My Digital Life this week turns the spotlight on Dan Rossiter FCIAT, sector lead (digital transformation) at BSI. He reveals how process modelling is key to digital adoption and how his light bulbs tell him when it’s raining.
What new built environment digital innovation that you’ve seen recently really excites you?
I’ve seen a few interesting case studies where antennae are brought in temporarily to establish a private local network to ensure fast, secure, and stable internet connection across construction sites. I think it’s a novel solution, especially in more rural areas. As we try to bring more and more technologies onto our construction site, this sort of solution will become a necessity.
What single thing would help accelerate construction’s digital adoption?
Process modelling. I truly believe that if everyone produced swim-lane diagrams of what they did it would highlight the inefficiencies that digital technologies could then be procured to mitigate. We need to understand what we do better, before we invest in digital solutions.
“Android is so slick once you get rid of all the bumph that other providers overlay and bundle onto it.”
Who do you follow on social media about BIM and digital construction – and why?
Lots of people! If I had to call out some people specifically:
- Rob Jackson (@BondBryanBIM) and Emma Hooper (@liccle_Em) on Twitter. I think the work Rob, Emma and their team have done around using databases in their approach to information management is awe-inspiring.
- Ian Gordon on LinkedIn. Recently, Ian has been putting his own diagrams up on LinkedIn to try to articulate organisational data-driven decision-making. They are fascinating. Ian is also very insightful whenever he appears on the Digital Twin Fan Club podcast.
What was the last app you downloaded and why?
The last app I downloaded was the Longleat App for Longleat Safari Park. It was my first visit to Longleat and it really had a positive impact on my experience. As I drove around, audio would play based on my phone’s location and the app itself provided a wealth of rich information and resources throughout the day.
What’s the tech bane of your life?
Two-factor authentication (2FA). While the threat of a breach in security should never be dismissed, I really hope we find a better way than to send countless text messages whenever I try to log in. I think the only “normal” text messages I get are from 2FA services.
Mac or PC/iOS or Android?
Android. I’m a Pixel user myself. Android is so slick once you get rid of all the bumph that other providers overlay and bundle onto it.
Do you have any smart home features or other digital gadgets?
My favourites are my Nest Thermostat, Nest Fire Alarms, and my Philips Hue bulbs. When used alongside IFTT, you can do some pretty interesting things! At one point my bulbs would flash blue when it started to rain. However, living in South Wales meant they were almost permanently blue…
