Digitalization in prefab construction isn’t just about software and machines. Above all, it’s about people with the right knowledge and craftsmanship. Anyone who forgets that is bound to run into trouble.
New roles, new opportunities
The construction industry is changing. Whereas a drafter used to do the work at a drafting table, she now works on a BIM model in a digital engineering environment. Where a scheduler once worked with a planning board, they now manage a digital scheduling system. Both use a variety of digital tools to make engineering or planning easier. The transition from job planning to the construction site is also changing—partly due to increasing prefabrication. Industrial construction offers new opportunities, but it also requires a fresh perspective on the changing roles and tasks of people.
What I see in practice: companies and people who dare to take the leap into digital are growing along with it. The operator who learns to use an MES system will soon be monitoring quality on his production line. The technician who follows digital work instructions makes fewer mistakes and works more independently. Not because they’ve been replaced by technology, but because technology supports their work. As digitization accelerates, “thinking” can increasingly be outsourced (AI), but “understanding” is rooted in craftsmanship. The tools change; the craftsmanship remains.
Social Innovation as a Foundation
In the construction sector, there are thousands of manual tasks to be performed. Due to an aging workforce and a lack of new entrants, we are increasingly relying on foreign workers to fill these roles. Or we are replacing repetitive tasks with technology—a smart combination of hardware and software. Digitization and automation create opportunities for the labor market and for craftsmanship, control, and quality.
In the prefabricated construction industry, tomorrow’s employees will understand BIM principles, be able to work with integrated software (ERP/APS/MES), and trust the systems. But just as important: they understand the process, contribute ideas, and take responsibility. This requires investment in training and a culture where mistakes are allowed—as long as we learn from them together.
Start with the people, not the systems
My advice to executives and production managers in the prefab industry (when developing a digital strategy) is: don’t start with the system; start with the people. Involve employees early on. Explain why you’re digitizing. Show them what it means for them and what they stand to “gain” from it. Those who bring their team along on this digital journey are building a prefab factory that truly works.
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