Construction not keeping pace with IT revolution says major client

Brian Watt, CAD service manager for London Underground, said that efficiencies were being lost because staff did not have sufficient knowledge of the computer packages they were using.

"There is a huge amount of functionality in all software programs that isn't being exploited," he said. "For example, most people only use about 10% of the functionality of Word. They could work much more efficiently if they only used another 10% or 20% of that functionality." Watt said that software was developing so quickly there was a serious lack of understanding among IT staff in construction and that more effort was needed to keep them up to date.

He is to give a presentation on how the industry can improve its IT training record at a Construction Industry Computing Association seminar on IT Training and Support.

Also speaking at the seminar on 5 April will be Steve Connor, IT director at contractor Carillion, Mike Prince, operations manager at engineer Arup Computing, and Megan Yakeley, digital design and education advisor for architect Foster and Partners.