It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the latest technology available in the Construction Industry. This can lead to overwhelm, inefficiency, and wasted money if the solutions you choose don’t solve project specific issues. 

In this week’s podcast episode, I speak to Karl Sorensen. We talk about how his experiences have shaped how he looks at the implementation and use of technology in construction companies. We also discuss why most construction companies struggle with identifying the right tech to use. Karl then pinpoints why leaders and those underneath them should come together to talk about what tech works and what doesn’t. In the later part of our discussion, he gives action steps to avoid the hype, and integrate technology effectively to solve specific problems. 

Take the time to listen to this podcast episode! 

Discussion Points:

0:00 Introduction 
3:05 Karl’s history and how it has influenced him 
6:42 The disconnect between millennials and the older generation around technology 
8:27 Why there is a struggle identifying the right technology 
10:35 Best way to start leveraging technology at the moment
13:40 The importance of a good process in building a technology solution   
15:14 Advice for leaders when looking at technology and bridging the gap  
16:26 Frequency of meetings   
17:35 Culture of experimentation 
19:37 Specific areas to implement technology 
21:56 Using data collated and processing it to be beneficial to the company 
23:32 Effective model to roll out technology 
26:32 Understanding the minimal viable products perspective 
30:00 What technology is hyped nowadays but not useful at the moment  
31:17 Undervalued technology that is useful and will create a positive impact
34:16 Upcoming technology that is going to make a huge impact 
35:55 Where the construction industry is headed in terms of consolidation and integration 
38:04 Reasons technology implementation fails 
39:46 Action steps to integrate technology 
42:18 How technology should be driven effectively 

About the Guest: 

Karl Sorensen is HIIT’s director of projection solutions. His focus is on implementing construction best practices and deploying the right tools and technology on each job to enhance HITT’s ability to deliver exceptional project solutions to our clients. 

Karl has more than a decade of experience in the construction industry, bringing project management, operations, and construction technology experience to his role at HITT. In addition to leading the project solutions team, he also oversees HITT’s sustainable construction and virtual construction teams to optimize sustainability and efficiency across HITT’s job sites. 

Resources: 

• Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton (https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/) 
• Reach out to Karl through Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlsorensen/)
• Check out HIIT’s website (https://hitt.com/)   

Museum recommendation: 

• For those planning to visit DC, Karl suggests that you check out the Museum of American History’s website (https://americanhistory.si.edu/)  

Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Thank you for tuning in!