Five mobile technology trends transforming architecture
How can mobile device adoption and usage help to transform practices and their productivity? Deltek highlights five surprising mobile technology trends.
One of the greatest challenges that architecture practices face is ensuring that everyone is on the same page, particularly when working with technology and processes. We see this in many architecture practices, where office and project site coordination is identified as a major challenge.
These challenges only grow as the industry undergoes rapid changes, including the technologies firms rely on.
So, how can architecture practices keep teams aligned across every location despite constant change and development? For many practices, the answer lies in utilising portable devices to deliver a single, reliable source of truth on the go. However, it’s not as simple as just handing out smartphones or laptops and sending everyone on their way.
In fact, there are five surprising trends in mobile device adoption and usage that are transforming the way that architecture firms operate. In this article, we’ll explore these trends and their implications for firms seeking to maximise their productivity.
1. Technology Infrastructure Needs to Support Mobile Usage
Even if you’re able to provide mobile devices and laptops to your employees, there’s a possibility that you won’t reap the benefits if everyone is still connecting to legacy, on-premises infrastructure.
The 4th Annual EMEA and APAC Deltek Clarity Study revealed that investing in better software tools was a top priority for 45% of firms. And 50% of Australian and New Zealand firms are focused on improving their IT infrastructure to keep up with the fast-changing business environment.
While migrating to the cloud can enhance mobile productivity, it is a challenging process that many architecture practices struggle with. Overcoming this obstacle is essential for firms to fully utilise the potential of mobile devices. Explore five benefits of utilising the cloud in this article.
2. Using Mobile Devices Doesn’t Have to Compromise Security
In architecture, data and cybersecurity challenges pose significant obstacles. The complexity faced by security teams is further increased by mobile devices, with 55% of respondents in a Ponemon Institute Report indicating that smartphones are the most vulnerable endpoint in their organisation.
Mobile devices do not need to compromise security. However, architecture practices aiming to adopt mobile working must work closely with IT and security teams to deploy new devices and applications in a manner that maintains a balance between security, mobility and accessibility.
3. On-the-Road Productivity is Enhanced with Industry-Specific Applications
Your team is probably used to scrolling through email clients and other general productivity apps on their smartphones, but dedicated architecture apps have really come into their own lately.
Nowadays, apps like AutoCAD Mobile make it easy to take designs and models on the road. File-sharing apps help teams connect with important project information no matter where they are, and job-specific tools like Deltek + ArchiSnapper save time by streamlining core processes such as punch lists and site inspections.
In addition, many essential back-office solutions offer mobile companion apps that assist employees in saving time and reducing administrative burden. For example, Deltek ERP’s mobile features enable employees to manage timesheets and expenses from their smartphones or tablets.
4. Mobile Devices Must Work Well with Your Current Systems Over the Long Term
Mobile devices on their own support a variety of apps that enable people to work smarter. However, the real value of portable devices lies in their ability to access and update core cloud-based systems.
Ensuring seamless integration between your mobile devices and your current tech stack is crucial for fully harnessing the benefits of mobile working. But it’s not enough to only focus on interoperability today; you must also consider future technology deployments and their impact on the compatibility between your cornerstone applications and mobile devices.
By getting this right, you can minimise the risk of isolated or inaccurate data and ensure that everyone is operating from the same reliable source — no matter what device they’re utilising.
5. The Adoption of Mobile Solutions is Growing
Mobile device adoption is growing rapidly across businesses and consumers. According to Strategy Analytics, 3.95 billion of the world’s population owns a smartphone, compared to 1 billion in 2012.
According to Deltek’s EMEA and APAC Clarity Report, firms across Europe and the Asia Pacific are aware of the need to update their technology. In fact, 79% of A&E firms plan to invest more in emerging technologies in 2023, with very few planning to lower their budget. Also, two out of five firms feel that technology offers a key growth opportunity.
Discover 9 Industry Modernisation Trends
Mobile devices are transforming how architecture practices operate. But they’re just one part of the digital ecosystem. To learn the other ways your peers are modernising and transforming operations, get the white paper: 9 Reasons to Digitally Modernise Your A&E Firm.
Originally posted on Deltek.com on 20 October 2022.