The dream of all developers is that their product, after months or years of work, sees the light of day and becomes an indispensable tool. Few developers experience that, but even fewer achieve the success of the innovative program HoloBuilder. Just a few years ago, computer-science lecturer Mostafa Akbari, together with cofounder Simon Heinen, launched the […]
Start a Product-Innovation Revolution in 6 Steps—Whether You’re David or Goliath
In his book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm Gladwell upends the idea that it was surprising for David, the underdog, to vanquish Goliath, the almighty giant. Underdogs, Gladwell suggests, have certain inherent advantages. In business, companies might find themselves in either the David or Goliath position, and it’s important to […]
5 Top Manufacturing Trends to Expect in 2019
Innovations such as drones, 3D printing, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) have been steadily maturing along their own trajectories. Insiders, pundits, and surveyed companies say that in 2019, these trends will continue their recent convergence into a tapestry of industrial tools that’s greater than the sum of its parts. The manufacturing […]
Think Generative Design is Overhyped? These Examples Could Change Your Mind
It is my view that generative design is the most exciting development the manufacturing industry has seen in the past 20-plus years. If that sounds like an overstatement—or you’re unsure about generative design altogether—let me share some examples that might open your mind a bit. But first, let me clarify what generative design is—and what it is […]
Why Using Big Data Mitigates Risk and Helps Construction Businesses Take Flight
Construction companies that adopt technology to accelerate delivery can achieve real efficiencies. But if they aren’t also gaining insight from the project data, they’re missing a major opportunity. It’s like building a better, more powerful jet engine, then never actually leaving the ground. Digitizing all those construction documents creates a wealth of information, but most […]
Robots on the Rise: 5 Examples of Innovations in Industrial Robotics
The term industrial robotics might conjure huge, fast-moving machines engaged in the kind of repetitive, dangerous work that humans used to handle: building automobiles, welding parts, and so on. Although those machines will certainly continue to take on larger roles in manufacturing, innovations in industrial robotics have started to lead humanity in intriguing new directions. From delicate […]
3 Steps to Exceed Expectations and Turn Your Business into a Customer Company
The 21st-century economy isn’t made for complacency. Constant disruption and innovation in business require continual evolution and development. It also demands something personal: a genuine connection to your customer. As Henry Ford said, “If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and […]
3 Ways to Shift Mindsets for Implementation of BIM
Fear of failure, fear of change, and fear of criticism are all hardwired into the human brain as deeply as the primal urge for self-preservation. However, when humans embrace change, with its demands for flexibility and transparency, the species is capable of achieving great things. Confronting those fears is familiar ground for Eddy Slim. Trained […]
Workforce Diversity in Construction Improves Productivity and Profits
The construction business gets a bad rap for not being diverse enough. True, the sector may lag behind other industries, but construction companies are beginning to foster a more diverse and inclusive workforce—and earn the returns. The business case for diversity demonstrates that it boosts employee engagement, job satisfaction, and performance. In the 2018 report “Delivering through Diversity,” McKinsey finds that […]
3 Ways to Ease into Industrialized Construction (It Pays to Be Diligent)
“Industrialized” construction may not exactly sound fun to longtime contractors and builders who relish the craft aspects of their trade. But the adoption of industrial, prefabricated, and manufacturing techniques by construction firms is an emerging way to realize the efficiency gains so elusive in architecture, engineering, and construction while improving profitability, project quality, and even […]
