Skills to trigger take-up of object-oriented technology

Citation

(1999), "Skills to trigger take-up of object-oriented technology", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 23 No. 9. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeit.1999.00323iab.009

Skills to trigger take-up of object-oriented technology

Keywords: Construction industry, Skills, Technology

Ignorance of the potential of object technology is holding back companies in facilities management (FM) and construction. If the benefits of the fast-moving developments in defining object classes are to be fully exploited, both senior managers and hands-on staff must acquire the skills to manage the new technology, according to a report, Object Technology and Training, from the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI).

Through interviews and research, IAI investigated how far companies are aware of the potential of object-oriented technology and how likely they are to become involved.

A major barrier to take-up is the aversion to risk and the view, widespread in construction, that it is better to let others take the risk and wait until a proven, low-risk technology is available from the software suppliers.

This “play-it-safe” attitude has been criticized by representatives of the more innovative companies, among them Brian Zelly of Laing Ltd and chairman of IAI UK. “Too many firms believe that they will be able to free ride on the back of the efforts of other people”, he says. “A nasty shock, however, awaits them. The adoption of new technology and new ways of working is more dependent on culture, education and individual competence than on buying the technology.”

What, then, can be done to educate companies in the new technology? The report sets out nine recommendations for action. Demonstration projects, it believes, are the principal means of spreading information and influencing people. In a demonstration project, participants up and down the supply chain, assisted by learning materials, would be required to use standardized systems to facilitate vertical integration.

Other recommendations cover practical means of training and raising awareness, such as pilot training projects, team building, roadshows and learning packages. The development of occupational standards and a uniform language for use by the various players in FM and construction are also recommended.

Object Technology and Training sets out a practical agenda on what government training and professional bodies, individual companies and universities can do to speed adoption. The report also includes a down-to-earth explanation of what object technology is and progress to date. It urges companies to become involved in order to reap the benefits of time saving and cost reduction, and emphasizes the need for both practical training and cultural change.

Object Technology and Training: A Powerful Force for Process Improvement in Construction and FM , a report researched by IAI UK and funded by the UK Department for Education and Employment for the Science, Technology and Mathematics Council, is available (£60.00 for non-members and £20.00 for members, plus £3.50 postage and packing), from IAI UK Ltd, 18 Devonshire Street, London W1N 1FS. Tel: 0171 636 6951. Fax: 0171 636 6952. E-mail: iai@business-round-table.co.uk