Q&A with Mike Wood, General Manager, Construction: The Digital Future of Construction
General Manager, Construction, Mike Wood, discusses his new role at GoFormz and construction’s digital-centric future
From the job site to the halls of Procore HQ, Mike Wood has spent the last decade working within the construction industry. As Mike’s career evolved, so did construction’s relationship with digital solutions and technology. The construction industry has traditionally been resistant to digital adoption. For instance, in 2015, the McKinsey Global Institute digital industry index ranked construction amongst the least digitized sectors worldwide (McKinsey, 2015).
The challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, however, have dramatically accelerated the digital transformation of the construction sector. Social distancing, health screenings, new compliance requirements, and the ability to continue to operate (as essential workers) amidst lockdown restrictions, have presented construction operations with further incentives to digitally adapt. A 2020 McKinsey survey of construction decision-makers concluded that “nearly two-thirds of respondents believe that the COVID-19 crisis will accelerate industry transformation, and half have already raised investment in line with the shifts.” (McKinsey, 2020)
We sat down with our General Manager of Construction, Mike Wood, to discuss his background in construction technology, as well as his thoughts on how digital solutions will shape the future of the industry.
GoFormz: Tell us a little about your background.
Mike: Before joining GoFormz, the majority of my career was spent working in and serving the construction industry. I spent about 4 years working with several general contractors in various roles and using various technology solutions. Most of my work during this time was on job sites for various types of projects from large education projects to multi-family and mixed-use. For the past 5+ years, I have worked for Procore, helping clients evaluate and purchase software. I worked with clients of all sizes and types, from companies just starting their business to top 10 ENR firms. It has been incredibly interesting to see the transformation that has taken place within the construction industry as many new solutions have come to the market. I personally think efficiency overall has improved in the industry due to advances in technology, but also think there remains a huge opportunity for growth and advancement.
GoFormz: During your time with Procore and working with general contractors, you’ve seen your fair share of construction solutions – why did you choose to take on your new role at GoFormz?
Mike: For me, it is fascinating to see the number of solutions that continue to pop up in the construction tech space. I saw a great opportunity for GoFormz to solve some of the unique challenges the industry has and continues to face. One of the ongoing challenges is providing solutions that are easy and comfortable to use whether in the field or office. With GoFormz, I truly believe we will provide a solution to allow people to capture the data in whatever format they may choose. Many companies have processes they have perfected over years or decades. Our goal is simply this; bring us your processes, and we will help you digitize and scale. We want companies to maintain the processes and practices that have made them successful over the years but help them increase efficiency and scale.
GoFormz: The construction industry is massive, representing 13% of the global GDP, however, according to a report from McKinsey, the sector’s productivity has grown by only 1% over the past two decades. What role will platforms like GoFormz play in bloating construction’s productivity levels?
Mike: Automation and data management! Simply creating new tech and throwing it at the industry is not merely enough. With the right technology tools and solutions in the hands of construction professionals, combined with the ability to manage their data, efficiency and growth will follow. We are starting to see more data captured from the field than ever before; the challenge is now learning how to aggregate and utilize the data. Data and insights are the key to unlocking efficiency and growth for the construction sector.
GoFormz: Can you share some examples of how GoFormz has helped construction teams address the analog challenges that have plagued the industry for so long? Where are you seeing success?
Mike: It is surprising and staggering to see the number of processes still being run through both excel and paper. Here is the reality with technology; if a person or company does not see the value in or has issues with a technology solution, they will quickly revert to the previous manual methods even if some efficiency is lost due to the manual nature. Our goal is to provide solutions that people love to use while also improving efficiency. Technology should mold itself to already well-established company processes, rather than the other way around.
GoFormz: GoFormz and Procore have shared a successful, symbiotic relationship since partnering. Where do you hope to see this partnership evolve? How are construction teams advancing their digital transformation initiatives leveraging this partnership?
Mike: I hope we continue as a trusted Procore partner, and are looked to when unique and custom data input and output scenarios arise. My goal is to complement the powerful Procore platform in as many ways as possible. Knowing Procore has and will continue to provide the platform for construction entities to run their business on, we want to be the partner that can handle potentially complex data needs for both field and office teams, all while seamlessly feeding the data to Procore.
To learn more about how construction teams are leveraging digital platforms like GoFormz and Procore, check out our eBook, ‘The Top 4 Use Cases for the GoFormz & Procore Integration’.
