Seven steps to successful construction digital transformation

Every journey has a destination, and a digitalisation project in the AECO industry is no exception. An architecture firm might need to improve collaboration and project coordination to better align teams with stakeholders.

Engineering or construction firms seeking to control risk and improve on-time project delivery, might need solutions to streamline data management.

Whether implementing a BIM workflow or upskilling your team, overall objectives align with optimising processes and operational efficiency, improving business resilience and increasing productivity and growth. Even in AECO organisations with similar objectives, a number of factors influence the route they take to achieve those goals.

Successful transformation requires a clear, actionable roadmap that minimises risk and balances the needs of your people, processes, and technologies. The roadmap defined in ARKANCE Guide “Your Roadmap to Business Transformation” starts with where you are today.

A clear view of your existing assets, goals, and priorities will shape the entire project. A strong transformation partner can support you in developing your roadmap.

Seven steps for a roadmap to digitalisation success

1 - Define outcomes

Understanding your desired outcomes is key to success.

The project might involve a single process or workflow optimisation or it might be a multi-phase digital adoption strategy.

Discovery involves interviews and process evaluations with your teams. The result is a detailed assessment of where you are today, where you want to be, and any gaps in between.

2- Communicate the action plan

Clear communication aligns your partner’s team and your teams with a shared vision and plan. A transformation journey is smoother when all participants understand:

• Vision for change: how the project will improve processes, operations, stakeholder experiences, and long-term value

• Project goals: how processes, technologies, and people will evolve, with recommendations and timelines

• Roles and responsibilities: how roles are defined and supported by regular, open communication

• Change management: how to follow a defined process for managing change requests and approvals

Positive communication also celebrates quick wins, recognises behaviour shifts, and actively fosters learning to build momentum across your organisation.

3 - Identify the right solutions

Team collaboration is essential to identify, design, and refine the most effective solutions for your project.

Solutions are more than just software, although that is important. They should include complete software configuration, seamless technology integration, and the team training needed to move forward with minimal disruption.

At this step, a transformation partner like ARKANCE can provide technology consulting rooted in real-world experiences for BIM, Autodesk Construction Cloud, and other construction solutions.

Take the next step to digitalisation with Autodesk Construction Cloud and ARKANCE. Simplify operations, streamline building processes, and save resources. Start here.

4 - Run a pilot

Every roadmap includes a pilot phase, where new technology solutions and workflows come together.

During this phase, you should expect to test workflows and tailor them to specific needs and quality requirements.

You will also identify any potential gaps, uncover process improvements, and finetune configurations before full deployment.

5 - Deploy the new solution

Here, your solution moves from test to full systems integration. Successful digital adoption leads to operational efficiency, sustainable processes, business resilience, increased productivity and improved competitive advantage.

According to the 2025 Autodesk State of Design and Make report, businesses see a +50% return on digital transformation efforts through increases in innovation, productivity, and more.

By the end of deployment, your organisation is confidently running on modern tools with measurable outcomes and a clear path for future optimisation.

6 - Ensure ongoing support

A transformation partner like ARKANCE also works with you to achieve full adoption and return on your investment.

At this stage, your team is empowered and engaged in the new solution and your change management partner will become a key resource for support.

Personalised, proactive support enables you to resolve any issues, identify optimisation opportunities and future needs, as well as build skills and fill knowledge gaps.

7- Results and project handoff

The end of your roadmap isn’t the end of your journey. Expert partners should also “close the loop” on your project, helping you measure success and report project results to your key stakeholders.

Success!

Projects don’t end with successful technology deployment. You should also be able to rely on your AECO partner as a strategic advisor for implementing next steps, such as encouraging user adoption, measuring gains, and identifying opportunities to further maximise efficiency and productivity.

Ultimately, your partner’s goal is to help you build long-term value in your digitalisation investment. Choose a strong partner, define your roadmap, and you’re on the way to success.

Get your roadmap for AECO digitalisation projects

Learn more about building your digital adoption strategy and completing a successful transformation with a comprehensive 20-page guide, Your Roadmap to Business Transformation. Download your guide.