2. Open communication and collaboration
Return to June 2020 Update
Length:2 min read; 428 words.
Note: The following paragraphs summarize the category of Open Communication and Collaboration observed in June. More information about the specific category from June (and previous months) can be found in the downloaded report(s).The number in square brackets (e.g., [30]) refers to a reference where the reader can find more information about a specific statement. The references can be found in the References list below, Systematized References page or in the downloaded report.
The trend observed in May continues in June with the communication increasing exponentially in some categories. The volume of references we analyzed in June has more than tripled since May. Everything is happening online (supported by the fact that most of the teams are still working from home and communicate virtually), and every company and institutions has a website offering COVID-19 related knowledge. Furthermore, it is obvious that the businesses are taking advantage of the situation; providing, managing and selling knowledge online has become a lucrative business or a good start for a business opportunity. It is followed by the related investments (e.g., in knowledge exchange platforms such as GlobalWonks [202][203]). More information about the types of online knowledge exchange can be found in the Virtual communication and collaboration section.
The “openness” trend in communication and collaboration in AEC is slowing in June (80% in June from 90% in May and 100% in April). The practitioners have become more cautious and protective of their businesses given the countless challenges, such as backlog issues, reports of owners going to competition, increased cashflow issues, issues with contracting and potential litigations, etc. [223][292][211][191][293].
A mention of Open communication and collaboration increased 42% since May (5.7% to 8.9%), mostly in European, UK and global publications (such as a LetsBuild webinar: “How will the construction industry recover post COVID-19?” [293]) highlighting the importance of “working together to survive”, while the lack of a united response to the health crisis in the US has somewhat reflected in talking about open communication and collaboration. Furthermore, the global civil rights movement against racially motivated violence, that have started in the US at the end of May and spread globally in June, might have influenced the measured increase of open communication and collaboration.
The multidisciplinary and enhanced communication with clients, professional colleagues, and other work fields [249], have been pointed out by AEC practitioners as possibilities to avoid or overcome a crisis in the field of architecture and construction: “Strengthen dialogue; rethink the way we design and build; flexibility; pursuing opportunities, not clients; and take this opportunity to change” are the key strategies of the inevitable change. [294] [295] The AEC companies are crating alliances such as the “NEXT Coalition” by four major US contractors (Black & Veatch, DPR Construction, Haskell and McCarthy Building Cos.) to ensure contractors learn the best safety practices to better protect their crews and office teams during the coronavirus pandemic. [151][152] Open communication and collaboration should be mandatory in resolving contracting issues and providing legal solutions for a post-pandemic economic recovery [214].
References
[152] epancoast, “NEXT Coalition - Home page,” NEXT Coalition. (accessed Jun. 29, 2020).
[178] “Making the new normal work | McKinsey.” (accessed Jul. 03, 2020).
[203] GlobalWonks, “GlobalWonks Raises $2m Seed Round to Scale Knowledge Platform,” 05/26.
[214] GlobalWonks, Constantine Partasides: Legal Solutions for a Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery.
[229] “Now is the time for a ‘great reset,’” World Economic Forum. (accessed Jul. 12, 2020).
[230] “The Great Reset,” World Economic Forum. (accessed Jul. 12, 2020).
[249] “Thornton Tomasetti 2020 Annual Report.” (accessed Jun. 06, 2020).
[285] “COVID-19 Crisis Impact on Global Energy Use.” (accessed Jul. 08, 2020).
[315] “The R/Evolution of Work | CMSWire Engage Virtual Events.” (accessed Jul. 11, 2020).
[319] “Reimagining the office and work life after COVID-19 | McKinsey.” (accessed Jul. 03, 2020).
[429] “Team Face It and Figure It Out,” Ember Strategies. (accessed Jul. 01, 2020).
[437] “BigMarker - Modern, No-Download Webinar Software,” BigMarker.com. (accessed Jun. 22, 2020).
[440] “Workplace Sign-up / Sign-in.” (accessed Jul. 10, 2020).
[610] “Resetting capital spending in the wake of COVID-19 | McKinsey.” (accessed Jul. 04, 2020).
[611] “MindFuel.” (accessed Jul. 04, 2020).
[668] D. Guan et al., “Global supply-chain effects of COVID-19 control measures,” Nature Human Behaviour, vol. 4, no. 6, Art. no. 6, Jun. 2020, doi: 10.1038/s41562-020-0896-8.
[670] “Adaptive Leader Webinar Series,” Center for Asia Leadership. (accessed Jul. 05, 2020).
[677] “MindFuel - Construction.” (accessed Jul. 04, 2020).
[749] “Bluebeam | Work From Home with Revu.” (accessed Jul. 04, 2020).
[750] “upFront.eZine News Archives,” upFront.eZine News Archives. (accessed Jul. 04, 2020).
[751] “2 Guys Talk CAD,” upFront.eZine News Archives. (accessed Jul. 04, 2020).
[752] ©Copyright Stanford University Stanford and California 94305, “Regeneration and Beyond: A Crosstalk of Biology, Medicine, Technology, and Computation,” Jun. 30, 2020. .
[753] V. Inc, “Webinar: Transforming Your Workflow for Interior Projects.” (accessed Jun. 23, 2020).
[754] “VWU: Course categories.” (accessed Jun. 23, 2020).
[755] Autodesk, “Webinar: BIM360 Design for Revit (Advanced Users).” (accessed Jun. 23, 2020).
[756] “AEC Design Collaboration Webinars | Autodesk.” (accessed Jun. 23, 2020).
[758] “Empowering Firstline Workers in the AEC Industry.” (accessed Jun. 28, 2020).