017 data to evaluate 2025 realities.

5. Be honest about incentives. Consultants and tech vendors can be allies, but we must always ask: who benefits from this story?

🔚 In Summary

The construction sector isn’t perfect — but it isn’t the digital dinosaur it’s often made out to be. We’re evolving, learning, and adapting. And instead of being passive recipients of criticism, we should own our story, drive smart digital adoption, and push for sustainable, standards-based innovation.

Let’s stop apologizing for being behind — and start showing the world how we’re moving forward.