By Jessica Kirby
Part of the Innovators presentation, the AGM, and the general session at the TIAC Conference this past summer included live polling, where participants were shown questions on a screen and asked to log their votes using their phones or tablets. The results provided important information about the topics TIAC members feel knowledgeable about, want to learn more about, and would like to see in future association events and training.
Innovators Committee
At the Innovators’ presentation, the Innovators’ Committee presented on current and future initiatives and updates. The presentation was well attended, and most (83%) of those presents knew about TIAC’s Innovators Committee. However, only 58% of participants were aware of the committee’s purpose, with 23% unaware and 19% unsure. This speaks to the need for education and promotion of this important group, which looks for ways to keep the association and its resources current and relevant as the industry evolves.
TIAC.ca
Live polling during the Innovators’ session also pointed to generally good awareness around the TIAC website (90% finding it highly or somewhat useful) but revealing only five percent use the members only portal on a regular basis. Sixty-six percent were unaware of the portal or do not use it.
Social Media
Looking at social media, the results were predictable. Facebook (48%) and LinkedIn (38%) came in highest for platforms participants use most, with TikTok and X coming in much lower at 14% each. Interestingly, 100% reported high or moderate value in businesses being on social media—a number that certainly would have been different even five years ago.
Technology
The results on technology showed an interesting trend toward technology adoption, but perhaps not the way some would expect. Just over half (52%) reported moderate levels of technology adoption in their companies, 39% reported high or very high adoption rates, and just 8% said the rate of adoption was low or very low at their companies.
Most are using project management software (59%), ERP software (41%), sales and CRM software (36%), or BIM (32%) while AI + machine learning were used by just 18% of participants. Fourteen percent reported use of thermography or robotics and automation, and another 14% said they still do everything on paper.
Participants were asked to share words that come to mind when they think about AI, and those included: Chat GPT, fake, future, efficiency, unreliable, scalability, cyber, wild, hallucinating, and streamlining. At the same time, 65% of respondents thought the potential impact of AI on their business would be somewhat or very positive, 26% were neutral, and only 9% reported negative.
Over the next 12 months, 64% are likely or very likely to invest in AI or other new technology, 24% are neutral on the subject, and 12% are unlikely to invest in this area. Barriers to investment include a general lack of understanding (30%), difficulty with integration (26%), and resistance to change/high costs, both representing 17% of responses.
This checks out against national averages. A recent study from KPGM Canada that says 73% of construction firms it surveyed think the Canadian construction industry lags behind other countries in adopting con-tech, and 80% or more are excited about its possibilities and believe that technology will make them more competitive. Yet only 46% say they plan to spend more than 11% of their corporate operating budgets on technology and digital transformation in the near future.
Training and Education
In terms of future learning, participants showed interest in attending sessions on suicide prevention (45%), crisis intervention and prevention (50%), financial planning (40%), and safety equipment training & awareness (30%). Some additional topics of interest included
- Social media training
- Project management
- Technology integration
- AI for contractors
- Bitcoin
- Recruitment
- Training
- Tech stack best practices
- New product introduction
Watch for participant trends and ideas reflected in future programming and sessions from TIAC and reach out to Tristan Bertram with any additional thoughts, ideas, or requests. ▪
