Procore’s Groundbreak conference was predictably full of incredible insights for construction as the industry navigates its current challenges. The key theme of connecting construction is something that resonates here at Quickbase as well. It goes beyond just technology – success in the construction industry will come with building the bonds between people and between teams, not just tools.
As Procore CEO Tooey Courtemanche shared, “Construction is one of the most complex industries in the world – but today, we have the power to improve every phase of construction.” With that in mind, here are three things we heard at Groundbreak that are worth keeping in mind as we get ready for 2025:
Projects are unique, but approaches don’t need to be
One thing that came out of the Groundbreak keynote was that all construction projects are unique. As Tooey pointed out, “Construction projects are snowflakes – the team that comes together has never done so before, and will likely never do so again.” This explains the true uniqueness of construction projects, and also lays out the importance of a consistent approach to fall back on. This requires reliable data and systems, and well-planned processes
Our State of Construction survey found that 91% of respondents still use paper in their manual processes. When you need to keep new teams working on new projects on the same page, that becomes impossible. Instead, relying on the right technology is a great first step to avoid the struggle of people getting familiar with new teams and processes.
Access our State of Construction report here.
The right technology means flexibility and connectivity
Data siloes are still everywhere, and they cost time and money. Gray Work remains a major obstacle for people and organizations trying to get more done. Procore is focused on Connected Construction. While that goes beyond technology, a piece of it is ensuring that tools are simple and collaborative.
Procore’s product is seeking out more customizability – with hubs by company and project types, and by roles, people will have a portfolio level view into their work and how they need to get it done. As they pointed out in the keynote, siloed point solutions lead to siloed data, so they are working to make things simple and unified.
At Quickbase, we have a similar approach, creating apps that solve for key use cases while still being easy to customize for your exact workflows. Our recent launch of Work Management for Construction solutions allows you to start with pre-built apps for challenges like preconstruction, field work, and safety that you can customize for your specific needs. This ability to connect key workflows and customize them to your exact needs is one that we agree with Procore on – and we’re excited to continue developing more of these solutions.
People-first construction
Ultimately, it’s about people, and Procore is laser-focused on making sure people are at the center of the construction technology boom. Building faster and better is great, but it’s also about building a better life for people – and technology can help with some of that mundanity. The people-first approach to the industry, including initiatives focused on equality in construction and mental health, will advance the industry as more Gen Z people look to the trades as reliable professions. And with technology leading the way, construction is set for continued evolution in the years ahead.
